Mysteries Department
Sign inRequest access
0

Were the remote detections of 2003–2006 real?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of If the methane is real, where does it come from?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: the early remote detections were not secureAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. The early remote detections were not secure. leads, with evidence 1 for: partly supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

The Mars Express and ground-based reports of 10 ppbv and plumes of thousands of tonnes would, if real, show releases far larger than anything seen since⁠[1]⁠[2].

Answers 3

Evidence: 1 for
Most likely
Evidence: 2 for
Disputed
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible

History

  1. Formisano et al.: pFS reported a global average of 10 ± 5 ppbv, varying from 0 to 30 ppbv.For: Methane was present at the reported levels in 2003–2006 and has since declined or become rarer.
  2. Mumma et al. puts forward: methane was present at the reported levels in 2003–2006 and has since declined or become rarer.
  3. Mumma et al.: ground-based spectra showed plumes, the largest about 19,000 tonnes.For: Methane was present at the reported levels in 2003–2006 and has since declined or become rarer.
  4. Zahnle et al. puts forward: the early remote detections were not secure.
  5. Korablev et al.: the orbiter's 2018–2021 limits are 10 to 100 times below earlier detections.For: The early remote detections were not secure.
  6. Asked on this site
Add evidence
1What it bears on2What you found3Where it comes from
Which answer?
Does it count for or against it?
In a sentence, what did you find?
What you found optional
Where it comes from optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Propose an answer
Your answer, in a sentence
What would rule it out? optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Ask a sub-question
Your question
Why it would help optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Add a source
The source
What it shows about this question optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.

Discussion 0

Add to the discussion