Background levels of methane in Mars' atmosphere show strong seasonal variations

Christopher R. Webster; Paul R. Mahaffy; Sushil K. Atreya; John E. Moores; Gregory J. Flesch; Charles A. Malespin; Christopher P. McKay; German Martinez; Christina L. Smith; Javier Martin-Torres; María-Paz Zorzano; Michael H. Wong; Melissa G. Trainer; Andrew Steele; Doug Archer Jr; Brad Sutter; Patrice J Coll; Caroline Freissinet; Pierre-Yves Meslin; Raina V Gough; Christopher H House; Alexander A. Pavlov; Jennifer L. Eigenbrode; Daniel P. Glavin; John C  Pearson; Didier Keymeulen; Lance E. Christensen; Susanne P. Schwenzer; Rafael Navarro‐González; Jorge Pla-Garcia; Scot C. R. Rafkin; Álvaro Vicente Retortillo; Henrik Kahanpää; Daniel Viudez-Moreiras; Michael D. Smith; Ari-Matti Harri; Maria Genzer; Donald M. Hassler; Mark Lemmon; Joy  Crisp; Stanley P.  Sander; Richard W. Zurek; Ashwin R Vasavada

doi:10.1126/science.aaq0131

Background levels of methane in Mars' atmosphere show strong seasonal variations

Christopher R. Webster, Paul R. Mahaffy, Sushil K. Atreya, John E. Moores, Gregory J. Flesch, Charles A. Malespin, Christopher P. McKay, German Martinez, Christina L. Smith, Javier Martin-Torres, María-Paz Zorzano, Michael H. Wong, Melissa G. Trainer, Andrew Steele, Doug Archer Jr, Brad Sutter, Patrice J Coll, Caroline Freissinet, Pierre-Yves Meslin, Raina V GoughChristopher H House, Alexander A. Pavlov, Jennifer L. Eigenbrode, Daniel P. Glavin, John C Pearson, Didier Keymeulen, Lance E. Christensen, Susanne P. Schwenzer, Rafael Navarro‐González, Jorge Pla-Garcia, Scot C. R. Rafkin, Álvaro Vicente Retortillo, Henrik Kahanpää, Daniel Viudez-Moreiras, Michael D. Smith, Ari-Matti Harri, Maria Genzer, Donald M. Hassler, Mark Lemmon, Joy Crisp, Stanley P. Sander, Richard W. Zurek, Ashwin R Vasavada

Geology and Geophysics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

168 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Variable levels of methane in the martian atmosphere have eluded explanation partly because the measurements are not repeatable in time or location. We report in situ measurements at Gale crater made over a 5-year period by the Tunable Laser Spectrometer on the Curiosity rover. The background levels of methane have a mean value 0.41 ± 0.16 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) (95% confidence interval) and exhibit a strong, repeatable seasonal variation (0.24 to 0.65 ppbv). This variation is greater than that predicted from either ultraviolet degradation of impact-delivered organics on the surface or from the annual surface pressure cycle. The large seasonal variation in the background and occurrences of higher temporary spikes (~7 ppbv) are consistent with small localized sources of methane released from martian surface or subsurface reservoirs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1093-1096
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	360
Issue number	6393
Early online date	8 Jun 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaq0131
Publication status	Published - 8 Jun 2018

Bibliographical note

Validerad;2018;Nivå 2;2018-06-11 (andbra)

2018-11-20T11:03:34.632+01:00

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Webster, C. R., Mahaffy, P. R., Atreya, S. K., Moores, J. E., Flesch, G. J., Malespin, C. A., McKay, C. P., Martinez, G., Smith, C. L., Martin-Torres, J., Zorzano, M.-P., Wong, M. H., G. Trainer, M., Steele, A., Archer Jr, D., Sutter, B., Coll, P. J., Freissinet, C., Meslin, P.-Y., ... Vasavada, A. R. (2018). Background levels of methane in Mars' atmosphere show strong seasonal variations. Science, 360(6393), 1093-1096. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaq0131

Webster, CR, Mahaffy, PR, Atreya, SK, Moores, JE, Flesch, GJ, Malespin, CA, McKay, CP, Martinez, G, Smith, CL, Martin-Torres, J, Zorzano, M-P, Wong, MH, G. Trainer, M, Steele, A, Archer Jr, D, Sutter, B, Coll, PJ, Freissinet, C, Meslin, P-Y, Gough, RV, House, CH, Pavlov, AA, Eigenbrode, JL, Glavin, DP, Pearson, JC, Keymeulen, D, Christensen, LE, Schwenzer, SP, Navarro‐González, R, Pla-Garcia, J, Rafkin, SCR, Retortillo, ÁV, Kahanpää, H, Viudez-Moreiras, D, Smith, MD, Harri, A-M, Genzer, M, Hassler, DM, Lemmon, M, Crisp, J, Sander, SP, Zurek, RW & Vasavada, AR 2018, 'Background levels of methane in Mars' atmosphere show strong seasonal variations', Science, vol. 360, no. 6393, pp. 1093-1096. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaq0131

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title = "Background levels of methane in Mars' atmosphere show strong seasonal variations",

abstract = "Variable levels of methane in the martian atmosphere have eluded explanation partly because the measurements are not repeatable in time or location. We report in situ measurements at Gale crater made over a 5-year period by the Tunable Laser Spectrometer on the Curiosity rover. The background levels of methane have a mean value 0.41 ± 0.16 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) (95% confidence interval) and exhibit a strong, repeatable seasonal variation (0.24 to 0.65 ppbv). This variation is greater than that predicted from either ultraviolet degradation of impact-delivered organics on the surface or from the annual surface pressure cycle. The large seasonal variation in the background and occurrences of higher temporary spikes (~7 ppbv) are consistent with small localized sources of methane released from martian surface or subsurface reservoirs.",

author = "Webster, {Christopher R.} and Mahaffy, {Paul R.} and Atreya, {Sushil K.} and Moores, {John E.} and Flesch, {Gregory J.} and Malespin, {Charles A.} and McKay, {Christopher P.} and German Martinez and Smith, {Christina L.} and Javier Martin-Torres and Mar{\'i}a-Paz Zorzano and Wong, {Michael H.} and {G. Trainer}, Melissa and Andrew Steele and {Archer Jr}, Doug and Brad Sutter and Coll, {Patrice J} and Caroline Freissinet and Pierre-Yves Meslin and Gough, {Raina V} and House, {Christopher H} and Pavlov, {Alexander A.} and Eigenbrode, {Jennifer L.} and Glavin, {Daniel P.} and Pearson, {John C} and Didier Keymeulen and Christensen, {Lance E.} and Schwenzer, {Susanne P.} and Rafael Navarro‐Gonz{\'a}lez and Jorge Pla-Garcia and Rafkin, {Scot C. R.} and Retortillo, {{\'A}lvaro Vicente} and Henrik Kahanp{\"a}{\"a} and Daniel Viudez-Moreiras and Smith, {Michael D.} and Ari-Matti Harri and Maria Genzer and Hassler, {Donald M.} and Mark Lemmon and Joy Crisp and Sander, {Stanley P.} and Zurek, {Richard W.} and Vasavada, {Ashwin R}",

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T1 - Background levels of methane in Mars' atmosphere show strong seasonal variations

AU - Webster, Christopher R.

AU - Mahaffy, Paul R.

AU - Atreya, Sushil K.

AU - Moores, John E.

AU - Flesch, Gregory J.

AU - Malespin, Charles A.

AU - McKay, Christopher P.

AU - Martinez, German

AU - Smith, Christina L.

AU - Martin-Torres, Javier

AU - Zorzano, María-Paz

AU - Wong, Michael H.

AU - G. Trainer, Melissa

AU - Steele, Andrew

AU - Archer Jr, Doug

AU - Sutter, Brad

AU - Coll, Patrice J

AU - Freissinet, Caroline

AU - Meslin, Pierre-Yves

AU - Gough, Raina V

AU - House, Christopher H

AU - Pavlov, Alexander A.

AU - Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.

AU - Glavin, Daniel P.

AU - Pearson, John C

AU - Keymeulen, Didier

AU - Christensen, Lance E.

AU - Schwenzer, Susanne P.

AU - Navarro‐González, Rafael

AU - Pla-Garcia, Jorge

AU - Rafkin, Scot C. R.

AU - Retortillo, Álvaro Vicente

AU - Kahanpää, Henrik

AU - Viudez-Moreiras, Daniel

AU - Smith, Michael D.

AU - Harri, Ari-Matti

AU - Genzer, Maria

AU - Hassler, Donald M.

AU - Lemmon, Mark

AU - Crisp, Joy

AU - Sander, Stanley P.

AU - Zurek, Richard W.

AU - Vasavada, Ashwin R

N1 - Validerad;2018;Nivå 2;2018-06-11 (andbra) 2018-11-20T11:03:34.632+01:00

PY - 2018/6/8

Y1 - 2018/6/8

N2 - Variable levels of methane in the martian atmosphere have eluded explanation partly because the measurements are not repeatable in time or location. We report in situ measurements at Gale crater made over a 5-year period by the Tunable Laser Spectrometer on the Curiosity rover. The background levels of methane have a mean value 0.41 ± 0.16 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) (95% confidence interval) and exhibit a strong, repeatable seasonal variation (0.24 to 0.65 ppbv). This variation is greater than that predicted from either ultraviolet degradation of impact-delivered organics on the surface or from the annual surface pressure cycle. The large seasonal variation in the background and occurrences of higher temporary spikes (~7 ppbv) are consistent with small localized sources of methane released from martian surface or subsurface reservoirs.

AB - Variable levels of methane in the martian atmosphere have eluded explanation partly because the measurements are not repeatable in time or location. We report in situ measurements at Gale crater made over a 5-year period by the Tunable Laser Spectrometer on the Curiosity rover. The background levels of methane have a mean value 0.41 ± 0.16 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) (95% confidence interval) and exhibit a strong, repeatable seasonal variation (0.24 to 0.65 ppbv). This variation is greater than that predicted from either ultraviolet degradation of impact-delivered organics on the surface or from the annual surface pressure cycle. The large seasonal variation in the background and occurrences of higher temporary spikes (~7 ppbv) are consistent with small localized sources of methane released from martian surface or subsurface reservoirs.

U2 - 10.1126/science.aaq0131

DO - 10.1126/science.aaq0131

M3 - Article

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 360

SP - 1093

EP - 1096

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6393

ER -

Background levels of methane in Mars' atmosphere show strong seasonal variations

Abstract

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