ABSTRACT
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 573 Atmosphere ............................................................................................................ 574 Aerosols ................................................................................................................. 575 Damage Mechanisms ............................................................................................. 575 Earth ...................................................................................................................... 576 Mercury .................................................................................................................. 577 Venus ...................................................................................................................... 577 Mars ...................................................................................................................... 577 Pluto ...................................................................................................................... 578 The Moon ............................................................................................................... 578 The Rest ................................................................................................................. 578 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 579 Further Reading ..................................................................................................... 579
For most archaeological artifacts, features, and sites the principal form of deterioration arises from interactions with the atmosphere. Examples of this abound for structures on earth. The pyramids, for example, show the effects of millennia of erosion primarily by wind-borne particles. In addition, many limestone structures have been harmed by the acidic properties of the air, particularly as this affects the pH of rain. Finally, the degradation of many construction materials arises from oxidation. High levels of tropospheric ozone arising from urban air pollution greatly accelerate this process. In attempts to reduce the impact that this may present, many industrialized nations have undertaken various mitigation steps to combat this issue.
