Publications by authors named "B J Berdahl"
Alkaline earth and alkali metal superoxides and peroxides, gamma-Fe2O3 and carbon suboxide polymer are proposed to be constituents of the Martian surface material. These reactive substances explain the water modified reactions and thermal behaviors of the Martian samples demonstrated by all of the Viking Biology Experiments. It is also proposed that the syntheses of these substances result mainly from electrical discharges between wind-mobilized particles at Martian pressures; plasmas are initiated and maintained by these discharges.
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- The study analyzes how gases like N2, Ar, O2, and CO2 are released from Martian soil based on humidity levels and how these correlate with Martian atmospheric water vapor.
- O2 release is linked to specific chemical compounds in the soil, while CO2 evolution is tied to organic oxidation, indicating complex chemical interactions happening on Mars.
- The research suggests that Martian surface activity is influenced by the interaction of soil particles with a dry CO2 atmosphere and is altered by occasional water exposure, needing further Martian exploration for validation.
Three different types of biological experiments on samples of martian surface material ("soil") were conducted inside the Viking lander. In the carbon assimilation or pyrolytic release experiment, (14)CO(2) and (14)CO were exposed to soil in the presence of light. A small amount of gas was found to be converted into organic material.
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