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.
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Observations of methane in the martian atmosphere suggest that some process is currently releasing methane.
“Observations of methane in the martian atmosphere suggest that some process is currently releasing methane, given that this is a gas that is relatively easily photodissociated (Formisano et al., 2004; Krasnopolsky, 2006; Mumma et al., 2009; Fonti and Marzo, 2010; Webster et al., 2015).”
From The Astrobiology Primer v2.0 (2016) · cites this paper as Mumma et al., 2009
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“Methane has been recently discovered in the Martian atmosphere at a typical 10 ppb level [Krasnopolsky et al., 2004; Formisano et al., 2004; Mumma et al., 2009; Fonti andMarzo, 2010].”
BackgroundMajor players on the microbial stage: why archaea are important
Jarrell, K. F., Walters, A. D., Bochiwal, C., Borgia, J. M., Dickinson, T., & Chong, J. P. J. (2011) · Microbiology · doi:10.1099/mic.0.047837-0 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
“…with methanogens often mentioned due to their adaptation to anaerobic niches with little or no organic carbon (Moissl-Eichinger, 2011), and especially with respect to the possible biogenic formation of the methane detected on Mars (Formisano et al., 2004; Mumma et al., 2009; Sanderson, 2010).”
BackgroundThe case and context for atmospheric methane as an exoplanet biosignature
Thompson, M., Krissansen‐Totton, J., Wogan, N. F., Telus, M., & Fortney, J. J. (2022) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.2117933119 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
First detection of ozone in the mid-infrared at Mars: implications for methane detection
Olsen, K., Lefévre, F., Montmessin, F., Trokhimovskiy, A., Baggio, L., Fedorova, A., Alday, J., Lomakin, A., Belyaev, D., Patrakeev, A., et al. (2020) · Astronomy & Astrophysics · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202038125 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
“For ground-based observations, strong O3 absorption features from Earth’s atmosphere must first be removed before retrieving mixing ratios for Mars (Krasnopolsky 2012; Mumma et al. 2009); O3 must be accounted for, although this step makes the retrieval more difficult (Zahnle et al. 2011).”
BackgroundAtmospheric Escape Processes and Planetary Atmospheric Evolution
Gronoff, G., Arras, P., Baraka, S., Bell, J., Cessateur, G., Cohen, O., Curry, S., Drake, J., Elrod, M., Erwin, J., et al. (2020) · Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics · doi:10.1002/essoar.10502458.1 · Cited by 86
Shkrob, I. A., Chemerisov, S., & Marin, T. W. (2010) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2009.0433 · Cited by 60 · see citing works
“This methane is released in large plumes, which peak during martian summer (Mumma et al., 2009).”
InfluentialDeciphering Spectral Fingerprints of Habitable Exoplanets
Kaltenegger, L., Selsis, F., Fridlund, M., Lammer, H., Beichman, C., Danchi, W., Eiroa, C., Henning, T., Herbst, T., Léger, A., et al. (2009) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2009.0381 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
“Note that CH 4 on Mars, whose atmosphere contains 0.1% of O 2 and some O 3 , may have been detected (Mumma et al., 2009).”
InfluentialMethane on Mars and Habitability: Challenges and Responses
Yung, Y., Chen, P., Nealson, K., Atreya, S., Beckett, P., Blank, J., Ehlmann, B., Eiler, J., Etiope, G., Ferry, J. G., et al. (2018) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2018.1917 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
“global mixing time of about one month (Mumma et al., 2009; Fonti & Marzo, 2010; Geminale et al., 2011; Lefèvre & Forget, 2009).”
BackgroundSelf-citationMartian post-impact hydrothermal systems incorporating freezing
Barnhart, C. J., Nimmo, F., & Travis, B. J. (2010) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.01.013 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Szopa, C., Freissinet, C., GLAVIN, D. P., Millan, M., Buch, A., Franz, H. B., Summons, R. E., Sumner, D. Y., Sutter, B., Eigenbrode, J. L., et al. (2019) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2018.1908 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
“…methane (Atreya et al. , 2007), even if the current models still do not manage to reconcile the concentration of methane detected (Formisano et al. , 2004; Mumma et al. , 2009; Webster et al. , 2015) with the flux of meteorites assumed to reach the martian surface (Moores and Schuerger, 2012).”
A BIOMASS-BASED MODEL TO ESTIMATE THE PLAUSIBILITY OF EXOPLANET BIOSIGNATURE GASES
Seager, S., Bains, W., & Hu, R. (2013) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1088/0004-637x/775/2/104 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
“Averaged CH4 levels are 5-30 ppbv in the spring and summer mid-latitudes on Mars, depending on location, local time of day, and season (Formisano et al. 2004; Geminale et al. 2008; Mumma et al. 2009; Geminale et al. 2011).”
BackgroundMethodPlausible microbial metabolisms on Mars
Nixon, S. L., Cousins, C. R., & Cockell, C. S. (2013) · Astronomy & Geophysics · doi:10.1093/astrogeo/ats034 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
“Methanogenesis Several lines of enquiry over the last few years have indicated the possible presence of localized and seasonally varying methane in the martian atmosphere (Krasnopolsky et al. 2004, Formisano et al. 2004, Mumma et al. 2009).”
BackgroundThe geological history of Northeast Syrtis Major, Mars
Bramble, M. S., Mustard, J. F., & Salvatore, M. R. (2017) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2017.03.030 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
“The Nili Fossae olivine-rich unit has been hypothesized as a source region for the plumes of methane observed in the martian atmosphere ( Mumma et al., 2009; Wray and Ehlmann, 2011 ) and the fracturing of the olivine-rich unit may allow methane, perhaps diffusely produced in the subsurface from…”
BackgroundUltraviolet-radiation-induced methane emissions from meteorites and the Martian atmosphere
Keppler, F., Vigano, I., McLeod, A., Ott, U., Früchtl, M., & Röckmann, T. (2012) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature11203 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
“However, our estimated fluxes would only last for a few hours a day when temperature and ultraviolet irradiance are high, and only until the accessible organic matter of the meteorite is exhausted, whereas continuous release rates were calculated by Mumma et al.(5) for a ‘filling time’ of the plume of 0.”
InfluentialCO2 solubility in Martian basalts and Martian atmospheric evolution
Stanley, B. D., Hirschmann, M. M., & Withers, A. C. (2011) · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta · doi:10.1016/j.gca.2011.07.027 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
“Recently, groups using Earth-based satellites (Krasnopolsky et al., 2004; Mumma et al., 2009) and Mars Express (Formisano et al., 2004; Geminale et al., 2008) have reported strongly localized detection of CH4 in the Martian atmosphere though the detection of CH4 is still debated (Zahnle et al.,…”
BackgroundMethane Clathrates in the Solar System
Mousis, O., Chassefière, E., Holm, N., Bouquet, A., Waite, J., Geppert, W., Picaud, S., Aikawa, Y., Ali-Dib, M., Charlou, J., et al. (2015) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2014.1189 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Depleted carbon isotope compositions observed at Gale crater, Mars
House, C. H., Wong, G. M., Webster, C. R., Flesch, G. J., Franz, H. B., Stern, J. C., Pavlov, A. A., Atreya, S. K., Eigenbrode, J. L., Gilbert, A. R., et al. (2022) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.2115651119 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
A More Comprehensive Habitable Zone for Finding Life on Other Planets
Ramirez, R. M. (2018) · Geosciences · doi:10.3390/geosciences8080280 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
“Similar arguments had been used to suggest that methane on present Mars may have a biotic origin [151].”
Small edifice features in Chryse Planitia, Mars: Assessment of a mud volcano hypothesis
Komatsu, G., Okubo, C., Wray, J., Ojha, L., Cardinale, M., Murana, A., Orosei, R., Chan, M., Ormö, J., & Gallagher, R. (2016) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.12.032 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
A sink for methane on Mars? The answer is blowing in the wind
Jensen, S. J. K., Skibsted, J., Jakobsen, H., ten Kate, I., Gunnlaugsson, H. P., Merrison, J., Finster, K., Bak, E., Iversen, J. J., Kondrup, J., et al. (2014) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2014.03.036 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Venturing into new realms? Microorganisms in space
Moissl‐Eichinger, C., Cockell, C. S., & Rettberg, P. (2016) · FEMS Microbiology Reviews · doi:10.1093/femsre/fuw015 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
Clancy, R., Sandor, B., García-Muñoz, A., Lefévre, F., Smith, M. D., Wolff, M., Montmessin, F., Murchie, S., & Nair, H. (2013) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2013.05.035 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Self-citationThrash, J. C., Pollock, J. L., Torok, T., & Coates, J. D. (2009) · Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology · doi:10.1007/s00253-009-2336-6 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Mud volcanoes in the geologic record of Mars: The case of Firsoff crater
Pondrelli, M., Rossi, A., Ori, G., van Gasselt, S., Praeg, D., & Ceramicola, S. (2011) · Earth and Planetary Science Letters · doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2011.02.027 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Toward a global space exploration program: A stepping stone approach
Ehrenfreund, P., McKay, C. P., Rummel, J. D., Foing, B. H., Neal, C. R., Masson-Zwaan, T. L., Ansdell, M., Peter, N., Zarnecki, J. C., Mackwell, S. J., et al. (2011) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2011.09.014 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Schwander, L., Brabender, M., Mrnjavac, N., Wimmer, J. L. E., Preiner, M., & Martin, W. F. (2023) · Frontiers in Microbiology · doi:10.3389/fmicb.2023.1257597 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Serpentinite and the search for life beyond Earth
Vance, S. D., & Daswani, M. M. (2020) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences · doi:10.1098/rsta.2018.0421 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Cabrol, N. A. (2017) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2017.1756 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
“…Knoll et al., 2005; Des Marais, 2010; Grotzinger et al., 2015a, 2015b) and the discovery of organic chemistry (e.g., Chastain and Chevrier, 2007; Mumma et al., 2009; Freissinet et al., 2015; Webster et al., 2015) make this assumption a viable working hypothesis, and while organic molecules can…”
BackgroundInfluential
- Authors
- Mumma, M. J., Villanueva, G. L., Novak, R. E., Hewagama, T., Bonev, B. P., DiSanti, M. A., Mandell, A. M., & Smith, M. D.
- Affiliations
- Goddard Space Flight Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Mumma, Michael J.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2009-02-20
- Volume
- 323
- Issue
- 5917
- Pages
- 1041-1045
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W1987622845
- Cited by
- 615
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 59 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 53 · 2012: 61
- FWCI
- 33.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Keywords
- methane plumes, Mars atmosphere, methane emissions, source strength, water vapor, methane seepage, hydrocarbon seepage
- MeSH terms
- Extraterrestrial Environment, Methane, Seasons, Spectrum Analysis, Steam, Mars
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