I am working on data analysis for the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Atmospheric Chemistry Suite. My objective is to measure high quality vertical profiles of gases present in the atmosphere of Mars, to search for undetected species, such methane and other organics, and chlorine- or sulphur-bearing molecules. I use these results to help understand the photochemistry, dynamics, and climatology of Mars.
Oxford Physics stories:
- https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/2020/07/17/new-spectral-signatures-exomars-sheds-light-on-mars%E2%80%99-methane-and-atmosphere
- https://www2.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/2021/01/19/understanding-more-about-mars
- https://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/news/exomars-discovers-hydrogen-chloride-mars
Recent interviews:
- New Scientist: life on Mars deep underground
- Wall Street Journal: on the etymology of the word fluffle
- The Conversation: on the end of Ingenuity (editorial contribution from me)
- Eos: Editor Highlights on the ozone-water correlation
- The National: on Martian volcanic activity
- Gizmodo: on the discovery of HCl
- Sky and Telescope: on the discovery of HCl
- The Analytical Scientist: on CO2 and O3 where methane should be
Selected ExoMars publications:
- Special issue in JGR Planets: ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter: One Martian Year of Science
- Olsen, K. S., Fedorova, A. A., Forget, F., Millour, E., Bierjon, A., Trokhimovskiy, A., Montmessin, F.,
Lefèvre, F., Korablev, O. I., Baggio, L., Alday, J., Wilson, C. F., Irwin, P. G. J., Belyaev, D. A., Patrakeev,
A., & Shakun, A. Seasonal changes in the vertical structure of ozone in the Martian lower atmosphere
and its relationship to water vapour. Journal of Geophysical Research 127, e2022JE007213 (2022),
https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007213. Eos Editor’s Highlight. - Olsen, K. S., Trokhimovskiy, A., Braude, A. S., Korablev, O. I., Fedorova, A. A., Wilson, C. F., Patel,
M. R., Irwin, P. G. J., Montmessin, F., Lefèvre, F., Baggio, L., Alday, J., Belyaev, D. A., Patrakeev, A.,
&, Shakun, A. Upper limits for phosphine (PH3) in the atmosphere of Mars. Astronomy
& Astrophysics 649, L1 (2021), https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202140868. - Olsen, K. S., Trokhimovskiy, A., Montabone, L., Fedorova, A. A., Luginin, M., Lefèvre, F., Korablev,
O. I., Montmessin, F., Forget, F., Millour, E., Baggio, L., Alday, J., Wilson, C. F., Irwin, P. G. J., Belyaev,
D. A., Patrakeev, A., &, Shakun, A. Seasonal reappearance of HCl in the atmosphere of Mars during
the Mars year 35 dusty season. Astronomy & Astrophysics 647, A161 (2021), https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202140329. - Korablev, O., Olsen, K. S. et al. Transient HCl in the atmosphere of Mars. Science Advances 7, eabe4386
(2021), https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abe4386. - Olsen, K. S., Lefèvre, F., Montmessin, F., Fedorova, A. A., Trokhimovskiy, A., Baggio, L., Korablev,
O., Alday, J., Wilson, C. F., Forget, F., Belyaev, D. A., Patrakeev, A., Grigoriev, A., & Shakun, A.
The vertical structure of CO in the Martian atmosphere from the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Nature
Geoscience 14, 67–71 (2021), https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41561-020-00678-w. - Trokhimovskiy, A., Perevalov, V., Korablev, O., Fedorova, A. A., Olsen, K. S., Bertaux, J.-L., Patrakeev,
A., Shakun, A., Montmessin, F., & Lefèvre, F. First observation of the magnetic dipole CO2 main
isotopologue absorption band at 3.3 μm in the atmosphere of Mars by ExoMars ACS. Astronomy &
Astrophysics 639, A142 (2020), https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202038134. - Olsen, K. S., Lefèvre, F., Montmessin, F., Trokhimovskiy, A., Baggio, L., Fedorova, A. A., Alday, J.,
Lomakin, A., Belyaev, D. A., Patrakeev, A., Shakun, A., & Korablev, O. First detection of ozone in the
mid-infrared at Mars: implications for methane detection. Astronomy & Astrophysics 639, A141 (2020),
https://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202038125.
Some Images:
Possible chlorine cycle in the atmosphere of Mars
A possible cycle of HCl chemistry in the atmosphere of Mars proposed after the discovery of HCl made with the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter's Atmospheric Chemistry Suite.
Read the ESA web-release here:
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/E…
New absorption features where methane was expected
While the hunt for methane on Mars with the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has not verified claims of its existence, in the spectral range where it would be we have instead found a new signature of CO2, and an unexpected strong signature of ozone using the Atmospheric Chemistry Suite.
Read the ESA web-release here: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/E…