Constraints on the Production of Phosphine by Venusian Volcanoes
Authors
Bains, W
Shorttle, O
Ranjan, S
Rimmer, PB
Petkowski, JJ
Greaves, JS
Seager, S
Publication Date
2022Journal Title
Universe
ISSN
2218-1997
Publisher
MDPI AG
Volume
8
Issue
1
Language
en
Type
Article
This Version
VoR
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Bains, W., Shorttle, O., Ranjan, S., Rimmer, P., Petkowski, J., Greaves, J., & Seager, S. (2022). Constraints on the Production of Phosphine by Venusian Volcanoes. Universe, 8 (1) https://doi.org/10.3390/universe8010054
Abstract
<jats:p>The initial reports of the presence of phosphine in the cloud decks of Venus have led to the suggestion that volcanism is the source of phosphine, through volcanic phosphides ejected into the clouds. Here, we examine the idea that mantle plume volcanism, bringing material from the deep mantle to the surface, could generate observed amounts of phosphine through the interaction of explosively erupted phosphide with sulfuric acid clouds. The direct eruption of deep mantle phosphide is unphysical, but a shallower material could contain traces of phosphide, and could be erupted to the surface. The explosive eruption that efficiently transports material to the clouds would require ocean:magma interactions or the subduction of a hydrated oceanic crust, neither of which occur on modern Venus. The transport of the erupted material to altitudes coinciding with the observations of phosphine is consequently very inefficient. Using the model proposed by Truong and Lunine as a base case, we estimate that an eruption volume of at least 21,600 km3/year would be required to explain the presence of 1 ppb phosphine in the clouds. This is greater than any historical terrestrial eruption rate, and would have several detectable consequences for remote and in situ observations to confirm. More realistic lithospheric mineralogy, volcano mechanics or atmospheric photochemistry require even more volcanism.</jats:p>
Keywords
phosphine, phosphide, Venus, volcanism, mantle plume
Sponsorship
Change Happens Foundation (N/A)
Simons Foundation (599634)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/universe8010054
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/333157
Rights
Licence:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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