Quote:
Originally Posted by 01101001
. . . the speculation as to the source of the perchlorate would be most fruitful if preceded by strong evidence that the perchlorate actually exists. I haven't seen that reported in the informal news, yet, and certainly not published in the literature.
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Excellent point! Perhaps I'm being hasty.
But, the reason I am asking has a more basic question at its root. Based on my understanding of the atmospheres on Venus, Mars, and the early Earth, I would not have expected the environment on Mars to be compatible with the spontaneous formation of an oxidized species such as perchlorate. If it is, how did those conditions arise? (On this planet, living organisms were required, I think - not to produce perchlorate, but to produce an atmosphere that is sufficiently oxidative to allow perchlorate to form.)
In short, my initial response is one of utter amazement that something as reactive as perchlorate could be present on Mars. The fact that the overwhelming assumption was
not that it must be a contaminant is what caused me to wonder if there is some aspect of its formation that could be compatible with a highly reducing atmosphere and my question was aimed at learning what that is.