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Kurahashi-Nakamura & Tajika 2006
Kurahashi-Nakamura, T. and Tajika, E. (2006). Atmospheric collapse and transport of carbon dioxide into the subsurface on early Mars. Geophysical Research Letters 33: doi: 10.1029/2006GL027170. issn: 0094-8276.

The present climate of Mars is extremely cold and dry, and is characterized by a very thin CO2 atmosphere. On the other hand, geological evidence suggests that the Martian climate in the past might have been warm and wet, suggesting that the atmospheric CO2 pressure would have been several bars higher. However, the fate of the abundant CO2 is still unclear. Here we propose a possible scenario for the evolution of CO2 on Mars. Numerical results suggest that CO2 in the early atmosphere would have reduced by a runaway condensation to form large CO2 ice caps. Then, the large CO2 ice caps should have shrunk by basal melting and most of CO2 has percolated into subsurface of the ice caps. The CO2 would have formed clathrate hydrate and carbonate minerals, and may still reside in the subsurface of Mars. This could explain the apparent shortage of CO2 on the present Martian surface.

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Abstract

Keywords
Planetary Sciences, Solid Surface Planets, Atmospheres (0343, 1060), Planetary Sciences, Solid Surface Planets, Glaciation, Planetary Sciences, Solid Surface Planets, Hydrology and fluvial processes, Planetary Sciences, Solid Surface Planets, Origin and evolution, Planetary Sciences, Solar System Objects, Mars
Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
http://www.agu.org/journals/gl/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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