On laboratory simulation and the evaporation rate of water on Mars
by Sears, D. W. G.; Moore, S. R.
In order to better understand the stability of water on Mars, and factors likely to affect that stability, we have measured the evaporation rate of water in a CO2 atmosphere at 7 mbar and similar to 0 degrees C in a large environmental chamber that minimizes fluctuation in conditions. The average evaporation rate we measured was 1.01 +/- 0.19 mm/h. This includes correction for water vapor build-up in the chamber, but not the effect of Mars' lower gravity. When corrections for this are applied, our predicted evaporation rate for water on Mars at 0 degrees C and 7 mbar is 0.73 +/- 0.14 mm/h. This is in very good agreement with the value calculated by assuming that evaporation depends on diffusion and buoyancy. The consistency of these results suggests that - at least for these conditions - our approaches to the calculations and the laboratory simulations are reasonable.
- Journal
- Geophysical Research Letters
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 16
- Year
- 2005
- URL
- https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2005gl023443
- ISBN/ISSN
- 1944-8007; 0094-8276
- DOI
- 10.1029/2005gl023443