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Noble gas patterns in the atmospheres of Mars and Earth: A comparison via the SNC meteoritesNoble gas and nitrogen compositions in the glassy phase of the EETA 79001 shergottite correspond closely with Viking measurements. This direct evidence for the origin of the SNC meteorites on Mars, and for trapping of an unfractionated sample of Martian atmospheric gases in the 79001 glass, provides a reasonable basis for comparing the Martian and terrestrial atmospheres with more precision than that afforded by the Viking data set. Results are that, with one exception, elemental and isotopic compositions of nonradiogenic Martian noble gases are similar to those in the Earth's atmosphere; relatively small isotopic discrepancies in Kr and perhaps Xe may be attributable to different degrees of mass fractionation of a common parent reservoir. The anomaly is in Ar composition, where Martian Ar-36/AR-38 approx. 4 is strikingly lower than the values near 5.3 that characterize both the Earth and major meteoritic gas carriers. Although a primordial Martian ratio of 5.3 could in principle be altered by some planet specific process (e.g., cosmic ray spallation of surface materials) operating over geologic time, one has not been found that works.
Document ID
19850025540
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Pepin, R. O.
(Minnesota Univ. Minneapolis, MN, United States)
Becker, R. H.
(Minnesota Univ. Minneapolis, MN, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Inst. Terrest. Planets: Comp. Planetology
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
85N33853
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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