Evolution of the Atmosphere of Venus

Abstract

The runaway greenhouse effect provides the most plausible explanation for the divergent evolution of the atmospheres of Venus and Earth. It has not yet been convincingly demonstrated that the atmosphere of Venus is in chemical equilibrium with the surface. Rates of loss of hydrogen from the primitive atmosphere would have been too high to permit the formation of a predominantly water vapor atmosphere on Venus unless degassing rates were very rapid. A transient oxygen atmosphere would have developed on Venus unless the rate of supply of oxidizable material at the surface was exceedingly large.