Update on Mars' atmosphere, Media briefing on NASA Jan 15th |
Update on Mars' atmosphere, Media briefing on NASA Jan 15th |
Jan 12 2009, 06:01 PM
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The Poet Dude Group: Moderator Posts: 5551 Joined: 15-March 04 From: Kendal, Cumbria, UK Member No.: 60 |
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Jan 15 2009, 07:52 PM
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
The source could be clathrated methane (see avatar for structure) emplaced long ago, only now being liberated through seasonal vents.
So the carbon isotope ratio could have been locked in at the time of clathration long ago. -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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Jan 15 2009, 08:03 PM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 3516 Joined: 4-November 05 From: North Wales Member No.: 542 |
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Jan 15 2009, 08:10 PM
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
Exactly my thought. I don't understand why this wasn't mentioned. Are we missing something? Gas hydrate release was mentioned several times during the convened panel discussion. The tricky part will be trying to differentiate all the possibilities: current geological release, release of trapped stuff directly from clathrate, clathrate release to an underground storage cap with an even later release, or biological (or even past biological gases being trapped). Isotope ratios will help, but I think it'll be a lot of challenging (and rewarding) work to try to get to the bottom (pun on multiple layers there) of the methane release. -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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