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Methane on Mars
Brian Shiro
 Department of Space Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
10 September 2007
Abstract
Detections of small amounts of methane in the atmosphere of Mars have prompted muchspeculation on the possible sources of the gas since it is a potential biomarker. This paper reviewsthe current understanding of methane on Mars, including the details of its detection, distribution,and possible sources and sinks. Although the existence of biological life cannot be ruled out withcurrent methane measurements, other plausible non-biological explanations are presented. Theseinclude geochemical alteration reactions such as serpentinization and outgassing from methaneclathrate hydrate deposits. More accurate and precise measurements of methane and other tracespecies in future missions to Mars will address the question of life on Mars.
I.Introduction
Most terrestrial methane is the product of biological processes, and recent detections of methane in the Martian atmosphere have prompted speculation of a possible biogenic origin. This paper reviews the methane detected and the major abiogenic and biogenic processes that couldaccount for it. Future missions to Mars should be targeted to answer whether the methane observedis from geological or biological sources.
II.Methane Observations
In 2004, three teams independently announced the discovery of trace amounts of methane(CH
4
) on Mars. Using the Fourier Transform Spectrometer at the Canada–France–HawaiiTelescope at Mauna Kea Observatory, Krasnopolsky
et al.
(2004) observed a 10
±
3 ppb (parts per  billion) global mean methane mixing ratio in the Martian atmosphere. Formisano
et al.
(2004) usedthe Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) aboard the Mars Express orbiter to determine a globalmean methane abundance of 10
±
5 ppb with possible variations of 0-30 ppb from orbit-orbit over the
1
 
 planet. Mumma
et al.
(2004; 2005) reported detection of methane in two localized areas on Marswith maximum values of 250 ppb from the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) CryogenicEchelle Spectrograph (CSHELL) and 60 ppb from the Phoenix spectrograph at the Gemini SouthObservatory, but the work remains unpublished and requires confirmation. However, Encrenaz
et al.
(2005) found no evidence of a localized source of methane in excess of 70 ppb. Encrenaz (2007)tried to verify the results of Mumma
et al.
(2004; 2005) by searching for high methane spots withPFS but found no evidence for methane and established upper limits of 20 ppb and 50 ppb in thetwo areas where Mumma
et al.
had detected 60 ppb and 250 ppb. The mean global methane mixingratio determined by Encrenaz (2007) using PFS was 20
±
10 ppb, which is generally in agreementwith Krasnopolsky
et al.
(2004) and Formisano
et al.
(2004).Other studies of minor constituents in the Martian atmosphere have not detected methane but did establish upper limits on the methane level as 20 parts per billion (ppb) from the Mariner 9infrared spectrometer (Maguire 1977), 70
±
50 ppb from the Fourier transform spectrometer at theKitt Peak National Observatory (Krasnopolsky
et al.
1997), 50 ppb from the Short-WavelengthSpectrometer of the Infrared Space Observatory (Lellouch
et al.
2000), and 20 ppb (morning side)to 70 ppb (evening side) from the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility at Mauna Kea Observatory (Encrenaz
et al.
2005).
III.Methane Lifetime
To understand the production rate required of potential methane sources, one must firstknow how it is destroyed. The primary loss mechanisms for methane are photolysis by ultravioletlight in the upper atmosphere (70-90 km altitude) and oxidation near the Martian surface.Assuming a methane abundance of 10 ppb, Krasnopolsky
et al.
(2004) used data from photochemical models of the Martian atmosphere to estimate the total lifetime of methane as 340years, which corresponds to 270 tons lost per year (t y
-1
). Wong
et al.
(2003) modeled methanechemistry in the Martian atmosphere and estimated a lifetime of 670 years, which is equivalent to a126 t y
-1
loss (Formisano
et al.
2004; Atreya
et al.
2007). The short methane lifetime of a fewhundred years means that methane levels must be actively replenished in order to maintain the levelobserved today.
IV.Methane Distribution
2
 
Both Formisano
et al.
(2004) and Mumma
et al.
(2004; 2005) claimed to have detectedspatial variability in methane. This has prompted much speculation on how a non-uniform methanedistribution could exist in the Martian atmosphere. The time scales of horizontal and verticalmixing of methane in the lower Martian atmosphere are only 10 days and 0.5 years, respectively(Krasnopolsky
et al.
2004). These times are much lower than the 370 or 670 year methane lifetimeestimates. Therefore, methane should be uniformly well mixed throughout the Martian atmosphere.If spatial variations in methane do occur, they must result from either heterogeneous source production or sink removal of methane from the Martian atmosphere. Examples of heterogeneoussources include volcanoes, magmatic intrusions, hydrothermal vents, clathrate hydrate outgassing,and dispersed microbial colonies. However, given the short atmospheric mixing time, it is difficultto reconcile these examples with sustained areas of non-uniform methane distribution, althoughrecent preliminary general circulation models suggest it is possible (Forget
et al.
2005).Heterogeneous loss of methane due to near surface oxidation is another possible way toexplain a non-uniform methane distribution. Electrostatic fields generated by charged sand inMartian dust devils, saltation, and other aeolian processes can produce large quantities of theoxidant hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
), which scavenges organic matter from the surface of Mars andaccelerates methane loss from the atmosphere in that area (Atreya
et al.
2006; Delory
et al.
2006;Farrell
et al.
2006). The calculated abundance of H
2
O
2
produced by such a mechanism could reach200 times the level produced by photochemistry alone, which has been measured at the 20-40 ppblevel globally (Encrenaz
et al.
2004). The increased H
2
O
2
in the local area dissociates methane at arate 10
12
times greater than normal and decreases the methane stability lifetime to about 1000seconds, resulting in decreased methane concentrations on temporal and spatial scales of weeks andhundreds of kilometers, respectively (Farrell
et al.
2006). This process could also provide anexplanation for the puzzling lack of any organics observed on the surface to Mars (Atreya
et al.
2007). Future high spatial resolution sampling of the Martian atmosphere should help resolve theissues related to methane’s possible heterogeneous distribution.
V.Methane Sources
The source of Martian methane must be currently active in order to counteract methane’sshort lifetime in the Martian atmosphere. This section reviews the major mechanisms that could
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