In recent times the measurement of atomic oxygen in the Martian atmosphere were performed about 40 years ago.
Stratospheric Observatory infrared astronomy, SOFIA discovered atomic oxygen in the Martian atmosphere for the first time since the last observation.
SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) has helped to measure the amount of atomic oxygen. However, scientists say that found only half of the amount they had expected.
Atomic oxygen was detected in the upper atmosphere – mesosphere. This discovery will allow astronomers to answer the question of how gases leaving the Red planet. The last time these measurements were carried out in 70-ies of the last century during the Viking and Mariner missions.
“Atomic oxygen in the Martian atmosphere is extremely difficult to measure, explains why such a long break, a member of the SOFIA project Pamela Marcum. – For observation of waves in the far-infrared, is needed to search for oxygen, the researchers must be higher than the main part of the earth’s atmosphere and to use highly sensitive instruments, in this case the spectrometer. SOFIA meets both of these requirements”.
The researchers plan to continue measuring to make sure that the resulting figure is not a consequence of variability of the Martian atmosphere.
