Premium
Photo‐induced fractionation of water isotopomers in the Martian atmosphere
Author(s) -
Cheng BingMing,
Chew Eh Piew,
Liu ChinPing,
Bahou Mohammed,
Lee YuanPern,
Yung Yuk L.,
Gerstell M. F.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl008367
Subject(s) - isotopomers , astrobiology , atmosphere of mars , atmosphere (unit) , mars exploration program , deuterium , martian , fractionation , isotopologue , martian surface , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , geology , physics , chemistry , meteorology , astronomy , spectral line , atomic physics , organic chemistry
The history and size of the water reservoirs on early Mars can be constrained using isotopic ratios of deuterium to hydrogen. We present new laboratory measurements of the ultraviolet cross‐sections of H 2 O and its isotopomers, and modeling calculations in support of a photo‐induced fractionation effect (PHIFE), that reconciles a discrepancy between past theoretical modeling and recent observations. This supports the hypothesis that Mars had an early warm atmosphere and has lost at least a 50‐m global layer of water. Likely applications of PHIFE to other planetary atmospheres are sketched.