Science and Exploration

N2-associated Surface Warming on Early Mars

By Keith Cowing
April 24, 2013
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N2-associated Surface Warming on Early Mars
Mars
NASA/ESA/PSI

Early Mars may have had a warmer and denser atmosphere allowing for the presence of liquid water on the surface. However, climate model studies have not been able to reproduce these conditions even with a CO2 atmosphere of several bars. Recent 3D simulations of the early Mars climate show that mean surface temperatures only slightly below 273K could be reached locally.

SpaceRef co-founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.