Differentiating biotic from abiotic methane genesis in hydrothermally active planetary surfaces
Open accessAbstract
Molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) is derived from the hydrothermal alteration of olivine-rich planetary crust. Abiotic and biotic processes consume H 2 to produce methane (CH 4 ); however, the extent of either process is unknown. Here, we assess the temporal dependence and limit of abiotic CH 4 related to the presence and formation of mineral catalysts during olivine hydrolysis (i.e., serpentinization) at 200 °C and 0.03 gigapascal. Results indicate that the rate of CH 4 production increases to a maximum value related to magnetite catalyzation. By identifying the dynamics of CH 4 production, we kinetically model how the H 2 to CH 4 ratio may be used to assess the origin of CH 4 in deep subsurface serpentinization systems on Earth and Mars. Based on our model and available field data, low H 2 /CH 4 ratios (less than approximately 40) indicate that life is likely present and active.
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High experimental methane production has been reported, but similar experiments with 13C-labeled carbon have shown that the methane produced is derived from background organic carbon contamination.
“High experimental methane production has been reported (51, 52), but similar experiments with 13C-labeled carbon have shown that the methane produced is derived from background organic carbon contamination (53, 54).”
From Disequilibrium biosignatures over Earth history and implications for detecting exoplanet life (2018) · cites this paper as [51]
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- Authors
- Oze, C., Jones, L. C., Goldsmith, J. I., & Rosenbauer, R. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Canterbury (NZ)
- Stanford University (US)
- Bryn Mawr College (US)
- United States Geological Survey (US)
- ORCID
- Oze, Christopher
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2012-06-07
- Volume
- 109
- Issue
- 25
- Pages
- 9750-9754
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC3382529
- OpenAlex
- W2041729002
- Cited by
- 52
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Keywords
- serpentinization, molecular hydrogen, kinetic modeling, hydrothermal alteration, Mars, astrobiology, mineral catalysts
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