Disappearance of the Mars original dense atmosphere: the Mars Atmosphere and Voltatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission measures the loss processes to outer space today
J.M. Grebowsky
MAVEN Project Scientist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
MAVEN has been in orbit around Mars since September 2014. Its purpose is to measure how the Martian atmosphere is escaping to outer space today and how this escape responds to the key drivers – the sun’s radiation and the solar wind plasma - that control the planet’s upper atmosphere. MAVEN observations have identified the prime atmospheric escape mechanisms. These observations and theoretical calculations are being used to quantitatively describe how Mars lost its early dense atmosphere and surface liquid water over time. This talk will sketch out the MAVEN mission, describe the main Mars atmosphere escape mechanisms and show the current best estimated contributions of each to the net escape over time . The current observations are consistent with the evolution of the Mars atmosphere from a dense earthlike atmosphere to its current rarified dried atmosphere beginning at the time in the past when it lost its intrinsic magnetic field, that formed a protective barrier to the atmosphere erosion effects of the solar wind.
Created 2017-01-10 09:37:07 by Mats Holmström Last changed 2017-01-26 17:35:24 by Mats Holmström
