A Sulfur Dioxide Climate Feedback on Early Mars
Abstract
Ancient Mars had liquid water on its surface and a CO 2 -rich atmosphere. Despite the implication that massive carbonate deposits should have formed, these have not been detected. On the basis of fundamental chemical and physical principles, we propose that climatic conditions enabling the existence of liquid water were maintained by appreciable atmospheric concentrations of volcanically degassed SO 2 and H 2 S. The geochemistry resulting from equilibration of this atmosphere with the hydrological cycle is shown to inhibit the formation of carbonates. We propose an early martian climate feedback involving SO 2 , much like that maintained by CO 2 on Earth.
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Volcanic emissions of sulfur-bearing gases (SO2 and H2S) could have had a significant effect on early climate.
“This suggests that volcanic emissions of sulfur-bearing gases (SO 2 and H 2 S) could have had a significant effect on early climate (Postawko & Kuhn 1986; Yung, Nair & Gerstell 1997; Halevy, Zuber & Schrag 2007).”
From The Climate of Early Mars (2016) · cites this paper as Halevy, Zuber & Schrag 2007
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References 41 · Cited by 202
- Authors
- Halevy, I., Zuber, M. T., & Schrag, D. P.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Halevy, Itay
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2007-12-21
- Volume
- 318
- Issue
- 5858
- Pages
- 1903-1907
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2169233615
- Cited by
- 202
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 7.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (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 › Atmospheric Science › Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Keywords
- early Mars climate, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, climate feedbacks, carbonate formation, liquid water, CO2 atmosphere, volcanic degassing, water cycle
- MeSH terms
- Atmosphere, Carbon Dioxide, Carbonates, Climate, Extraterrestrial Environment, Hydrogen Sulfide, Oxidation-Reduction, Photolysis, Chemical Precipitation, Sulfites, Sulfur Dioxide, Temperature, Water, Mars
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