36th DPS Meeting, 8-12 November 2004
Session 26 Mars Atmosphere I: Methane and High Altitude
Oral, Thursday, November 11, 2004, 8:30-10:00am, Lewis

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[26.04] A Measurement of the CO2 Isotopic Ratios in the Martian Atmosphere using High-Resolution Infrared Ground-Based Data

T. Encrenaz, B. Bézard (LESIA, Obs. Paris), T. Owen (U. Hawaii), T. K. Greathouse (LPI, Houston), M. J. Richter (U. C. Davis), J. H. Lacy (U. Texas), S. K. Atreya (U. Michigan)

A precise measurement of the carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios in the Martian atmosphere can provide important clues about the past history of the Martian climate and possible non-thermal fractionation effects. We have obtained high-resolution infrared spectra of Mars which can be used for this study. These data were recorded in February 2001 and June 2003 with the TEXAS Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) mounted at the NASA/Infrared Telescope facility (IRTF). Three spectral ranges were covered, 1226-1235 cm-1, 1237-1243 cm-1, and 998-1005 cm-1, with a resolving power of about 7 104. Individual lines of 12C16O18O, 13C16O18O, 12C16O17O, 12C16O16O and 13C16O16O are identified in these spectral ranges. Results of this analysis will be presented and implications will be discussed.

Observations with TEXES were supported by NSF Grant AST-0205518. TE and BB acknowledge support from CNRS.


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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #4
© 2004. The American Astronomical Soceity.