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Mars atmospheric surface interactions and the CO2 cycle

Timothy N. Titus·Anthony Colaprete
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Abstract

Mars' northern and southern seasonal polar caps are formed during their respective autumn and winter seasons both by condensation of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) directly onto the surface, and through atmospheric precipitation in the form of CO 2 snow. During the polar spring and summer, the seasonal ice sublimes, returning CO 2 to the atmosphere. Roughly 25% of the atmosphere, which is 95% CO 2 by volume, is cycled through the seasonal caps annually. This CO 2 cycle dominates atmospheric circulation on Mars and must be thoroughly understood before the fundamental questions about Mars' climate history and the global distribution of near‐surface water can be addressed.

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Timothy N. Titus, Anthony Colaprete. 2011-06-03. Mars atmospheric surface interactions and the CO2 cycle. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005eo460006

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