Initial results from the thermal and electrical conductivity probe (TECP) on Phoenix

Zent, A. P.; Hecht, M. H.; Cobos, Doug; Wood, S. E.; Hudson, T. L.; Milkovich, S. M.; DeFlores, L.; Mellon, M. T.

doi:10.1029/2009je003420

Cited by 137 publications

(157 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Since the coupling of the TECP needles with the regolith was insufficient (Zent et al 2010), and the TECP needles are 15 mm in length, the measured temperature represents an integrated temperature over the top 15 mm of the subsurface rather than surface skin temperature of the regolith. Figure 8 (bottom) shows the complete set of TECP soil temperature measurements.…”

Section: Ground Temperaturementioning

confidence: 99%

The Modern Near-Surface Martian Climate: A Review of In-situ Meteorological Data from Viking to Curiosity

et al. 2017

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We analyze the complete set of in-situ meteorological data obtained from the Viking landers in the 1970s to today's Curiosity rover to review our understanding of the modern near-surface climate of Mars, with focus on the dust, CO 2 and H 2 O cycles and their impact on the radiative and thermodynamic conditions near the surface. In particular, we provide values of the highest confidence possible for atmospheric opacity, atmospheric pressure, near-surface air temperature, ground temperature, near-surface wind speed and direction, and near-surface air relative humidity and water vapor content. Then, we study the diurnal, seasonal and interannual variability of these quantities over a span of more thanThe original version of this article was revised because due to an unfortunate turn of events a wrong value was published in Table 1. The resolution of the PHX pressure sensor was published as "0.1 mbar" whereas this value has now been corrected to "0.1 Pa" which is the correct value and should be regarded as the final version by the reader. B G.M. Martínez

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Section: Ground Temperaturementioning

confidence: 99%

The Modern Near-Surface Martian Climate: A Review of In-situ Meteorological Data from Viking to Curiosity

et al. 2017

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“…In the current climate, this condition is never satisfied on the surface of Mars. Indeed, in the current climate the partial pressure of water vapor at the surface of Mars is below ∼1 Pa (Zent et al 2010;Jones and Lineweaver 2012;Savijärvi and Määttänen 2010). This value is two orders of magnitude lower than the saturation water vapor pressure at the triple point (611.73 Pa).…”

Section: Bulk Pure Liquid Water On the Surfacementioning

confidence: 95%

Water and Brines on Mars: Current Evidence and Implications for MSL

2013

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Liquid water is a basic ingredient for life as we know it. Therefore, in order to understand the habitability of other planets we must first understand the behavior of water on them. Mars is the most Earth-like planet in the solar system and it has large reservoirs of H 2 O. Here, we review the current evidence for pure liquid water and brines on Mars, and discuss their implications for future and current missions such as the Mars Science Laboratory.Neither liquid water nor liquid brines are currently stable on the surface of Mars, but they could be present temporarily in a few areas of the planet. Pure liquid water is unlikely to be present, even temporarily, on the surface of Mars because evaporation into the extremely dry atmosphere would inhibit the formation of the liquid phase, where the temperature and pressure are high enough so that water would neither freeze nor boil. The exception to this is that monolayers of liquid water, referred to as undercooled liquid interfacial water, could exist on most of the Martian surface. In a few places liquid brines could exist temporarily on the surface because they could form at cryogenic temperatures, near ice or frost deposits where sublimation could be inhibited by the presence of nearly saturated air.Both liquid water and liquid brines might exist in the shallow subsurface because even a thin layer of soil forms an effective barrier against sublimation allowing pure liquid water to form sporadically in a few places, or liquid brines to form over longer periods of time in large portions of the planet. At greater depths, ice deposits could melt where the soil conductivity is low enough to blanket the deeper subsurface effectively. This could cause the formation of aquifers if the deeper soil is sufficiently permeable and an impermeable layer exists below the source of water.The fact that liquid brines and groundwater are likely to exist on Mars has important implications for geochemistry, glaciology, mineralogy, weathering and the habitability of Mars.

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“…The presence of shallow subsurface ice in this location could provide thin films of water during diurnal and seasonal cycles (Smith et al 2009a;Zent et al 2010) which could provide conditions necessary for pedogenic carbonate formation. Obliquity variations may also have created conditions warm enough to melt subsurface ice and provide liquid water for pedogenic carbonate formation.…”

Section: Phoenix Landing Site Carbonatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geochemistry of Carbonates on Mars: Implications for Climate History and Nature of Aqueous Environments

et al. 2012

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Ongoing research on martian meteorites and a new set of observations of carbonate minerals provided by an unprecedented series of robotic missions to Mars in the past 15 years help define new constraints on the history of martian climate with important cross- cutting themes including: the CO 2 budget of Mars, the role of Mg-, Fe-rich fluids on Mars, and the interplay between carbonate formation and acidity.Carbonate minerals have now been identified in a wide range of localities on Mars as well as in several martian meteorites. The martian meteorites contain carbonates in low abundances (<1 vol.%) and with a wide range of chemistries. Carbonates have also been identified by remote sensing instruments on orbiting spacecraft in several surface locations as well as in low concentrations (2-5 wt.%) in the martian dust. The Spirit rover also identified an outcrop with 16 to 34 wt.% carbonate material in the Columbia Hills of Gusev Crater that strongly resembled the composition of carbonate found in martian meteorite ALH 84001. Finally, the Phoenix lander identified concentrations of 3-6 wt.% carbonate in the soils of the northern plains.The carbonates discovered to date do not clearly indicate the past presence of a dense Noachian atmosphere, but instead suggest localized hydrothermal aqueous environments with limited water availability that existed primarily in the early to mid-Noachian followed by low levels of carbonate formation from thin films of transient water from the late Noachian to the present. The prevalence of carbonate along with evidence for active carbonate precipitation suggests that a global acidic chemistry is unlikely and a more complex relationship between acidity and carbonate formation is present.

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Initial results from the thermal and electrical conductivity probe (TECP) on Phoenix

Cited by 137 publications

References 71 publications

The Modern Near-Surface Martian Climate: A Review of In-situ Meteorological Data from Viking to Curiosity

The Modern Near-Surface Martian Climate: A Review of In-situ Meteorological Data from Viking to Curiosity

Water and Brines on Mars: Current Evidence and Implications for MSL

Geochemistry of Carbonates on Mars: Implications for Climate History and Nature of Aqueous Environments

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