SOME SPECULATIONS ON ADSORPTION AND DESORPTION OF CO2 IN MARTIAN BRIGHT AREAS

Conjectures are made on the importance of CO2 adsorption in Martian bright areas. Reasonable assumptions relative to temperature, the partial pressure of CO2, and the adsorptive properties of Martian dust permit computation of 4.4 × 10-6 moles/cc of bulk as a conservative estimate for the amount desorbed per unit bulk volume due to solar warming of bright area dust. The latter value is shown to be significant when compared with the tenuous Martian atmosphere. Possible relevance of a CO2 adsorption-desorption cycle to a hypothetical Martian organism is discussed. © 1969.