Water vapor adsorption by sodium montmorillonite at -5°C
Abstract
A large amount of interest has recently been expressed pertaining to the quantity of physically adsorbed water by the Martian regolith. Thermodynamic calculations based on experimentally determined adsorption and desorption isotherms and extrapolated to subzero temperatures indicate that physical adsorption of more than one or two monomolecular layers is highly unlikely under Martian conditions. Any additional water would find ice to be the state of lowest energy and therefore the most stable form. To test the validity of the thermodynamic calculations we have measured adsorption and desorption isotherms of sodium montmorillonite at -5°C. To a first approximation it was found to be valid.
- Publication:
-
Icarus
- Pub Date:
- June 1978
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0019-1035(78)90051-9
- Bibcode:
- 1978Icar...34..638A
- Keywords:
-
- Mars Surface;
- Montmorillonite;
- Permafrost;
- Planetary Mantles;
- Water Vapor;
- Adsorption;
- Desorption;
- Low Temperature Tests;
- Planetary Composition;
- Sodium Compounds;
- THERMODYNAMICS;
- ISOTHERMAL CONTOURS;
- ICE;
- MARS;
- REGOLITH;
- WATER;
- ABSORPTION;
- SODIUM;
- MONTMORILLONITE