Trace species in planetary atmospheres: Some results of TGO ExoMars

Abstract

The presence of life alters the composition of a planet's atmosphere. This thesis, formulated back in the 1960s, is now gaining importance. The discovery or even suspicion of chemically non-equilibrium compounds in the atmosphere of another planets can infl uence space policies. The report reviews the discovery of phosphine on Venus and its possible consequences. The main focus is on the issue of methane on Mars and the related results of the ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas orbiter.