Task 3: The Coupled Climate-Chemistry Model

The atmospheric chemistry model simulates the composition of an atmosphere resulting from a series of processes: local photochemistry as a consequence of the absorption of ultraviolet and visible stellar radiation; exchange of gases with the solid surface, oceans, planetary interior, and biosphere (if present); escape of gases to space; and introduction of chemicals as a result of impacts by interplanetary bodies. As these various processes change during the lifetime of the planet, the chemistry model can track the change in composition accordingly. The VPL chemistry model is based on a general planetary atmosphere chemistry model developed at Caltech and JPL for over 20 years, which has been used to simulate the chemistry of most planetary and satellite atmospheres that exist in the Solar System.

Task 3 Highlights to Date: This year the model was updated to operate in our Linux test environment, and work was started on the creation of a master reaction file for terrestrial planets and the software to access user-specified reaction sets to describe different classes of planetary atmospheres.

Task 3 Results