Martian methane mystery deepens

I'm not too savvy in this kind of thing but i thought some might find it interesting a couple of thing's did stand out to me.

Methane on Mars is produced and destroyed far faster than on Earth, according to analysis of recent data.

In 2003 "plumes" of methane were identified. At one point, the primary plume of methane contained an estimated 19,000 tonnes of the gas.

So whats cousing this amount of methane

The latter process occurs at low temperatures when rocks rich in the minerals olivine and pyroxene react chemically with water, releasing methane.

So there they go with water again.

Nasa is due to launch a $2.3bn nuclear-powered rover known as Mars Science Laboratory (also called "Curiosity") to the planet in 2011.

Nuclear-powered rover what a good idea lets finish them off if there still here.

ExoMars and its smaller cousin could be targeted at the Methane sources identified by the 2016 orbiter.

So the methane is a big mystery but that can wait till 2016.
FROM news.bbc.co.uk...
Like i said up top i'm not that knowledgeable at this stuff but its intresting.

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This is the link to the rover in 2018 by that's a long time will we last that long.

ExoMars and its smaller cousin could be targeted at the Methane sources identified by the 2016 orbiter.

Source news.bbc.co.uk...
Edit to say i think there is two rovers going up here is the other one NASA's orbiter is bigger.
LINKwww.space.com...

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[edit on 053131p://2009-08-05T17:52:47-05:00058 by mars1]

The more i look in to this rover story the more silly it gets downsizing never a good idea makes this one is small enough.

PARIS - Europe's planned lander and rover mission to Mars in 2016 should be substantially cut back to fit within its likely budget constraints, and the downsizing should occur as soon as possible, officials from the French space agency, CNES, said Jan. 28.

FROMwww.space.com...
Gets any smaller then they will not find it never mind it finding the methane mystery.

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Found yet more new device could solve mars methane mystery

With the detection a few years ago of methane in the atmosphere of Mars, astrobiologists are keen to discover if this gas is derived from living things or not. Researchers are developing a new detector that can trace the origin of martian methane from its weight

Is it me or are they realy scraching there heads here they usualy have an anser for everything.
FROMwww.space.com...

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reply to post by mars1


What makes you say that they usually have answers for everything?

I have never noticed that to be the case. Most scientists would probably say they have "theories" about things such as the methane on Mars, but I doubt many would say they have a lot of absolute "answers".

That's the great thing about these missions to Mars and other missions such as the Cassini Saturn mission -- they may help answer some questions but they raise many, many more questions. However, they definitely add to aour overall knowledge base about the solar system.

I think scientists like having mysteries such as the Martian methane. Most scientists are naturally curious and they love having scientific mysteries to try to solve.

reply to post by Soylent Green Is People


Thanks for your reply like i said i'm not that good with this sort of thing but i thought some mite find it interesting and add something.

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