Earth and Mars: Evolution of Atmospheres and Surface Temperatures

@article{Sagan1972EarthAM,
  title={Earth and Mars: Evolution of Atmospheres and Surface Temperatures},
  author={C. Sagan and G. Mullen},
  journal={Science},
  year={1972},
  volume={177},
  pages={52 - 56}
}
  • C. Sagan, G. Mullen
  • Published 1972
  • Environmental Science, Medicine
  • Science
    • Solar evolution implies, for contemporary albedos and atmospheric composition, global mean temperatures below the freezing point of seawater less than 2.3 aeons ago, contrary to geologic and paleontological evidence. Ammonia mixing ratios of the order of a few parts per million in the middle Precambrian atmosphere resolve this and other problems. Possible temperature evolutionary tracks for Earth and Mars are described. A runaway greenhouse efect will occur on Earth about 4.5 aeons from now… CONTINUE READING
    View on AAAS
    courses.washington.edu
    Top 3 of 689 Citations
    Climatic Change on Mars
    C. Sagan, O. Toon, P. GieraschScience1973
    164
    Early Mars: How Warm and How Wet?
    S. Squyres, J. KastingScience1994
    205
    Primitive atmosphere and implications for the formation of channels on Mars
    Y. Yung, J. PintoNature1978
    47

    Topics from this paper.

    Explore Further: Topics Discussed in This Paper

    689 Citations
    Citation Type

    Citation Type

    Climatic Change on Mars
    • 164
    Early Mars: How Warm and How Wet?
    • 205
    Primitive atmosphere and implications for the formation of channels on Mars
    • 47
    • PDF
    Earth, Formation and Early Evolution
    Paleoamospheric temperature structure
    • 19
    • PDF
    Impact hot spots on the cold surface of the early Earth
    • 12
    Atmospheric Escape and Evolution of Terrestrial Planets and Satellites
    • 175
    • Highly Influenced
    • PDF
    Reducing greenhouses and the temperature history of Earth and Mars
    • 61
    Origin and evolution of the atmospheres of the terrestrial planets
    • 9
    The Martian paleoclimate and enhanced atmospheric carbon dioxide
    • 54

    References

    Publications referenced by this paper.
    SHOWING 1-10 OF 37 REFERENCES
    Sulfur Isotopes in Swaziland System Barites and the Evolution of the Earth's Atmosphere
    • 58
    The long winter model of Martian biology - A speculation.
    • 41
    A nongrey calculation of the runaway greenhouse: Implications for Venus' past and present☆
    • 63
    Atmospheric and hydrospheric evolution on the primitive earth. Both secular accretion and biological and geochemical processes have affected earth's volatile envelope.
    • 432
    Chemical events on the primitive Earth.
    • 232
    • PDF
    Age of the Transition in the Pre-Cambrian Atmosphere
    • 2
    Thermodynamic equilibria in planetary atmospheres
    • 55
    Alga-Like Fossils from the Early Precambrian of South Africa
    • 133
    The History and Stability of Atmospheric Oxygen
    • 60
    The Earth as a Planet
    • 17