Strong Release of Methane on Mars in Northern Summer 2003
Abstract
Living systems produce more than 90% of Earth's atmospheric methane; the balance is of geochemical origin. On Mars, methane could be a signature of either origin. Using high-dispersion infrared spectrometers at three ground-based telescopes, we measured methane and water vapor simultaneously on Mars over several longitude intervals in northern early and late summer in 2003 and near the vernal equinox in 2006. When present, methane occurred in extended plumes, and the maxima of latitudinal profiles imply that the methane was released from discrete regions. In northern midsummer, the principal plume contained ∼19,000 metric tons of methane, and the estimated source strength (≥0.6 kilogram per second) was comparable to that of the massive hydrocarbon seep at Coal Oil Point in Santa Barbara, California.
Supplementary Material
File (mumma.som.pdf)
References and Notes
1
H. Nair, M. Allen, A. D. Anbar, Y. L. Yung, R. T. Clancy, Icarus111, 124 (1994).
2
M. E. Summers, B. J. Lieb, E. Chapman, Y. L. Yung, Geophys. Res. Lett.29, 2171 (2002).
3
A.-S. Wong, S. K. Atreya, T. Encrenaz, J. Geophys. Res. Planets108, 7 (2003).
4
S. K. Atreyaet al., Astrobiology6, 439 (2006).
5
R. E. Pellenbarg, M. D. Max, S. M. Clifford, J. Geophys. Res. Planets108, GDS 23-1 (2003).
6
S. K. Atreya, P. R. Mahaffy, A.-S. Wong, Planet. Space Sci.55, 358 (2007).
7
W. C. Maguire, Icarus32, 85 (1977).
8
V. A. Krasnopolsky, G. L. Bjoraker, M. J. Mumma, D. E. Jennings, J. Geophys. Res.102, 6525 (1997).
9
M. Lellouchet al., Planet. Space Sci.48, 1393 (2000).
10
M. J. Mummaet al., Bull. Am. Astron. Soc.35, 937 (2003).
11
M. J. Mummaet al., Bull. Am. Astron. Soc.36, 1127 (2004).
12
M. J. Mummaet al., Bull. Am. Astron. Soc.37, 669 (2005).
13
M. J. Mummaet al., Bull. Am. Astron. Soc.39, 471 (2007).
14
M. J. Mummaet al., Bull. Am. Astron. Soc.40, 396 (2008).
15
V. Formisano, S. Atreya, T. Encrenaz, N. Ignatiev, M. Giuranna, Science306, 1758 (2004).
16
V. A. Krasnopolsky, J. P. Maillard, T. C. Owen, Icarus172, 537 (2004).
17
V. A. Krasnopolsky, Icarus190, 93 (2007).
18
A. Geminale, V. Formisano, M. Giuranna, Planet. Space Sci.56, 1194 (2008).
19
J. R. Lyons, C. E. Manning, C. E. Nimmo, Geophys. Res. Lett.32, L13201 (2005).
20
C. Oze, M. Sharma, Geophys. Res. Lett.32, L10203 (2005).
21
T. C. Onstottet al., Astrobiology6, 377 (2006).
22
V. A. Krasnopolsky, Icarus180, 359 (2006).
23
W. M. Farrell, G. T. Delory, S. K. Atreya, Geophys. Res. Lett.33, L21203 (2006).
24
G. T. Deloryet al., Astrobiology6, 451 (2006).
25
V. Formisanoet al., Planet. Space Sci.53, 1043 (2005).
26
G. L. Villanueva, M. J. Mumma, R. E. Novak, T. Hewagama, Icarus195, 34 (2008).
27
We binned spectra over 46° of longitude (centered at CML 300°) for Fig. 1, B and C (and Fig. 2, A and B), but over only 16° for Fig. 2C. Profile d is centered at CML 310°, leading to lower mean mixing ratios in Fig. 2B as compared with Fig. 2C (profile d). See detailed map in Fig. 3.
28
S. Mauet al., Geophys. Res. Lett.34, L22603 (2007).
29
M. A. Mischna, M. I. Richardson, R. J. Wilson, D. J. McCleese, J. Geophys. Res.108, 5062 (2003).
30
F. Pouletet al., Nature438, 623 (2005).
31
J. P. Bibringet al., Science312, 400 (2006).
32
J. F. Mustardet al., Nature454, 305 (2008).
33
H. Hiesinger, J. W. Head III, J. Geophys. Res.109, E01004 (2004).
34
D. Baratouxet al., J. Geophys. Res.112, E08S05 (2007).
35
M. H. Hechtet al., Eos89, Fall Meeting Suppl., U14A-04 (abstr.) (2008).
36
S. P. Kounaveset al., Eos89, Fall Meeting Suppl., U14A-05 (abstr.) (2008).
37
T. Encrenazet al., Icarus195, 547 (2008).
38
M. D. Max, S. M. Clifford, J. Geophys. Res.105, 4165 (2000).
39
D. S. Kelleyet al., Science307, 1428 (2005).
40
C. Wille, L. Kutzbach, T. Sachs, D. Wagner, E.-M. Pfeiffer, Glob. Change Biol.14, 1395 (2008).
41
T. C. Onstottet al., Geomicrobiol. J.23, 369 (2006).
42
L.-H. Linet al., Science314, 479 (2006).
43
J.-P. Bibringet al., Science312, 400 (2006).
44
J. F. Mustardet al., Nature454, 305 (2008).
45
R. Greeley, J. E. Guest, U.S. Geol. Surv. Map I-1802-B (1987).
46
D. E. Smithet al., J. Geophys. Res.106, 23689 (2001).
47
We thank T. C. Onstott and L. M. Pratt for helpful comments and two anonymous referees for their comments and suggestions. This work was supported by NASA [the Planetary Astronomy Program (RTOP 344-32-07 to M.J.M), Astrobiology Institute (RTOP 344-53-51, to M.J.M), and Postdoctoral Program (G.L.V.)] and by NSF (Research at Undergraduate Institutions Program AST-0505765 to R.E.N.). We thank the director and staff of NASA's InfraRed Telescope Facility (operated for NASA by the University of Hawaii) for exceptional support throughout our long Mars observing program. Data were also obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, operated as a scientific partnership by CalTech, the University of California Los Angeles, and NASA.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Science
Volume 323 | Issue 5917
20 February 2009
20 February 2009
Copyright
American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Article versions
You are viewing the most recent version of this article.
Submission history
Received: 28 August 2008
Accepted: 6 January 2009
Published in print: 20 February 2009