Mesospheric CO2 clouds are one of two types of carbon dioxide clouds known on Mars. We present observations of mesospheric CO2 clouds made by Atmospheric Chemistry Suit (ACS) onboard the […]
ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Tricorders & Sensors
Why Is Methane Seeping on Mars? NASA Scientists Have New Ideas
A recent paper may help explain why a portable chemistry lab on NASA’s Curiosity rover has continually sniffed out traces of the gas near the surface of Gale Crater.
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs
Geological Mars Map Developed For The Rosalind Franklin Rover Mission
A team of European scientists have published the most detailed geological map of Oxia Planum – the landing site for ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars. This thorough look at […]
Posted inAstrobiology (general), Missions & Hardware
Corrected And Updated Version Of NASA’s Astrobiology Fleet Chart (update)
Editor’s note: This Astrobiology Fleet chart was shown by David Grinspoon and Shawn Domagal-Goldman on 22 Mar 2024 at an AAS Goddard Memorial Science Meeting. It is rather incomplete and […]
![An illustration of the anticorrelation between the HCl abundance and water ice from a single observation (Panels A, B, and C) and from all “HCl in ice-holes'' cases (Panel D). Panel A. The aerosol extinction profiles at 3.09-3.46 μm (water ice band, yellow and red) and 0.76-1.6 μm (aerosol continuum, green and blue) measured by MIR and NIR, respectively. Panel B: Retrieved aerosol mass loading profiles of dust (red) and water ice (blue), bottom axes; temperature profile with uncertainties retrieved from NIR data (Fedorova et al., 2023), orange area and top axes. Panel C: volume mixing ratio of HCl (black lines and bottom axes) and H2O (blue lines and top axes) retrieved from MIR and NIR, respectively. Panel D: profiles of HCl VMR (black lines) and aerosol extinction at 3.1 μm (blue lines) normalized to [0, 1] and shifted to align all HCl maxima at 45 km; mean profiles are shown in bold. Error bars of the experimental data correspond to 1−σ uncertainty level. -- astro-ph.EP](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/AnEvidenceOf.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Mars, Status Report
An Evidence Of Rapid Hydrogen Chloride Uptake On Water Ice In The Atmosphere Of Mars
In 2020, hydrogen chloride (HCl) in the gas phase was discovered in the atmosphere of Mars with the Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) onboard the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) mission (Korablev […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Mars, Press Release
ExoMars Finds That The Unusual Carbon Balance At Mars Explained By Sunlight
The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has revealed how oddly ‘light’ carbon monoxide forms in Mars’ atmosphere. The finding paints a better picture of how carbon-containing matter formed on the […]
Posted inMars, Press Release
A Two Martian Years Survey of Water Ice Clouds on Mars with ACS onboard TGO
The middle infrared (MIR) channel of the Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) instrument onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) ESA-Roscosmos mission has performed Solar occultation measurements of the Martian atmosphere […]