Is there really methane on Mars? A discussion of the science and history of Martian methane.

Mars Express announced methane on Mars in 2004, and since that time there has been a huge amount of controversy in the planetary science community as to if that was actually true or not. Three spacecraft have purpose built instruments to detect methane, and two others have published papers, as well as scientists using data from Earth based telescopes. If proven, Martian methane could be a signal that there is life on Mars.

In this video we go DEEP, covering how to identify a chemical on Mars, how light is generated. We discuss how light allows us to identify what air is made out of. We then discuss a history of methane detection on Mars, why these detections don't make sense, some possible explanations for it, and more. Stay tuned for 35 minutes of NERDY conversation in this mini-documentary on the history of Martian methane, complete with a few animations generated for this purpose!

I literally ready over 20 scientific articles to help me made my decisions, and have listed most of the articles below. Let me know if you have a different opinion than I do of this complex topic!


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Sources

Pro methane
Original Mars Express
Curiosity most recent
Mars Global Surveyor
Curiosity/ Mars Express detect methane at same time
Earth based telescopes
Curiosity methane spikes
Organics on Mars

Against Methane
TGO article
Earth-based upper limit 3 ppbv
MGS redacted methane detection claim.
Curiosity methane, initially not detected

Mixed views on Methane
Where is Methane going?
Methane must be destroyed very quickly

Explanations for where methane is going
Curiosity moving could create methane
Methane in wind might ionize, becoming other chemicals

Others
NIST Methane Spectrum
Explaination of how ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter NOMAD works

Image/ Video sources


US Air Force
NASA
ESA
ISRO
US Geological Society
NIST

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