Stability of perchlorate hydrates and their liquid solutions at the Phoenix landing site, Mars
Abstract
We studied the low‐temperature properties of sodium and magnesium perchlorate solutions as potential liquid brines at the Phoenix landing site. We determined their theoretical eutectic values to be 236 ± 1 K for 52 wt% sodium perchlorate and 206 ± 1 K for 44.0 wt% magnesium perchlorate. Evaporation rates of solutions at various concentrations were measured under martian conditions, and range from 0.07 to 0.49 mm h−1 for NaClO 4 and from 0.06 to 0.29 mm h−1 for Mg(ClO 4)2. The extrapolation to Phoenix landing site conditions using our theoretical treatment shows that perchlorates are liquid during the summer for at least part of the day, and exhibit very low evaporation rates. Moreover, magnesium perchlorate eutectic solutions are thermodynamically stable over vapour and ice during a few hours a day. We conclude that liquid brines may be present and even stable for short periods of time at the Phoenix landing site.
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Magnesium perchlorate was used because it is similar to compounds observed on the Martian surface.
“Magnesium perchlorate (MgClO 4 ) was used due to its similarity to compounds observed on the Martian surface [22,23].”
From Perchlorate and Agriculture on Mars (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
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Lauro, S. E., Pettinelli, E., Caprarelli, G., Guallini, L., Rossi, A. P., Mattei, E., Cosciotti, B., Cicchetti, A., Soldovieri, F., Cartacci, M., et al. (2020) · Nature Astronomy · doi:10.1038/s41550-020-1200-6 · Cited by 183 · see citing works
Perchlorate and Agriculture on Mars
Oze, C., Beisel, J., Dabsys, E., Dall, J., North, G., Scott, A., Lopez, A. M., Holmes, R., & Fendorf, S. (2021) · Soil Systems · doi:10.3390/soilsystems5030037 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
- Authors
- Chevrier, V. F., Hanley, J., & Altheide, T. S.
- Affiliations
- University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (US)
- Venue
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Publisher
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Published
- 2009-05
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 10
- ISSN
- 0094-8276 (ISSN-L)
- 1944-8007
- OpenAlex
- W2126270929
- Cited by
- 206
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 4.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Geophysical Research Letters (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Climate change and permafrost
- Keywords
- perchlorate hydrates, sodium perchlorate, magnesium perchlorate, Phoenix landing site, Mars, eutectic temperature, evaporation rate, thermodynamic stability, low-temperature solutions
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