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HDO in the Martian atmosphere - implications for the abundance of crustal water

Journal Article · · Icarus; (United States)
A one-dimensional photochemical model is presently used to ascertain the nature of those chemical and physical processes of the Martian atmosphere responsible for the preferential escape of hydrogen over deuterium. A comparison of the present theoretical considerations with recent HDO observations indicates that Mars contains 0.2 m of (globally averaged) crustal water that is exchangeable with the atmosphere. This estimate, which is substantially lower than those obtained for Martian subsurface water on the basis of Viking image-derived geomorphological analyses, can be reconciled only if a small fration of the crustal water is exchangeable with the atmosphere. 67 references.
Research Organization:
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (USA)
OSTI ID:
6534512
Journal Information:
Icarus; (United States), Journal Name: Icarus; (United States) Vol. 76; ISSN ICRSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English