Publication Abstracts
Mogul et al. 2021
Mogul, R., S.S. Limaye, and M. Way, 2021: Venus' mass spectra show signs of disequilibria in the middle clouds. Geophys. Res. Lett., 48, no. 7, e2020GL091327, doi:10.1029/2020GL091327.
We present a re-examination of published mass spectral data obtained from the Pioneer Venus Large Probe Neutral Mass Spectrometer (51.3 km). Our interpretations support the presence of minor chemical species that are suggestive of disequilibria in Venus' middle clouds. Assignments to the data include nitrous acid, nitric acid, ammonium, carbon monoxide, ethane, phosphine and/or overlapping hydrogen sulfide, hydrochloric acid, and potentially benzene, methane, ethene, and chlorous acid. Chemical assignments were predicated upon matching parent ions to fragmentation products, and atomic elements to parent ions. The data reveal parent ions at varying oxidation states, implying the presence of reducing power in the clouds. Interestingly, when considering the potential habitability of Venus' clouds, the assignments reveal a potential electron donor for anoxygenic photosynthesis (nitrite), and all major constituents of the nitrogen cycle (nitrate, nitrite, possibly ammonium, N2). Our mass assignments illuminate the potential for chemistries yet to be discovered on Venus.
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BibTeX Citation
@article{mo01300f,
author={Mogul, R. and Limaye, S. S. and Way, M.},
title={Venus' mass spectra show signs of disequilibria in the middle clouds},
year={2021},
journal={Geophysical Research Letters},
volume={48},
number={7},
pages={e2020GL091327},
doi={10.1029/2020GL091327},
}
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RIS Citation
TY - JOUR ID - mo01300f AU - Mogul, R. AU - Limaye, S. S. AU - Way, M. PY - 2021 TI - Venus' mass spectra show signs of disequilibria in the middle clouds JA - Geophys. Res. Lett. JO - Geophysical Research Letters VL - 48 IS - 7 SP - e2020GL091327 DO - 10.1029/2020GL091327 ER -
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