Wind-Driven Saltation: An Overlooked Challenge for Life on Mars

Bak, Ebbe Norskov; Larsen, M G; Jensen, Svend Knak; Nørnberg, P.; Moeller, Ralf; Finster, Kai

doi:10.1089/ast.2018.1856

Cited by 15 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…(2018), A. Wang, Yan, Jolliff et al. (2020), and A. Wang, Yan, Dyar et al., (2020) (and this study), A. Wang, Bradley, Yan (2020) and by another group in Denmark (Bak et al., 2016, 2018; Bak, Larsen et al., 2017; Bak, Zafirov et al., 2017; Knak Jensen et al., 2014; Thoegersen et al., 2019).…”

Section: Implications Of This Study Relevant To Martian Dust Activitiessupporting

confidence: 57%

“…When electrostatic discharge is induced by martian dust activity, it exerts two additional effects on surface minerals: physically impacting them with energetic electrons and chemically attacking them with free radicals and electrons. The potential effects in chemistry and biology of ESD induced by Mars dust activities have been investigated and reported by Wu et al (2018), and Wang et al (2020a, b and this study) and by another group in Denmark (Bak et al, 2016(Bak et al, , 2018Knakjensen et al, 2014;Thoegersen et al, 2019).…”

Section: Implications For Martian Dust Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…The potential effects in chemistry and biology of ESD induced by Mars dust activities have been investigated and reported by Wu et al (2018), and A. Wang, Yan, Dyar et al, (2020 (and this study), A. Wang, Bradley, Yan (2020) and by another group in Denmark (Bak et al, 2016(Bak et al, , 2018Bak, Larsen et al, 2017;Bak, Zafirov et al, 2017;Knak Jensen et al, 2014;Thoegersen et al, 2019).…”

Section: Implications Of This Study Relevant To Martian Dust Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 57%

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Amorphization of S, Cl‐Salts Induced by Martian Dust Activities

et al. 2020

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Section: Implications Of This Study Relevant To Martian Dust Activitiessupporting

confidence: 57%

Section: Implications For Martian Dust Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 54%

Section: Implications Of This Study Relevant To Martian Dust Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 57%

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Amorphization of S, Cl‐Salts Induced by Martian Dust Activities

et al. 2020

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“…One of the important implications of our systematic investigation on the electrochemical effect of Martian dust activity is its influence on the habitability and on the search for biosignature at the surface and in shallow subsurface on Mars, given its oxidation power demonstrated by the generations of gaseous free radicals (Figure S3), excited Cl atom (this study), and oxychlorates (Wu et al, 2018). The destruction of bacterial endospores when exposed to a simulated saltating Martian environment (Bak et al, 2019) and the destruction of a biomarker (palmitic acid) when mixed with MgCl 2 by ESD‐NGD in a Mars chamber (Wang, Bradley, et al, 2020) were reported recently.…”

Section: Implication For the Chlorine Cycle On Present‐day Marsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Chlorine Release From Common Chlorides by Martian Dust Activity

et al. 2020

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Chlorine is one of the highly mobile elements that participated in early aqueous chemistry and later alteration in Mars history. Our new experimental results suggest that chlorine could cycle on present‐day Mars between the atmosphere and surface, driven by multiphase redox plasma chemistry induced by current Martian dust activity (dust storms, dust devils, and grain saltation). We present two sets of experimental results that demonstrate the instantaneous release of chlorine from seven common chlorides during a medium strength electrostatic discharge (ESD) process that induced plasma chemistry in a Mars environmental chamber. Results include (1) the direct detection of a plasma emission line at 837.8 nm of the first excited state of the Cl atom (Cl‐I) by in situ plasma spectroscopy during the ESD process for MgCl2, FeCl2, and AlCl3 and (2) the characterization of Cl‐bearing phases in the films deposited on the upper electrode after 7 hr of ESD exposure on each of seven chlorides (NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, MgCl2, FeCl2, AlCl3, and FeCl3), using Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This study is part of a series of laboratory investigations on the Martian atmosphere and surface interaction induced by electrochemistry.

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“…It will also shed light on the potential past climates needed to explain the aeolian record, as preserved by the characteristics of depositional bedforms, erosional features, and some sedimentary rocks (Mars 2020 Objective A). Past saltation may have affected the distribution of micro-organisms in the near-surface, potentially by destroying radiation-or oxygen-resistant organisms via saltation-mediated abrasion (Bak et al 2019). Present day wind and aeolian measurements should enable a clearer understanding of the age of surface aeolian features, which may then be relevant to the search for materials with high biosignature preservation potential (Mars 2020 Objective B.2).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-model Meteorological and Aeolian Predictions for Mars 2020 and the Jezero Crater Region

et al. 2021

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Nine simulations are used to predict the meteorology and aeolian activity of the Mars 2020 landing site region. Predicted seasonal variations of pressure and surface and atmospheric temperature generally agree. Minimum and maximum pressure is predicted at $\text{Ls}\sim 145^{\circ}$ Ls ∼ 145 ∘ and $250^{\circ}$ 250 ∘ , respectively. Maximum and minimum surface and atmospheric temperature are predicted at $\text{Ls}\sim 180^{\circ}$ Ls ∼ 180 ∘ and $270^{\circ}$ 270 ∘ , respectively; i.e., are warmest at northern fall equinox not summer solstice. Daily pressure cycles vary more between simulations, possibly due to differences in atmospheric dust distributions. Jezero crater sits inside and close to the NW rim of the huge Isidis basin, whose daytime upslope (∼east-southeasterly) and nighttime downslope (∼northwesterly) winds are predicted to dominate except around summer solstice, when the global circulation produces more southerly wind directions. Wind predictions vary hugely, with annual maximum speeds varying from 11 to $19~\text{ms}^{-1}$ 19 ms − 1 and daily mean wind speeds peaking in the first half of summer for most simulations but in the second half of the year for two. Most simulations predict net annual sand transport toward the WNW, which is generally consistent with aeolian observations, and peak sand fluxes in the first half of summer, with the weakest fluxes around winter solstice due to opposition between the global circulation and daytime upslope winds. However, one simulation predicts transport toward the NW, while another predicts fluxes peaking later and transport toward the WSW. Vortex activity is predicted to peak in summer and dip around winter solstice, and to be greater than at InSight and much greater than in Gale crater.

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Wind-Driven Saltation: An Overlooked Challenge for Life on Mars

Cited by 15 publications

References 61 publications

Amorphization of S, Cl‐Salts Induced by Martian Dust Activities

Amorphization of S, Cl‐Salts Induced by Martian Dust Activities

Chlorine Release From Common Chlorides by Martian Dust Activity

Multi-model Meteorological and Aeolian Predictions for Mars 2020 and the Jezero Crater Region

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