Hugh Bollinger / Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Follow the methane

When tracking down criminals, the mantra has always been "follow the money". Likewise, in looking for life on planets in other solar systems it has been "follow the water". In the case of Mars, it might be more immediate to follow the methane. The European Space Agency (ESA) has just released a series of spectacular images of the Mars canyon system and fractured landscape called Neli Fossae. [caption id="attachment_4001" align="aligncenter" width="1024" caption="Neli Fossae on Mars source: ESA"]

[/caption] The geology of this region is interesting in itself in helping to understand the history of Mars. However, one of the most intriguing features of Neli Fossae is the detection of methane gas. Methane degrades relatively quickly in the atmosphere-- it survives for ~200 years before being converted into carbon and hydrogen --so the high levels in Neli Fossae must be replenished somehow. The gas can be produced by geological processes like volcanic eruptions but it is mostly known as being the result of biological processes like decaying matter. The diverse landscapes of the Neli Fossae could offer potential substrates for Mars microbes and algae to maintain a foothold to grow. [caption id="attachment_4008" align="aligncenter" width="1024" caption="Neli Fossae elevations source: ESA"]

[/caption] It will take additional Mars orbiters and robots rolling around the planets surface to solve the methane question but the ESA has provided great places to look with their impressive photographs. WHB

A short history of the world Little house, lots of possibilities

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Tags: exobiology European Space Agency Mars Mars geology methane Neli Fossae

Follow the methane

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