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. 1988 Jun 24;240(4860):1767.
doi: 10.1126/science.240.4860.1767.

Deuterium on Mars: The Abundance of HDO and the Value of D/H

T Owen, J P Maillard, C de Bergh, B L Lutz

Deuterium on Mars: The Abundance of HDO and the Value of D/H

T Owen et al. Science. .

Abstract

Deuterium on Mars has been detected by the resolution of several Doppler-shifted lines ofHDO near 3.7 micrometers in the planet's spectrum. The ratio of deuterium to hydrogen is (9 +/- 4) x 10(-4); the abundance of H(2)0 was derived from lines near 1.1 micrometers. This ratio is enriched on Mars over the teiluric value by a factor of6 +/- 3. The enrichment implies that hydrogen escaped more rapidly from Mars in the past than it does now, consistent with a dense and warm ancient atmosphere on the planet.

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