Evidence for methane in martian meteorites

Nigel J. F. Blamey; John Parnell; Sean McMahon; Darren F. Mark; Tim Tomkinson; Lee Martin; Jared  Shivak; Matthew R. M. Izawa; Neil R. Banerjee; Roberta L.  Fleming

doi:10.1038/ncomms8399

Evidence for methane in martian meteorites

Nigel J. F. Blamey, John Parnell, Sean McMahon, Darren F. Mark, Tim Tomkinson, Lee Martin, Jared Shivak, Matthew R. M. Izawa, Neil R. Banerjee, Roberta L. Fleming

Geology and Geophysics

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Abstract

The putative occurrence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has had a major influence on the exploration of Mars, especially by the implication of active biology. The occurrence has not been borne out by measurements of atmosphere by the MSL rover Curiosity but, as on Earth, methane on Mars is most likely in the subsurface of the crust. Serpentinization of olivine-bearing rocks, to yield hydrogen that may further react with carbon-bearing species, has been widely invoked as a source of methane on Mars, but this possibility has not hitherto been tested. Here we show that some Martian meteorites, representing basic igneous rocks, liberate a methane-rich volatile component on crushing. The occurrence of methane in Martian rock samples adds strong weight to models whereby any life on Mars is/was likely to be resident in a subsurface habitat, where methane could be a source of energy and carbon for microbial activity.

Original language	English
Article number	7399
Number of pages	7
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	6
Early online date	16 Jun 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8399
Publication status	Published - 16 Jun 2015

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgements
Meteorite samples were kindly provided by the University of New Mexico (Zagami),
Caroline Smith, Natural History Museum, London (Nakhla), Robert Verish, Meteorite
Recovery Laboratory, California (LA 002), Darryl Pitt, Macovich Collection, New York
NWA 5790), Hideyasu Kojima, National Institute of Polar Research, Japan (Yamoto
000749) and the Meteorite Working Group, NASA Johnson Space Center (Miller 03346).
D.M. is supported by the STFC (ST/H002472/1 & ST/K000918/1). S.McM. was supported by a STFC Aurora studentship.

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Evidence for methane in Martian meteorites
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John Parnell
- School of Geosciences, Geology and Geophysics - Chair in Geology & Petroleum Geology
Person: Academic

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title = "Evidence for methane in martian meteorites",

abstract = "The putative occurrence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has had a major influence on the exploration of Mars, especially by the implication of active biology. The occurrence has not been borne out by measurements of atmosphere by the MSL rover Curiosity but, as on Earth, methane on Mars is most likely in the subsurface of the crust. Serpentinization of olivine-bearing rocks, to yield hydrogen that may further react with carbon-bearing species, has been widely invoked as a source of methane on Mars, but this possibility has not hitherto been tested. Here we show that some Martian meteorites, representing basic igneous rocks, liberate a methane-rich volatile component on crushing. The occurrence of methane in Martian rock samples adds strong weight to models whereby any life on Mars is/was likely to be resident in a subsurface habitat, where methane could be a source of energy and carbon for microbial activity.",

author = "Blamey, {Nigel J. F.} and John Parnell and Sean McMahon and Mark, {Darren F.} and Tim Tomkinson and Lee Martin and Jared Shivak and Izawa, {Matthew R. M.} and Banerjee, {Neil R.} and Fleming, {Roberta L.}",

note = "Acknowledgements Meteorite samples were kindly provided by the University of New Mexico (Zagami), Caroline Smith, Natural History Museum, London (Nakhla), Robert Verish, Meteorite Recovery Laboratory, California (LA 002), Darryl Pitt, Macovich Collection, New York NWA 5790), Hideyasu Kojima, National Institute of Polar Research, Japan (Yamoto 000749) and the Meteorite Working Group, NASA Johnson Space Center (Miller 03346). D.M. is supported by the STFC (ST/H002472/1 & ST/K000918/1). S.McM. was supported by a STFC Aurora studentship.",

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AU - Blamey, Nigel J. F.

AU - Parnell, John

AU - McMahon, Sean

AU - Mark, Darren F.

AU - Tomkinson, Tim

AU - Martin, Lee

AU - Shivak, Jared

AU - Izawa, Matthew R. M.

AU - Banerjee, Neil R.

AU - Fleming, Roberta L.

N1 - Acknowledgements Meteorite samples were kindly provided by the University of New Mexico (Zagami), Caroline Smith, Natural History Museum, London (Nakhla), Robert Verish, Meteorite Recovery Laboratory, California (LA 002), Darryl Pitt, Macovich Collection, New York NWA 5790), Hideyasu Kojima, National Institute of Polar Research, Japan (Yamoto 000749) and the Meteorite Working Group, NASA Johnson Space Center (Miller 03346). D.M. is supported by the STFC (ST/H002472/1 & ST/K000918/1). S.McM. was supported by a STFC Aurora studentship.

PY - 2015/6/16

Y1 - 2015/6/16

N2 - The putative occurrence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has had a major influence on the exploration of Mars, especially by the implication of active biology. The occurrence has not been borne out by measurements of atmosphere by the MSL rover Curiosity but, as on Earth, methane on Mars is most likely in the subsurface of the crust. Serpentinization of olivine-bearing rocks, to yield hydrogen that may further react with carbon-bearing species, has been widely invoked as a source of methane on Mars, but this possibility has not hitherto been tested. Here we show that some Martian meteorites, representing basic igneous rocks, liberate a methane-rich volatile component on crushing. The occurrence of methane in Martian rock samples adds strong weight to models whereby any life on Mars is/was likely to be resident in a subsurface habitat, where methane could be a source of energy and carbon for microbial activity.

AB - The putative occurrence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has had a major influence on the exploration of Mars, especially by the implication of active biology. The occurrence has not been borne out by measurements of atmosphere by the MSL rover Curiosity but, as on Earth, methane on Mars is most likely in the subsurface of the crust. Serpentinization of olivine-bearing rocks, to yield hydrogen that may further react with carbon-bearing species, has been widely invoked as a source of methane on Mars, but this possibility has not hitherto been tested. Here we show that some Martian meteorites, representing basic igneous rocks, liberate a methane-rich volatile component on crushing. The occurrence of methane in Martian rock samples adds strong weight to models whereby any life on Mars is/was likely to be resident in a subsurface habitat, where methane could be a source of energy and carbon for microbial activity.

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DO - 10.1038/ncomms8399

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 6

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 7399

ER -

Evidence for methane in martian meteorites

Abstract

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