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Old January 17th 18, 03:06 PM posted to sci.astro.research
brad
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Default Astronomy and Biology

[[Mod. note -- This article arrived in my moderation inbox with the
quoting a little bit confused. I have fixed this up by hand editing.
I apologise if I've mistakenly misattributed anyone's words to someone
else.
-- jt]]

jacobnavia wrote:
The answers I got weren't really satisfying.

In another post, Brad answered:

There is ample evidence for abiotic methane. This has been suspected
for quite some time. I believe first proposed by Soviet Geologists in
the 1950's. Here's a link to a new open access paper detailing
a process for abiotic methane.
/https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14134

Of course, it could be abiotic methane. But isn't worth investigating that?

Why would abiotic methane, produced at great depths and temperatures
here on earth as that paper explains, have a seasonal appearence? In
spring... that looks suspicious to me.

If it is abiotic it would be at least an answer. But it is not deemed
necessary just to investigate!

We just look away.


I guess my response is obscure. So I'll elucidate. The Curiosity rover is
designed to look for signs of life. Specifically methane. Your post seemed
to imply that biogenic methane was the only type. So I offered a link to
a paper on abiogenesis.

So why is it relevant? Because ultra mafics on earth are deep but,
on Mars they are on the surface. Basalt. As evidenced by only shield
volcanoes on Mars. The surface of mars is basalt, whereas, basalt
underlies oceans or continents on earth. So it seemed reasonable
to look for near surface processes near volcanoes on Mars, and where
any exposed carbonates may be present. An impact crater near a
volcanic province. That's where it is.

ie: look for water, basalt, some source of carbon and assume shallow
genesis.

Serpentinization (water reacting with basalt) releases (at low ~100C
temp)H2 which in turn reacts with CO2 associated with hydrothermal
intrusions associated with volcanism.

In any endeavor one must first develop a plan of action. Then that
plan must be followed.
Any deviation obscures the results and adds chaos more than any
perceived temporary gain. That rover carries instrumentation to do
exactly what you want. My opinion, let them follow their plan.

My understanding is the 2020 rover will have the instrumentation
to detect the C12/C13 ratio in the methane to give a more definitive
answer to the type being released. See here.
http://exploration.esa.int/mars/46038-methane-on-mars/

Sorry for my original disjointed post.

Brad