Figure 4
Generalized reaction pathways for generating ClO2(g). Diagram shows the proposed chemical reaction pathways leading to the generation of ClO2(g), during the stepwise production under Mars ambient conditions, of the oxychlorine series from Cl-bearing minerals to stable ClO3− and ClO4− bearing salts. Highly reactive ClO2(g) can also attack and alter organic compounds in the regolith and simultaneously can be reduced to chloride or oxidized to other oxychlorine species. Note the proposed reaction pathways are not balanced chemical equations.
