Deep Atmosphere of Venus Probe as a Mission Priority for the Upcoming Decade

James Garvin,Giada Arney,Ralph Lorenz,Stephanie Getty,Natasha Johnson,Martha Gilmore,Walter Kiefer,Sushil Atreya,Stephen Kane,David Grinspoon

doi:10.3847/25c2cfeb.a4985366

Abstract

This is a white paper submitted to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey. The deep atmosphere of Venus is largely unexplored and yet may harbor clues to the evolutionary pathways for a major silicate planet with implications across the solar system and beyond. In situ data is needed to resolve significant open questions related to the evolution and present-state of Venus, including questions of Venus' possibly early habitability and current volcanic outgassing. Deep atmosphere probe-based in situ missions carrying analytical suites of instruments are now implementable in the upcoming decade (before 2030), and will both reveal answers to fundamental questions on Venus and help connect Venus to exoplanet analogs to be observed in the JWST era of astrophysics.

Highlights

AND BACKGROUNDThe Challenge of Measuring Venus’ Massive AtmospherePrevious Venus exploration has led to significant advancements in our understanding of the geodynamics and bulk atmospheric composition of the planet [Grinspoon & Bullock, 2007; Kane et al, 2019; Way & Del Genio, 2020; Lammer et al, 2020], even as profound questions remain such as those concerning atmospheric chemical stratification, possible signatures of present-day geologic and chemical activity, as well asVenus evolution
Thanks to advancements in compact analytical instrumentation, high sensitivity descent imaging systems, and FPGA-enhanced probe flight systems, deep atmosphere “probes” are ready to angas ingest and processing and freely fall to the surface at 10-15 m/s as it images the surface in the Near Infrared (NIR) windows to permit compositional mapping while profiling trace gases down to the surface
Gradients in particular species across altitude bands provide insight into processes that connect the surface to the deep atmosphere over time scales relevant to major transitions [Weller & Kiefer, 2020; Way & Del Genio, 2020]

Summary

AND BACKGROUND

Previous Venus exploration has led to significant advancements in our understanding of the geodynamics and bulk atmospheric composition of the planet [Grinspoon & Bullock, 2007; Kane et al, 2019; Way & Del Genio, 2020; Lammer et al, 2020], even as profound questions remain such as those concerning atmospheric chemical stratification, possible signatures of present-day geologic and chemical activity, as well as. Swer the top priority questions posed by Venus in ways not possible for the past ~35 years The case for such a “deep atmosphere probe with analytical chemistry” has been articulated since the 1983 Solar System Exploration Committee analysis [Morrison &. Without definitive compositional measurements of Venus atmosphere down to its presently uninhabitable surface, advancements in models of its thermal and climate evolution will be impossible, thereby limiting the impact of our sister planet on our knowledge of solar system evolution (Figure 1). This mission White Paper describes the case for this class of mission concept (DEep Atmosphere Probe: DEAP) to resolve these knowledge gaps for the upcoming decade. Venus stands out as the least well-measured large atmosphere in the solar system (Lammer and others 2020), further limiting what our nearest neighbor planet can tell us about habitability of Earthlike planets and the broader workings of our solar system and planetary systems beyond [Kane et al., 2019; NAS Exoplanets Strategy, 2018; Way et al, 2016]

The history of habitability at Venus?

Objective

Evolution of Life

Trace gas

Findings

CONCLUSION