Photochemical reduction of CO2 on terrestrial planets

0517397 - ÚFCH JH 2020 RIV FR eng C - Conference Paper (international conference)
Civiš, Svatopluk - Knížek, Antonín - Ferus, Martin - Kubelík, Petr
Photochemical reduction of CO2 on terrestrial planets.
21st International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks. Angers: IEEE Computer Society, 2019, 2019-July (2019), č. článku 8840500. ISBN 9781728127798. E-ISSN 2162-7339.
[International Conference on Transparent Optical Networks /21./. Angers (FR), 09.07.2019-13.07.2019]
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA17-05076S; GA ČR GA13-07724S; GA MŠMT EF16_019/0000778
Grant - others:Akademie věd - GA AV ČR(CZ) R200401721; Akademie věd - GA AV ČR(CZ) R200401521
Institutional support: RVO:61388955
Keywords : Exoplanets * FTIR * Mars * Methane * Semiconductor
OECD category: Physical chemistry

The origin of methane on Mars and other terrestrial planets in their early or late stages of chemical evolution has never been explained in a satisfactory way. Here we propose a photochemistry-based scenario of carbon dioxide reduction to methane on semiconductor photocatalysts, such as TiO2. This approach takes inspiration in the same reaction chain used in environmental chemistry research since the late 1970s. On Mars, this scenario could unveil the origin of methane, which has been hotly debated recently. On young extra-terrestrial planets, this process could supply the atmosphere with reduced gases and facilitate organic synthesis and possibly the origin of life in these new born worlds.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0302715