Modelling Uv Degradation Of Airfall Organic Material
At Gale Crater
A. Das, J. E. Moores, H. M. Sapers, Centre For Research In Earth And Space Science, York University, 4700
Keele Street, Toronto, On M3j 1p3 Canada (Ankita99@Yorku.Ca), C. L. Smith, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Oh,
Usa.

Introduction:
Uv Radiation Is Poorly Attenuated By The Martian
Atmosphere And Will Cause Any Organic Material On The
Surface To Degrade. Damaging The Bonds Of The Organic Molecule Can Create Radicals Which Further Damage The Molecule Causing Faster Degradation (Ehrenfreund Et Al., 2001). Uv Radiation Received At The Surface Is Dictated By The Time Of The Year And Latitude.
The Origin Of Organic Material On Mars In The Modern
Era Is Accretion Of Interplanetary Dust Particles (Idps)
(Flynn, 1996). According To Flynn 1996, Mars Receives Almost 8.6 X 106 Kg/M2 Of Unmelted Meteoritic
Material Every Year, And Of The Order 106 Kg/Year Of
This Organic Material Is Unaltered. Idps Survive For
Years On The Surface, With Smaller Particles Having
Lifetimes Of Up To 4900 Years For Larger Sized Idps
(Moores Et Al., 2017; Moores & Schuerger, 2012) Because Most Photons Incident On The Surface Do Not Interact With The Individual Idps, Resulting In A Of ~ 106
Kg/M2 Of Organic Carbon On The Surface At Equatorial
Latitudes (Moores & Schuerger, 2012). This Work