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Detailed Reference Information |
Leshin, L.A. (2000). Insights into Martian water reservoirs from analyses of Martian meteorite QUE94201. Geophysical Research Letters 27: doi: 10.1029/1999GL008455. issn: 0094-8276. |
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The martian atmospheric D/H value of 5.2 times terrestrial is significantly higher than any found on Earth, and has been ascribed to preferential loss of H relative to D from the atmosphere through Jeans escape over time. Here, based on ion microprobe analyses of apatite grains from martian meteorite QUE94201, it is shown that the pre-Jeans escape martian water reservoir has a D/H value ~twice that of terrestrial water, rather than the terrestrial value that has been assumed in prior work. The data support a two-stage history for martian volatiles in which early hydrodynamic escape enriched martian water to ~2x terrestrial D/H values. Subsequent Jeans escape to produce the current atmospheric values has thus been responsible for less D-enrichment than previously thought. A martian crust containing 2--3 times more water than previously proposed is implied by the results. |
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Abstract |
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Keywords
Geochemistry, Planetary geochemistry (5405, 5410, 5704, 5709, 6005, 6008), Mineralogy and Petrology, Meteorites, Planetology, Solid Surface Planets, Atmospheres—evolution, Planetology, Solar System Objects, Mars, Geochemistry |
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union 2000 Florida Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-1277 USA 1-202-462-6900 1-202-328-0566 service@agu.org |
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