The Martian atmosphere is saturated with chlorine under the influence of electrical discharges from dust storms. Reported by the University of Washington.
During the Euro-Russia orbital mission ExoMars-TGO, scientists repeatedly recorded fluctuations in chlorine content in the Martian atmosphere. There was no clear explanation for this phenomenon, and satellite equipment does not allow the source of the gas to be detected.
American scientists decided to test one of their hypotheses that the increase in chlorine in the atmosphere is associated with dust storms. Such atmospheric events can lift large clumps of small rocks and lightning periodically occurs due to friction between them. Dust is formed mainly from carbonates, chlorides and other mineral salts.
During the experiment, the scientists created an imitation of the Martian atmosphere in a closed room. Salts native to Martian soil were also placed inside, and lightning discharges were simulated. It turned out that under these conditions, an analogue of Martian soil really releases chlorine. On average, in a moderate artificial dust storm of just a few hours, the electric shocks released about 0.1-1% of the chlorine atoms found in floating soil particles.
Scientists say this is enough to explain the chlorine increase during the powerful dust storms of 2018-2019.
Earlier, NASA had said that private stations do not require a gateway to enter space.