Deuterium on Mars: the abundance of HDO and the value of D/H

Journal Article · Fri Jun 24 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.240.4860.1767· OSTI ID:6594167

Owen, T; Maillard, J P; De Bergh, C; Lutz, B L

Deuterium on Mars has been detected by the resolution of several Doppler-shifted lines of HDO near 3.7 micrometers in the planet's spectrum. The ratio of deuterium to hydrogen is (9 +/- 4) x 10/sup -4/; the abundance of H/sub 2/O was derived from lines near 1.1 micrometers. This ratio is enriched on Mars over the telluric value by a factor of 6 +/- 3. The enrichment implies that hydrogen escaped more rapidly from Mars in the past than it does now, consistent with a dense and warm ancient atmosphere on the planet. 30 references, 2 figures.

• Research Organization: State Univ. of New York, Stony Brook (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6594167
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 240
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DEUTERIUM
ISOTOPE RATIO
HYDROGEN
MARS PLANET
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PLANETS
STABLE ISOTOPES
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena