Abstract:
The abundances and histories of Martian volatiles such as CO2 and H2O determine the nature of the Martian climate and how it has evolved through time. The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission has quantified the ability of the Sun and solar wind to strip gases like these from the Martian upper atmosphere to space. In combination with measurements from other spacecraft, these results allow us to determine how much CO2 and H2O Mars has had in its near-surface environment, and where it has gone. In turn, this provides strong constraints on the history of both the geological evolution of the surface and the habitability of Mars by microbes. I’ll discuss both the detailed results on these gases and the broader perspective of the evolution of the Martian climate through time.
Zoom Info: If you’re interested in attending virtually, please contact Jem Averyt to be added to the mailing list.
Address Info: Please note that the doors to SPSC remain locked during business hours. If you are external to LASP, it would be helpful to alert us in advance by contacting Jem Averyt that you plan to attend so that we can let you in.
LASP – Space Science Building
SPSC-W120
3665 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO 80303