<p>[WARNING: I may be wrong. Astronomy is my hobby and I will answer to the extent that I know of. I may be a bit off.]</p>

<p>Mars' atmosphere contains I guess what you can say 2 major parts. Gases, and debris picked up by winds on the lower levels of the atmosphere (like Earth). </p>

<p><strong>Gases</strong></p>

<p>Mars' atmospheric gas composition mainly consists of CO<span class="math-container">$_2$</span>.</p>

<p>More specifically, in an article page by NASA, Mars' atmosphere contains</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Carbon dioxide: 95.32 percent</p>
  
  <p>Nitrogen: 2.7 percent</p>
  
  <p>Argon: 1.6 percent</p>
  
  <p>Oxygen: 0.13 percent</p>
  
  <p>Carbon monoxide: 0.08 percent</p>
  
  <p>Also, minor amounts of: water vapor, nitrogen oxide, neon, hydrogen-deuterium-oxygen, krypton and xenon.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p><a href="http://www.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_contents_of_Mars%27_atmosphere" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_contents_of_Mars%27_atmosphere</a></p>
  </blockquote>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Dust/other stuff</strong></p>

<p>Mars' atmosphere, although 99~100 times thinner that that of Earth's, can support winds, weather/storms, and clouds. The winds are a major criterion to Mars' permanent atmospheric dust composition. Dust particles, airborne or not absorbing sunlight to some extent, which in turn warms up the atmosphere in and near their vicinity. Warm pockets of air flow toward colder regions, generating winds; the same effect here on Earth. Strong winds lift more dust off the ground, which in turn heats the atmosphere, raising more wind and kicking up more dust. This is amplified by Mars' axis tilt and momentum, which can contribute to Mars' massive dust storms encircling the planet.</p>

<p>In addition to the winds, the Martian atmosphere is dense enough to support vortexes. Dust devils routinely kick up the rusty dust that covers Mars' surface.</p>

<p>So we can see now the causes for such permanent content of dust in the atmosphere of Mars, with...</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>...higher amounts of dust in the northern fall and winter, and lower
  amounts in the northern spring and summer.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p><a href="https://www.space.com/16903-mars-atmosphere-climate-weather.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.space.com/16903-mars-atmosphere-climate-weather.html</a></p>
  </blockquote>
</blockquote>

<p>Let's now take a look at Mars' surface dust composition.</p>

<p>Its dust mainly is composed of Perchlorate salts; Chlorine; Iron(III) Sulfide; NiFe; Sulfur; Iron Sulfide; Nickel; Silicon; Oxygen; Iron; Magnesium; Aluminum; Calcium; Potassium; Pyroxene; Plagioclase; Glass; Olivine; and Feldspar. I would imagine that the dust in the air would contain many of these same components as the surface dust, although some heavier salts and chemicals would only last a brief time in the air.</p>

<p>According to Wikipedia, </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The NASA Phoenix lander first detected chlorine-based compounds such as calcium perchlorate. The levels detected contain 0.6% of the salt perchlorate.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The soil has a basic pH of 7.7</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars</a></p>
  </blockquote>
</blockquote>

<p>At such high levels, there should be definitely perchlorate salt in the air, but not necessarily permanent though, as the atmosphere may not be able to support the density of the salt.</p>

<p>However, a recent study of terrestrial dust devils has shown that around two thirds of the fine particles lifted by these vortices can remain suspended in the atmosphere and be transported around the globe. I would theorize that lighter salts would be able to remain suspended in the air, while heavier ones would slowly settle to the surface, given enough time. But hey, this is MARS! With those huge dust storms and continuous vortexes, I doubt there is enough time.</p>

<p>All of this suggests that during the times when there are rather windy conditions, such as in a close proximity to a dust devil, or during one of the dust storms, the atmosphere should contain almost the same concentrations of salts as in the soil itself.</p>

<p>During calm periods, the air dust content should still remain the same.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T18:53:11.863Z
Hi, Max. Can you please edit in the sources of your quotes? As it stands, unless you link to the page from which you got them, this constitutes plagiarism. Thanks.
HDE 226868
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T20:00:08.203Z
@HDE226868 okay. Can i just say somthing like "according to wikipedia" or something like that? Its been more than 12 hours since ive been on the sites and I dont remember where exactly.
Max0815
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-23T17:00:22.393Z
You should find the exact page and link to that; if you can't find it, please remove the quote. Oh, by the way, [here's some information you might find helpful](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/help/referencing).
HDE 226868
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-23T17:13:41.300Z
@HDE226868 okay.
Max0815
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T02:06:27.770Z
2019-03-02T17:57:04.540Z
2019-03-02T17:57:04.540Z
Max0815
<p>Answers to and comments on <a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/q/33884/12102">How to drink water on Mars?</a> suggest that one would not want to drink melted water ice obtained from exposed surface deposits near the poles because it may contain various salts and other dangerous chemicals (perchlorate salts are one particularly nasty suspected component of mars soil and it's water content).</p>

<p>Mars' atmosphere contains dust even when there are no dust storms, and in <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/10772/7982">this answer</a> it is explained to be the cause of the reddish color of the Martian sky as has been photographed by several Mars landers and rovers.</p>

<p>Are there any measurements or even models or predictions on how much of the particulate matter in Mars' atmosphere could be tiny particles of salt, or salt mixed with other minerals? Put more simply, <em>how salty might Mars' atmosphere be?</em></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Hy7dC.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Hy7dC.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
Martian sunset (credit: <a href="https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/5300/a-martian-sunset/?site=insight" rel="nofollow noreferrer">NASA/JPL-Caltech/Texas A&amp;M/Cornell</a>) borrowed from <a href="https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/10772/7982">this answer</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T21:24:30.190Z
When sea water on Earth evaporates, it leaves behind salt (evaporation bonds; lots of those in SF Bay Area).  Put another way, salt doesn't evaporate with water, so I don't see how there could be salt in the atmosphere of Mars, unless salty water behaves differently in a low-pressure atmosphere.
BillDOe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T21:34:23.520Z
(Too late to edit original comment.) One could argue that wind storms on Mars could kick up salt deposits, which is probably true, but I don't think the Martian atmosphere is dense enough to hold those salt particles in the air once the storm subsides.
BillDOe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-27T22:07:52.500Z
no, I wouldn't.
BillDOe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-28T03:00:28.077Z
@Muze have a look at the edit, I think this explains the background of your question a bit better.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-28T03:25:05.997Z
@uhoh this is better than can say it.
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T04:23:49.240Z
@Muze I would say you ask very thought provoking questions! I wish I have your out of the box thinking :(. Great job though! :P :)
Max0815
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T04:40:01.847Z
@Max0815 thank you. I thought of moving some questions from physics.se to elsewhere. Uhoh helped with this one.
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T18:39:17.920Z
@Muze do you need more clarrification or something?
Max0815
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T19:44:59.007Z
@Max0815 not really. Just saying there are many SE sites to explore, but this one is now my parent site.
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T20:04:00.233Z
@Muze oh, ok. Mine's mathstackexchange lol. BTW it says there is still a bounty ending in 8 hours. Do you want to give it out, or cancel it? Either way is fine with me.
Max0815
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T20:06:25.113Z
@Max0815 you got it. I always let bounties ride till almost the end. Some SE don't have an auto-reward and I try not to let them run out.
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T20:17:31.483Z
@Muze, oh, ok. That is a really good idea; makes more people want to answer. But sadly I wish astronomy SE had more people :(.
Max0815
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T20:23:20.657Z
@Max0815 go to physics.SE and see there are many negatives voted questions that have potential here and should have been migrated but left for to long it gets lost or forgotten, but it is OK to rewrite some of them to be a better question. Don't copy and past but write them better for astronomy.
Muze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-22T22:19:23.760Z
@Muze ah i see... :)
Max0815
<mars><water><weather><planetary-atmosphere>
Any information on the salt content of Mars' atmospheric dust?
Muze
# Any information on the salt content of Mars' atmospheric dust?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-27)

Answers to and comments on [How to drink water on Mars?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/33884/12102) suggest that one would not want to drink melted water ice obtained from exposed surface deposits near the poles because it may contain various salts and other dangerous chemicals (perchlorate salts are one particularly nasty suspected component of mars soil and it's water content).

Mars' atmosphere contains dust even when there are no dust storms, and in [this answer](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/10772/7982) it is explained to be the cause of the reddish color of the Martian sky as has been photographed by several Mars landers and rovers.

Are there any measurements or even models or predictions on how much of the particulate matter in Mars' atmosphere could be tiny particles of salt, or salt mixed with other minerals? Put more simply, *how salty might Mars' atmosphere be?*

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Hy7dC.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Hy7dC.jpg)
Martian sunset (credit: [NASA/JPL-Caltech/Texas A&M/Cornell](https://mars.nasa.gov/resources/5300/a-martian-sunset/?site=insight)) borrowed from [this answer](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/a/10772/7982).

**Tags:** mars, water, weather, planetary-atmosphere
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: When sea water on Earth evaporates, it leaves behind salt (evaporation bonds; lots of those in SF Bay Area).  Put another way, salt doesn't evaporate with water, so I don't see how there could be salt in the atmosphere of Mars, unless salty water behaves differently in a low-pressure atmosphere.  
> **username_1**: (Too late to edit original comment.) One could argue that wind storms on Mars could kick up salt deposits, which is probably true, but I don't think the Martian atmosphere is dense enough to hold those salt particles in the air once the storm subsides.  
> **username_1**: no, I wouldn't.  
> **username_2**: @Muze have a look at the edit, I think this explains the background of your question a bit better.  
> **username_0**: @uhoh this is better than can say it.  
> **username_3**: @Muze I would say you ask very thought provoking questions! I wish I have your out of the box thinking :(. Great job though! :P :)  
> **username_0**: @Max0815 thank you. I thought of moving some questions from physics.se to elsewhere. Uhoh helped with this one.  
> **username_3**: @Muze do you need more clarrification or something?  
> **username_0**: @Max0815 not really. Just saying there are many SE sites to explore, but this one is now my parent site.  
> **username_3**: @Muze oh, ok. Mine's mathstackexchange lol. BTW it says there is still a bounty ending in 8 hours. Do you want to give it out, or cancel it? Either way is fine with me.  
> **username_0**: @Max0815 you got it. I always let bounties ride till almost the end. Some SE don't have an auto-reward and I try not to let them run out.  
> **username_3**: @Muze, oh, ok. That is a really good idea; makes more people want to answer. But sadly I wish astronomy SE had more people :(.  
> **username_0**: @Max0815 go to physics.SE and see there are many negatives voted questions that have potential here and should have been migrated but left for to long it gets lost or forgotten, but it is OK to rewrite some of them to be a better question. Don't copy and past but write them better for astronomy.  
> **username_3**: @Muze ah i see... :)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-02-22. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

[WARNING: I may be wrong. Astronomy is my hobby and I will answer to the extent that I know of. I may be a bit off.]

Mars' atmosphere contains I guess what you can say 2 major parts. Gases, and debris picked up by winds on the lower levels of the atmosphere (like Earth).

**Gases**

Mars' atmospheric gas composition mainly consists of CO$\_2$.

More specifically, in an article page by NASA, Mars' atmosphere contains

> Carbon dioxide: 95.32 percent
>
> Nitrogen: 2.7 percent
>
> Argon: 1.6 percent
>
> Oxygen: 0.13 percent
>
> Carbon monoxide: 0.08 percent
>
> Also, minor amounts of: water vapor, nitrogen oxide, neon, hydrogen-deuterium-oxygen, krypton and xenon.
>
> > <http://www.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_contents_of_Mars%27_atmosphere>

**Dust/other stuff**

Mars' atmosphere, although 99~100 times thinner that that of Earth's, can support winds, weather/storms, and clouds. The winds are a major criterion to Mars' permanent atmospheric dust composition. Dust particles, airborne or not absorbing sunlight to some extent, which in turn warms up the atmosphere in and near their vicinity. Warm pockets of air flow toward colder regions, generating winds; the same effect here on Earth. Strong winds lift more dust off the ground, which in turn heats the atmosphere, raising more wind and kicking up more dust. This is amplified by Mars' axis tilt and momentum, which can contribute to Mars' massive dust storms encircling the planet.

In addition to the winds, the Martian atmosphere is dense enough to support vortexes. Dust devils routinely kick up the rusty dust that covers Mars' surface.

So we can see now the causes for such permanent content of dust in the atmosphere of Mars, with...

> ...higher amounts of dust in the northern fall and winter, and lower
> amounts in the northern spring and summer.
>
> > <https://www.space.com/16903-mars-atmosphere-climate-weather.html>

Let's now take a look at Mars' surface dust composition.

Its dust mainly is composed of Perchlorate salts; Chlorine; Iron(III) Sulfide; NiFe; Sulfur; Iron Sulfide; Nickel; Silicon; Oxygen; Iron; Magnesium; Aluminum; Calcium; Potassium; Pyroxene; Plagioclase; Glass; Olivine; and Feldspar. I would imagine that the dust in the air would contain many of these same components as the surface dust, although some heavier salts and chemicals would only last a brief time in the air.

According to Wikipedia,

> The NASA Phoenix lander first detected chlorine-based compounds such as calcium perchlorate. The levels detected contain 0.6% of the salt perchlorate.

and

> The soil has a basic pH of 7.7
>
> > <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars>

At such high levels, there should be definitely perchlorate salt in the air, but not necessarily permanent though, as the atmosphere may not be able to support the density of the salt.

However, a recent study of terrestrial dust devils has shown that around two thirds of the fine particles lifted by these vortices can remain suspended in the atmosphere and be transported around the globe. I would theorize that lighter salts would be able to remain suspended in the air, while heavier ones would slowly settle to the surface, given enough time. But hey, this is MARS! With those huge dust storms and continuous vortexes, I doubt there is enough time.

All of this suggests that during the times when there are rather windy conditions, such as in a close proximity to a dust devil, or during one of the dust storms, the atmosphere should contain almost the same concentrations of salts as in the soil itself.

During calm periods, the air dust content should still remain the same.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Hi, Max. Can you please edit in the sources of your quotes? As it stands, unless you link to the page from which you got them, this constitutes plagiarism. Thanks.  
> **username_3**: @HDE226868 okay. Can i just say somthing like "according to wikipedia" or something like that? Its been more than 12 hours since ive been on the sites and I dont remember where exactly.  
> **username_4**: You should find the exact page and link to that; if you can't find it, please remove the quote. Oh, by the way, [here's some information you might find helpful](https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/help/referencing).  
> **username_3**: @HDE226868 okay.  

---

