Dust clouds and frictional generation of glow discharges on Mars

Abstract

A REMARKABLE characteristic of those samples of the martian soil which have so far been analysed is the absence of carbonaceous matter down to the parts per billion (109) level1. As well as a lack of endogenous organic material there is no sign of the component expected from infalling carbonaceous meteorites. The inorganic particles constituting the fine martian soil seem to be extremely 'clean'-far cleaner than terrestrial desert or Antarctic analogues. I suggest here that glow discharges generated by friction within dust clouds might explain this apparent absence of carbonaceous matter. In addition glow discharges might account for some reactions noted in the Viking biological experiments. © 1977 Nature Publishing Group.