Isotopes of nitrogen on Mars: Atmospheric measurements by Curiosity's mass spectrometer.

[1] The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) measured a Mars atmosphericN/N ratio of 173 ± 11 on sol 341 of the mission, agreeing with Viking's measurement of 168 ± 17. The MSL/SAM value was based on Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer measurements of an enriched atmospheric sample, with CO and HO removed. Doubly ionized nitrogen data at m/z 14 and 14.

Primordial argon isotope fractionation in the atmosphere of Mars measured by the SAM instrument on and implications for atmospheric loss.

[1] The quadrupole mass spectrometer of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on rover has made the first high-precision measurement of the nonradiogenic argon isotope ratio in the atmosphere of Mars. The resulting value of Ar/Ar = 4.2 ± 0.

Between heaven and Earth: the exploration of Titan.

The atmosphere of Titan represents a bridge between the early solar nebula and atmospheres like ours. The low abundances of primordial noble gases in Titan's atmosphere relative to N2 suggest that the icy planetesimals that formed the satellite must have originated at temperatures higher than 75-100 K. Under these conditions, N2 would also be very poorly trapped and thus Titan's nitrogen, like ours, must have arrived as nitrogen compounds, of which ammonia was likely the major component.