Experimental simulations of the photodecomposition of carbonates and sulphates on Mars
Abstract
There is indirect spectroscopic evidence for the presence of sulphates and carbonates on the martian surface, and such minerals are also found in SNC meteorites, which are thought to be of martian origin. But although carbonates are expected to be abundant in the martian regolith, attempts to detect them directly have been unsuccessful. Here we report laboratory studies of the decompostion of calcium carbonate and magnesium sulphate under ultraviolet irradiation, which mimic the conditions under which photodecomposition of surface minerals by solar ultraviolet light might occur on Mars. We find that, even for a low abundance of carbonate minerals in the martian regolith, the rate of CO2 release due to photodecomposition is higher than the rate of CO2 loss from the atmosphere by solar-wind-induced sputtering processes, making this process a potential net source of atmospheric CO2 over time. SO2 is also released from the sulphate, albeit more slowly. The rate of carbonate degradation is high enough to explain the apparent absence of these compounds at the martian surface.
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The conclusion of Mukhin et al. [1996] that surface carbonates on Mars are directly photodecomposed by shortwave ultraviolet is uncertain because their experiments were conducted in high vacuum rather than CO2, and CO2 would act chemically to oppose decomposition.
“however, their experiments were conducted in high vacuum rather than CO2, which makes their conclusion uncertain because the presence of CO2 would obviously act chemically to oppose any decomposition.”
From A chemical model for evaporites on early Mars: Possible sedimentary tracers of the early climate and implications for exploration (1999) · cites this paper as Mukhin et al., 1996
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Limits on the UV Photodecomposition of Carbonates on Mars
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- Authors
- Mukhin, L. M., Koscheevi, A. P., Dikov, Y. P., Huth, J., & Wänke, H.
- Affiliations
- Karpov Institute of Physical Chemistry (RU)
- Russian Academy of Sciences (RU)
- Max Planck Society (DE)
- ORCID
- Mukhin, L. M.
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 1996-01
- Volume
- 379
- Issue
- 6561
- Pages
- 141-143
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- OpenAlex
- W2009731193
- Cited by
- 58
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (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 › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
- Keywords
- photolysis, carbonates, sulfate, Mars, calcium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, UV irradiation, CO2 release, SO2 release, Martian regolith, Mars atmosphere, solar wind sputtering, Martian meteorites
- MeSH terms
- Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Sulfate, Spectrum Analysis, Ultraviolet Rays, Mars
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