Atomic oxygen reacts with other elements much more easily than does O2. This means atomic oxygen doesn't stick around in the atmosphere for long and can be very difficult to measure.

The last time atomic oxygen was detected in the Martian atmosphere was in the 1970s, during NASA’s Viking and Mariner missions.

“Atomic oxygen in the martian atmosphere is notoriously difficult to measure,” said Pamela Marcum, SOFIA project scientist.

An instrument onboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) detected atomic oxygen in the atmosphere of Mars for the first time since the last observation 40 years ago.

Scientists have detected atomic oxygen in the atmosphere of Mars for the first time since the last observation 40 years ago. These atoms were found in the upper layers of the Martian atmosphere ...

(CNN) — Atomic oxygen has been detected in the atmosphere of Mars, according to NASA. The atoms were discovered in the Martian mesosphere, the upper layers of the red planet’s atmosphere.

The abundance of atomic oxygen in Mars’ atmosphere peaks between 70 and 120 kilometers (44 to 75 miles). Rezac et al./Astronomy & Astrophysics Flying between 11.3 and 13.7 kilometers (37,000 and ...

Scientists have detected atomic oxygen in the atmosphere of Mars for the first time since the last observation 40 years ago. Written by PTI Washington May 7, 2016 17:40 IST Follow Us ...

Letter Published: 08 May 1948 Atomic Oxygen and Dissociation in Flame Gases W. T. DAVID, C. R.OUNTHWAITE & N. CARPENTER Nature 161, 726 (1948) Cite this article ...

NASA researchers discovered atomic oxygen surrounding Mars using the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The oxygen atoms were found in the Martian upper atmosphere - know as ...