1. Abiotic Input of Fixed Nitrogen by Bolide Impacts to Gale Crater During the Hesperian: Insights From the Mars Science Laboratory
- Author
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Patrice Coll, Jennifer C. Stern, Daniel P. Glavin, Christopher P. McKay, Heather B. Franz, Paul R. Mahaffy, Jennifer L. Eigenbrode, P. Douglas Archer, Rafael Navarro-González, Arnaud Buch, Benny Prats, Michel Cabane, María Paz Zorzano-Mier, Charles Malespin, Caroline Freissinet, Ashwin Vasavada, Douglas W. Ming, J. V. Hogancamp, Richard V. Morris, José Antonio Rodríguez-Manfredi, Karina F. Navarro, Amy McAdam, Brad Sutter, F. Javier Martin-Torres, Sushil K. Atreya, François Raulin, Melissa G. Trainer, Pamela G. Conrad, Cyril Szopa, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (México), Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares [Mexico], Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México = National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA (UMR_7583)), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), NASA Ames Research Center (ARC), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Jacobs Technology ESCG, NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), NASA, Laboratoire de Génie des Procédés et Matériaux - EA 4038 (LGPM), CentraleSupélec, PLANETO - LATMOS, Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering [Luleå], Luleå University of Technology (LUT), Centro de Astrobiologia [Madrid] (CAB), Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences [Ann Arbor] (AOSS), University of Michigan [Ann Arbor], University of Michigan System-University of Michigan System, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), NASA-California Institute of Technology (CALTECH), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), IMPEC - LATMOS, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Spain] (CSIC), Sorbonne Université (SU)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS), and California Institute of Technology (CALTECH)-NASA
- Subjects
[PHYS.PHYS.PHYS-AO-PH]Physics [physics]/Physics [physics]/Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics [physics.ao-ph] ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,[SDU.ASTR]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph] ,Noachian ,chemistry.chemical_element ,01 natural sciences ,Nitrogen ,Atmosphere ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Geophysics ,chemistry ,Nitrate ,13. Climate action ,Space and Planetary Science ,Geochemistry and Petrology ,Bolide ,Environmental chemistry ,Carbon dioxide ,Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) ,Nitrogen fixation ,Hesperian ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
Molecular hydrogen (H2) from volcanic emissions is suggested to warm the Martian surface when carbon dioxide (CO2) levels dropped from the Noachian (4100 to 3700 Myr) to the Hesperian (3700 to 3000 Myr). Its presence is expected to shift the conversion of molecular nitrogen (N2) into different forms of fixed nitrogen (N). Here we present experimental data and theoretical calculations that investigate the efficiency of nitrogen fixation by bolide impacts in CO2‐N2 atmospheres with or without H2. Surprisingly, nitric oxide (NO) was produced more efficiently in 20% H2 in spite of being a reducing agent and not likely to increase the rate of nitrogen oxidation. Nevertheless, its presence led to a faster cooling of the shock wave raising the freeze‐out temperature of NO resulting in an enhanced yield. We estimate that the nitrogen fixation rate by bolide impacts varied from 7 × 10−4 to 2 × 10−3 g N·Myr−1·cm−2 and could imply fluvial concentration to explain the nitrogen (1.4 ± 0.7 g N·Myr−1·cm−2) detected as nitrite (NO2 −) and nitrate (NO3 −) by Curiosity at Yellowknife Bay. One possible explanation is that the nitrogen detected in the lacustrine sediments at Gale was deposited entirely on the crater's surface and was subsequently dissolved and transported by superficial and ground waters to the lake during favorable wet climatic conditions. The nitrogen content sharply decreases in younger sediments of the Murray formation suggesting a decline of H2 in the atmosphere and the rise of oxidizing conditions causing a shortage in the supply to putative microbial life., We acknowledge the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Program, Centre National d'Études Spatiales, the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (PAPIIT IN109416, IN111619, and PAPIME PE103216), and the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de México (CONACyT 220626) for their support.
- Published
- 2019
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