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Publications page.



Publications by David Catling


Book in preparation:
Along with Prof. Jim Kasting from Penn State University, I'm writing the following book, aimed at graduate students and researchers:

Atmospheric Evolution on Inhabited and Lifeless Worlds,
Cambridge University Press.

2009
63. S. P. Kounaves, M. H. Hecht, J. Kapit, R. C. Quinn, B. C. Clark, D. W. Ming,
W. V. Boynton, D.C. Catling et al., Soluble sulfate in the Martian soil at the
Phoenix landing site, in preparation, 2009.

62. S. P. Kounaves, S. T. Stroble, R. M. Anderson1, Q. Moore, D. C. Catling, S. Douglas,
C. P. McKay, D. W. Ming, P. H. Smith, L. K. Tamppari, A. P. Zent, Discovery of natural perchlorate in the Antarctic Dry Valleys and its global implications, submitted, 2009.

61.   D. C. Catling, M. W. Claire, K. J. Zahnle, et al.,  Atmospheric origins of perchlorate on Mars and in the Atacama, J. Geophys. Res., in press, 2009.

60. S. P. Kounaves et al. (incl. D. C. Catling),  The wet chemistry experiments on the 2007 Phoenix Mars Scout Lander Mission: Data analysis and results, J. Geophys. Res., in press, 2009.

59. D. Fisher et al. (incl. D. C. Catling), A perchlorate-lubricated brine deformable bed could facilitate flow of the Mars North Polar Cap: Possible mechanism for water table recharging, J. Geophys. Res., submitted, 2009.

58. Renno, N. O., B. J. Boss, D. Catling, et al., Possible physical and thermodynamical evidence for liquid water at the Phoenix landing site, J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2009JE003362, in press.

57. C. Stoker, A. Zent, D. C. Catling et al., Habitability at the Phoenix Landing Site, J. Geophys. Res., submitted, 2009.

56. Smith, P. H., L. Tamppari, R. E. D. Arvidson, D. S. Bass, D. Blaney, W. V. Boynton, A. Carswell, D. C. Catling et al., Water at the Phoenix landing site,  Science, 325, 58-61.

55. M. H. Hecht et al. (incl. D. C. Catling), Detection of perchlorate and soluble chemistry of  martian soil: Findings from the Phoenix Mars Lander, Science, 325, 64-67.

54. W. V. Boynton et al. (incl. D. C. Catling), Evidence for calcium carbonate at the Phoenix landing site, Science, 325, 61-64.

53. D. C. Catling and K. J. Zahnle, The escape of planetary atmospheres, Scientific American, 300, 36-43, May 2009. [E-print]

52. M. W. Claire, D.C. Catling and K. J. Zahnle, Resolving the paradox of oxidative weathering before the rise of oxygen, in preparation, 2009.

51.  G. M.  Marion, J. S. Kargel and D. C. Catling. Br/Cl partitioning in chloride minerals in the Burns Formation on Mars, Icarus, 200, 436-445, 2009.

50. M. W. Claire, et al., The atmospheric sulfur cycle on early Mars , in preparation, 2009.

49. D. C. Catling, Atmospheric Evolution of Mars. In: V. Gornitz (ed.) Encyclopedia of Paleoclimatology and Ancient Environments, Springer, Dordrecht, 2009, pp.  66-75, [preprint]

In celebration of  the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birth in February 1809:
48. D. C. Catling, Revisiting Darwin's Voyage, in Darwin: For the Love of Science, A. Kelly, M. Kelly, B. Dolan, J. Hodge, M. Waithe, A. C. Grayling, K.  Ward, G. Dyson, and D. C. Catling. Bristol Cultural Development Partnership, 2009, pp. 240-251. [preprint] [E-print]

2008
47. Smith, P. H., L. Tamppari, R. E. D. Arvidson, D. S. Bass, D. Blaney, W. V. Boynton, A. Crswell, D. C. Catling et al., The Phoenix mission to Mars, J. Geophys. Res., 13, E00A18,  doi:10.1029/2008JE003083.

46.  P. A. Taylor, D. C. Catling, M. Daly, C. S. Dickinson, H. O. Gunnlaugsson, A-M. Harri, C. F.6Lange, Temperature, pressure and wind instrumentation on the Phoenix meteorological package, J. Geophys. Res., 113, EA0A10, doi:10.1029/2007JE003015, 2008. [E-print]

45.  G. M.  Marion, J. S. Kargel and D. C. Catling. Modeling ferrous-ferric iron chemistry w9th application to Martian surface geochemistry, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 72, 242-266, 2008. [E-print]

44. D. C. Catling. Where did the oxygen in our atmosphere come from? In: The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Natural World, M. J. Benton (Ed.), Thames and Hudson, London, pp.69-71, 2008. [E-print]

43. E. Sefton-Nash and D. C. Catling. Hematitic concretions at Meridiani Planum, Mars: Their growth timescale and possible relationship with iron sulfates, Earth Plan. Sci. Lett.,  269, 366-376, 2008. [E-print]

42. K. J. Zahnle, R. M Haberle, D. C. Catling, J. F. Kasting. Photochemical instability of the ancient Martian atmosphere, J. Geophys. Res, 113, E11004, doi:10.1029/2008JE003160, 2008.

41.  D. C. Catling. Earth's early atmosphere, Catalyst: Secondary Science Review, 18, 16-18, 2008.  (an article aimed at secondary school students) [E-print]

2007
40. D. C. Catling, Mars: Ancient fingerprints in the clay, Nature 448, 31-32, 2007. [E-print] 
    39. D. C. Catling, M. W. Claire, and K. J. Zahnle, Anaerobic methanotrophy and the rise of oxygen, Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. A 365, 1867-1888, 2007. [E-print] 
38. D. C. Catling and J. F. Kasting, Planetary Atmospheres and Life, In W. Sullivan , J. Baross (eds.) Planets and Life: The Emerging Science of Astrobiology, Cambridge University Press,  p. 91-116, 2007. [E-print]
 
37. D. Catling, Book Review, Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life's Origins by Robert M. Hazen,  American Mineralogist 92, 1543, 2007. [E-print]

2006

36. D. C. Catling, and R. Buick. Introduction to Special Issue: Oxygen and Life in the Precambrian, Geobiology, vol. 4, 225-226, 2006. [E-print]
35. K. J. Zahnle, M. W. Claire, and D.C. Catling, The loss of mass-independent fractionation in sulfur due to a Paleoproterozoic collapse of atmospheric methane, Geobiology, vol. 4, 271-283, 2006. [E-print]
    • A 1D numerical photochemical model is used to study the atmospheric photochemistry of oxygen, methane, and sulphur after the advent of oxygenic photosynthesis. We show that collapse of atmospheric methane in the early Proterozoic aeon to levels of  ~10s of ppmv provides the best explanation of the disappearance of mass-independent fractionation in sulphur isotopes.
34. M. W. Claire, D.C. Catling and K. J. Zahnle, Biogeochemical modeling of the rise in atmospheric oxygen. Geobiology, vol. 4, 239-269, 2006. [E-print]
    • Here we present analytical and numerical computations for how the Earth's early atmosphere transitioned to an O2-rich state about 2.4. billion years ago. Understanding this transition is important for life on Earth because the rise of O2 allowed a stratospheric ozone layer to develop and allowed a greater variety of oxygen-dependent eukaryotic life.
33. Mix, L., et al., The astrobiology primer: An outline of general knowledge - Version 1, 2006. Astrobiology 6,  735-813, 2006.

32. Marion G. M., Catling D. C., Kargel J. S., Modeling gas hydrate equilibria in electrolyte solutions. CALPHAD - Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry, 30, 248-259, 2006.

31. G. T. Delory, W. M. Farrell, S. Atreya, N. O. Renno, A-S. Wong, S. A. Cummer, D. D. Sentman, J. R. Marshall, S. C. R. Rafkin and D. C. Catling, Oxidant enhancement in Martian dust devils and storms: Storm electric fields and electron dissociative attachment. Astrobiology 6, 453-454, 2006.
30. S. K. Atreya, A-S Wong, N. O. Renno, W. M. Farrell, G. T. Delory, D. D. Sentman, S. A. Cummer, J. R. Marshall, S. C. R. Rafkin, D. C. Catling, Oxidant enhancement in Martian dust devils and storms: Implications for life and habitability, Astrobiology, 6, 439-450, 2006.
29. D.C. Catling, Comment on "A Hydrogen-rich Early Earth Atmosphere". Science 311, 38a, 2006.
    • Here I commented on a paper by Tian et al., noting that Earth's early thermosphere, under the high extreme ultraviolet flux of the early Sun, would have been hot enough for hydrogen to escape readily so that hydrogen would not accumulate to high abundance. My back-of-envelope calculations are supported by independent detailed calculations of early Earth's thermosphere by Kulikov et al. (2006) Space Sci. Rev., submitted. 
28. D.C. Catling, S. E. Wood, C. Leovy, D. R. Montgomery, H. Greenberg, C. R. Glein, J. M. Moore, Light-toned layered deposits in Juventae Chasma, Mars, Icarus, 181, 26-51, 2006.[E-print]
    • This paper discusses the origin of enigmatic sulfate deposits, as large as mountains, in a deep chasm on Mars.
27. D. C. Catling, C. Leovy, Mars Atmosphere and Volatile History. In: L. McFadden, P. Weissman (eds.) Encyclopedia of the Solar System, Academic Press, 2006, p.301-314. [preprint]  [E-print]
2005

26. D. C. Catling and M. Claire, How Earth's atmosphere evolved to an oxic state: A status report, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 237, 1-20, 2005. [E-print]
    • A review of the how the level of dioxygen in the Earth's atmosphere has changed over the last 4 billion years and what caused the changes, to the best of our knowledge.
25. D C. Catling, Twin studies on Mars. Nature 436, 42-43, 2005. [E-print]
    • Commentary on Mars rover results.
24. D. W. Beaty, S. M. Clifford, L. E. Borg, D. Catling et al., Key science questions from the Second Conference on Early Mars: Geologic, hydrologic, climate evolution, and the implications for life, Astrobiology , 5, 663-689, 2005.
23. D. C. Catling, C.R. Glein, K.J. Zahnle, and C. P. McKay. Why O2 is required by complex life on habitable planets and the concept of planetary "oxygenation time",  Astrobiology, 5, 415-438, 2005. [E-print] Commentary on this paper by Norm Sleep.
    • In this paper, we explain how O2 provides the highest feasible energy release per electron transfer for carbon-based life, a universal property set by the limits of the periodic table. We also calculate theoretical biomass spectra for anaerobic (non-O2-using) life, which shows why such life does not grow large and complex. The upshot is that the evolution of water-splitting metabolism (photosynthesis) and subsequent atmospheric evolution are the important factors for determining the distribution of complex life on planets elsewhere in our galaxy and in the universe.

22. D. C. Catling, Coupled evolution of Earth's atmosphere and biosphere. In: A. Kleidon, R. Lorenz (eds.) Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics and the Production of Entropy: Life, Earth and Beyond, Springer, 2005, p.191-206.
    • Of solar system planets with atmospheres, the Earth is the sunniest in terms of flux reaching its surface. Earth also has an anomalous atmosphere, chemically and dynamically. The chemistry is in a low entropy state, pushed far from thermodynamic equilibrium by surface gas fluxes. Dynamically, the Earth has the most unpredictable weather (e.g., compare Jupiter's Great Red Spot) and the slowest jets. In this paper, I discuss how life and entropy production have roles in producing Earth's wierd atmosphere, which in turn allows life to flourish.
21. G. M. Marion, J. S. Kargel, D. C. Catling, S. D. Jakubowski. Effects of pressure on aqueous chemical equilibria at subzero temperatures with applications to Europa, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 69, 259-274, 2005.

2004
20. D. C. Catling, Planetary Science: On Earth, as it is on Mars? Nature 429, 707-708, 2004. [E-print]
    • A "News and Views" piece that gives recent thinking on Martian hematite concretions (nicknamed "blueberries") that were discovered by the Opportunity Mars rover. The write-up discusses similar (but different!) phenomena on Earth, in Utah.

19. W. M. Farrell, P. H. Smith,G. T. Delory, G. B. Hillard, J. R. Marshall, D. Catling et al., Electric and magnetic signatures of dust devils from the 2000-2001 MATADOR desert tests, J. Geophys. Res., 109(E), doi:10.1029/2003JE002088, 2004. [E-print] 
 18. D. C. Catling, M. W. Claire, K. J. Zahnle, Understanding the evolution of atmospheric redox state from the Archaean to the Proterozoic, In: Reimold, W.U. and Hofmann, A. (Eds.), Abstract volume, Field Forum on Processes on the Early Earth, Kaapvaal Craton, S. Africa, July 4-9, 2004, p.17-19.  [E-print] 
    • Here, we presented a quantitative model of the rise of oxygen around 2.4 billion years ago.  We showed how the rise of O2 occurred when the flux of organic carbon burial (which is the source of O2) exceeded the geothermal flux of reductants (such as reduced volcanic and metamorphic gases that react with oxygen, as well as hydrothermal cations such as ferrous iron). We also showed that as  O2 rises, ultraviolet shielding of the troposphere by ozone causes a positive feedback on the increase in atmospheric oxygen.  See the subsequent paper by Claire et al. (2006) for full details.

2003

17. D. M. Tratt, M. H. Hecht, D. C. Catling, E. C. Samulon, and P. Smith, In situ measurement of dust devil dynamics: Toward a strategy for Mars J. Geophys. Res., 108, doi:10.1029/2003JE002161, 2003. [E-print]
16. J. F. Kasting and D. C. Catling, Evolution of a habitable planet, Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysics, 41, 429-463, 2003.[E-print]
    • In this paper, we review why Earth's climate has remained conducive to life on Earth for the past 3.5 billion years.
15. D. C. Catling and J. M Moore, The nature of coarse-grained crystalline hematite and its implications for the early environment of Mars, Icarus, 165, 277-300, 2003.[E-print]
    • Gray, crystalline hematite is a mineral that has been found in certain locations on Mars, in particular at the landing site of the NASA Mars Exploration Rover called "Opportunity" that landed in 2004. In this paper, before we knew about the Opportunity findings, we discussed  the possible environments in which gray hematite might have formed on Mars.
14. G. M. Marion, D. C. Catling , and J. S. Kargel, Modeling aqueous ferrous iron chemistry at low temperatures with application to Mars, Geochem. Cosmochem. Acta, 67, 4251-4266, 2003. [E-print]

2002

13. M. R. Patel, J. C. Zarnecki, and D. C. Catling, Ultraviolet radiation on the surface of Mars and the Beagle 2 ultraviolet sensor, Planetary and Space Science, 50, 915-927, 2002. [E-print]
12.  D. Catling and K. Zahnle, Evolution of atmospheric oxygen, in Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Sciences (Ed. J. Holton, J. Curry, J. Pyle), Academic Press, 2002. [E-print]
2001
11. D. C. Catling, K. J. Zahnle, and C. P. McKay, Biogenic methane, hydrogen escape, and the irreversible oxidation of early Earth, Science, 293, 839-843, 2001. [E-print]
    • In this paper, we advanced a theory to answer the question of why the Earth's atmosphere became oxygen-rich about 2.4-2.2 billion years ago. This transition was an important event in Earth's history because all complex life forms (animals and multicellular plants) rely on molecular oxygen (O2). Consequently, understanding the rise of oxygen is critical for understanding biological evolution on our planet.

10.  J. C. Bridges, D. C. Catling, J. M. Saxton, T. D. Swindle, I. C. Lyon and M. M. Grady, Alteration assemblages in Martian meteorites: Implications for near-surface processes, in Chronology and Evolution of Mars , Kluwer Academic, New York, 2001, pp.365-392. [E-print]
2000

9. C. S., Cockell, D. C. Catling, W. L. Davis, K. Snook, R. L. Kepner, and P. Lee, and McKay, C. P., The ultraviolet environment of Mars: Biological implications past, present, and future. Icarus, 146, 343-459, 2000. [E-print]
8. J. K. Reynolds, D. Catling, R. C. Blue, N. I. Maluf, and T. Kenny, Packaging a piezoresistive pressure sensor to measure low absolute pressures over a wide sub-zero temperature range, Sensors and Actuators, A83, 142-149, 2000. [E-print]
1999
7. D. C. Catling. A chemical model for evaporites on early Mars: Possible sedimentary tracers of the early climate and implications for exploration, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 16,453-16,470, 1999. [E-print.]
6. S. Smrekar, D. Catling, R. Lorenz, J. Magalhaes, M. Meyer, J. Moersch, P. Morgan, J. Murphy, B. Murray, M. Presley-Holloway, A. Yen, and A. Zent, Deep Space 2: The Mars Microprobe Mission, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 27013-27030, 1999. [E-print]
5. C. S. Cockell, D. C. Catling and H. F. Waites. Insects at low-pressures: Applications to artificial ecosystems and implications for global windborne distribution, Life Support and Biosphere Sci., 6, 161-167, 1999.

prior to 1999

4. D. C. Catling. High sensitivity silicon capacitive sensors for measuring medium vacuum gas pressures, Sensors and Actuators, A64, 157-164, 1998. [E-print.]
3. R. M. Haberle and  D. C. Catling, A micro-meteorological mission for global network science on Mars: Rationale and measurement requirements, Planet. Space Sci. 44, 1361-1384, 1996. [E-print.]
    • This article was about a concept that Bob Haberle and I  came up with for measuring the global climate system on Mars using a network of miniature, automated weather stations. Later, along with other scientists and engineers, we developed a detailed NASA mission concept called "Pascal" to do this. Pascal is yet to fly, but such a mission will be an essential precursor for a future human mission. 
2. M. M. Joshi, S. R. Lewis, P. L. Read and D. C. Catling. Western boundary currents in the Martian atmosphere: Numerical simulations and observational evidence, J. Geophys. Res.  100, 5485-5500, 1995. [E-print.]
1. M. M. Joshi, S. R. Lewis, P. L. Read and D. C. Catling. Western boundary currents in the atmosphere of Mars, Nature, 367, 548-551, 1994.
    • Western boundary currents are important fluid flows  in the climate system on Earth. The Gulf Stream in the north Atlantic ocean helps keep western Europe warm and the East African Jet in the atmosphere plays an important role in the Asian monsoon. In this paper, we pointed out how western boundary currents are a significant feature of the atmosphere of Mars.[E-print.]


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