Sudden increases in methane absorption in the Martian atmosphere have been a major puzzler for scientist , and the answer may lie in fluctuations in atmospherical pressure . The conclusion would n’t really change the prospects for life on our neighbor – but if it ’s correct , it would be a expectant step forward in get laid how to look for it .
On Earth , methane , as a thousandfartjokes will secern you , is often produced by living organism . So whenMars Expressdetected some , it gave a boost to hope for life . Earthly methane do from other source as well , but Mars Express could n’t see any fighting volcanoes or oil drilling projects , so the possibility microbe were responsible persist plausible . Curiosity has since detected it on site , but not systematically , suggesting an quicksilver source .
What no one could work out at the time , and has remained mystifying ever since , was what was induce sudden increases . The most likely account was that air hole of gas were escape from underground reservoir , whether their original germ was know or not . Yet all assay to explain what do these sudden outlet failed – until now .
“ Understanding Mars ’ methane variant has been highlighted by NASA ’s Curiosity team as the next key step towards figuring out where it comes from , ” Los Alamos National Laboratory alum student John Ortiz said in astatement .
Ortiz is part of a squad that simulate the movement of methane through networks of rock fractures and its release into the atmosphere . Their model intimate changes in aura pressure and temperature determine when methane will scat . Drops in pressure encourage methane liberation , but temperature touch on how well rocks immobilize the gas . On this basis , the model predicts pulse should be most common just before dawn in the Martian northern summertime . During the twenty-four hour period , the methane either escapes to high altitudes or is ruin by some nameless process .
We might look the timing to be something we would already know , but atmospheric sample distribution expect so much power that Curiosity ca n’t run its other instruments at the same prison term . Consequently , it takes mensuration intermittently , mostly at nighttime . These have led to the conclusion there is aseasonal , as well asdaily , pattern to the methane spikes – but identifying on the nose what that practice is has proven intemperately .
For the model to mate observations , the authors institute , that subsurface fractures need to overstep a denseness of 0.1 percent , so we may have acquire something about the conditions in which the methane is trapped already .
Curiosity ’s controller can adjust the timing of its sample to quiz theories of when pulses should happen , and these finding could be put to practice . “ Our work suggests several key fourth dimension window for Curiosity to collect data point , ” Ortiz said . “ We think these offer the best chance of constraining the timing of methane fluctuation . ”
If the model is sustain , it will allow existent and future rovers to experience when to taste , and perchance reserve them to track releases to their sources , as well as confirming the sort of John Rock formation in which to look . There is reason to think there is a methane beginning within Gale Crater – although as it continues its slow trek upMt Sharp , it ’s probably not expire the right way to find it .
The study is print unfastened entree in the journalJGR Planets .
