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On laboratory simulation and the temperature dependence of the evaporation rate of brine on Mars
W. M. Keck Laboratory for Space Simulation, Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
W. M. Keck Laboratory for Space Simulation, Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
We have determined the evaporation rate of brine under simulated martian conditions at temperatures from 0°C to −26.0°C as part of our efforts to better understand the stability of water on Mars. Correcting for the effect of water build-up in the atmosphere and the lower gravity on Mars relative to Earth we observed a factor of almost 30 decrease in evaporation, from 0.88 mm/h at ∼0°C to 0.04 mm/h at −25.0°C. The results are in excellent agreement with the predictions of Ingersoll's (1970) theoretical treatment, lending support to the theory and our procedures. Thus brine formation will increase the stability of water on Mars not only by extending the liquid temperature range, but also by considerably decreasing the evaporation rate.
Received 22 July 2005; accepted 1 November 2005; published 14 December 2005.
Citation: (2005), On laboratory simulation and the temperature dependence of the evaporation rate of brine on Mars, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L23203, doi:10.1029/2005GL024154.
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