Advective Fluxes in the Martian Regolith as a Mechanism Driving Methane and Other Trace Gas Emissions to the Atmosphere

Abstract Advective fluxes influence methane and CO2 soil emissions into the atmosphere on Earth and may drive trace gas emissions in the Mars atmosphere. However, their relevance in the Martian regolith has not been evaluated to date. Our regolith transport simulations show that advective fluxes can...

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Main Authors: D. Viúdez‐Moreiras, R. E. Arvidson, J. Gómez‐Elvira, C. Webster, C. E. Newman, P. Mahaffy, A. R. Vasavada
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-02-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085694
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author D. Viúdez‐Moreiras
R. E. Arvidson
J. Gómez‐Elvira
C. Webster
C. E. Newman
P. Mahaffy
A. R. Vasavada
author_facet D. Viúdez‐Moreiras
R. E. Arvidson
J. Gómez‐Elvira
C. Webster
C. E. Newman
P. Mahaffy
A. R. Vasavada
author_sort D. Viúdez‐Moreiras
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Advective fluxes influence methane and CO2 soil emissions into the atmosphere on Earth and may drive trace gas emissions in the Mars atmosphere. However, their relevance in the Martian regolith has not been evaluated to date. Our regolith transport simulations show that advective fluxes can be relevant under Martian conditions and may drive the methane abundance detected by Mars Science Laboratory. Trace gas emissions would be highest in regions where winds interact with topography. Emissions in these regions may be further enhanced by time‐varying pressure fields produced by diurnal thermal tides and atmospheric turbulence. Trace gases such as methane should be emitted or produced from the first layers of regolith, or quickly transported to this region from a deeper reservoir through fractured media.
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-4eba80af986949fa9f983564576e417d2025-08-20T03:10:10ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072020-02-01473n/an/a10.1029/2019GL085694Advective Fluxes in the Martian Regolith as a Mechanism Driving Methane and Other Trace Gas Emissions to the AtmosphereD. Viúdez‐Moreiras0R. E. Arvidson1J. Gómez‐Elvira2C. Webster3C. E. Newman4P. Mahaffy5A. R. Vasavada6Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC‐INTA) & National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) Torrejón de Ardoz Madrid SpainDepartment of Earth and Planetary Sciences Washington University St. Louis MO USACentro de Astrobiología (CSIC‐INTA) & National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) Torrejón de Ardoz Madrid SpainJet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USAAeolis Research Pasadena CA USAPlanetary Environments Laboratory NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USADepartment of Earth and Planetary Sciences Washington University St. Louis MO USAAbstract Advective fluxes influence methane and CO2 soil emissions into the atmosphere on Earth and may drive trace gas emissions in the Mars atmosphere. However, their relevance in the Martian regolith has not been evaluated to date. Our regolith transport simulations show that advective fluxes can be relevant under Martian conditions and may drive the methane abundance detected by Mars Science Laboratory. Trace gas emissions would be highest in regions where winds interact with topography. Emissions in these regions may be further enhanced by time‐varying pressure fields produced by diurnal thermal tides and atmospheric turbulence. Trace gases such as methane should be emitted or produced from the first layers of regolith, or quickly transported to this region from a deeper reservoir through fractured media.https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085694Mars atmosphereregolith‐atmospheric interactionsregolith trace gas emissionsMartian methaneMars Science Laboratory
spellingShingle D. Viúdez‐Moreiras
R. E. Arvidson
J. Gómez‐Elvira
C. Webster
C. E. Newman
P. Mahaffy
A. R. Vasavada
Advective Fluxes in the Martian Regolith as a Mechanism Driving Methane and Other Trace Gas Emissions to the Atmosphere
Geophysical Research Letters
Mars atmosphere
regolith‐atmospheric interactions
regolith trace gas emissions
Martian methane
Mars Science Laboratory
title Advective Fluxes in the Martian Regolith as a Mechanism Driving Methane and Other Trace Gas Emissions to the Atmosphere
title_full Advective Fluxes in the Martian Regolith as a Mechanism Driving Methane and Other Trace Gas Emissions to the Atmosphere
title_fullStr Advective Fluxes in the Martian Regolith as a Mechanism Driving Methane and Other Trace Gas Emissions to the Atmosphere
title_full_unstemmed Advective Fluxes in the Martian Regolith as a Mechanism Driving Methane and Other Trace Gas Emissions to the Atmosphere
title_short Advective Fluxes in the Martian Regolith as a Mechanism Driving Methane and Other Trace Gas Emissions to the Atmosphere
title_sort advective fluxes in the martian regolith as a mechanism driving methane and other trace gas emissions to the atmosphere
topic Mars atmosphere
regolith‐atmospheric interactions
regolith trace gas emissions
Martian methane
Mars Science Laboratory
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085694
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