The Methane Diurnal Variation and Microseepage Flux at Gale Crater, Mars as Constrained by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Curiosity Observations

John E. Moores, Penelope L. King, Christina L. Smith et al., 2019. Geophysical Research Letters 46(16), 9430–9438.

Proposes that methane seeping from the ground accumulates within metres of the surface at night, when mixing is suppressed, and is diluted below detection at dawn; derives a constant seepage of 1.5 × 10⁻¹⁰ kg m⁻² per sol and notes that only 2.7 × 10⁴ km² of Mars could be emitting unless a fast destruction exists.

Mars methane puzzleArticledoi: 10.1029/2019gl083800Checked against the original0

What it's used for here

The night-time containment model.

Cited by on this site 4 records

Methane seeps from the ground, is trapped near the surface at night, diluted by day, and removed by an…

Answer

ANS

A steady seepage of 1.5 × 10⁻¹⁰ kg m⁻² per sol reconciles the data if only about 2.7 × 10⁴ km² emits, or if a…

Evidence

EVD

The Mars methane puzzle

The mystery article

MYS

If the rover is right, why does the orbiter see no methane?

Question

QST

Cite it

Moores, J. E., King, P. L., Smith, C. L., Martinez, G. M., & et al. (2019). The Methane Diurnal Variation and Microseepage Flux at Gale Crater, Mars as Constrained by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Curiosity Observations. Geophysical Research Letters 46(16), 9430–9438. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl083800

@article{moores2019methane,
  author = {Moores, John E. and King, Penelope L. and Smith, Christina L. and Martinez, German M. and {et al.}},
  title = {The Methane Diurnal Variation and Microseepage Flux at Gale Crater, Mars as Constrained by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Curiosity Observations},
  journal = {Geophysical Research Letters 46(16), 9430–9438},
  year = {2019},
  doi = {10.1029/2019gl083800},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl083800}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - The Methane Diurnal Variation and Microseepage Flux at Gale Crater, Mars as Constrained by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Curiosity Observations
AU  - Moores, John E.
AU  - King, Penelope L.
AU  - Smith, Christina L.
AU  - Martinez, German M.
AU  - et al.
PY  - 2019
JO  - Geophysical Research Letters 46(16), 9430–9438
DO  - 10.1029/2019gl083800
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl083800
ER  -

Moores, John E. et al.. “The Methane Diurnal Variation and Microseepage Flux at Gale Crater, Mars as Constrained by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Curiosity Observations.” Geophysical Research Letters 46(16), 9430–9438 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl083800.