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Testing the Martian Methane from Cometary Debris Hypothesis: The Unusually Close 24 Jan 2018 Interaction Between Comet C/2007 H2 (Skiff) and MarsIn previous work we proposed a hypothesis wherein debris moving along cometary orbits interacting with Mars (e.g. meteor showers) may be responsible for transient local increases of methane observed in the martian atmosphere (henceforth 'the hypothesis' ). An examination of the literature of methane detections dating back to 1997 showed that each detection was made, at most, 16 days after an interaction between Mars and one of seven small bodies (six comets and the unusual object 5335 Damocles)[ibid]. Two observations of high-altitude, transient visible plumes on Mars also correlate with cometary interactions, one occurring on the same day as the plume observation and the second observation occurring three days afterwards, and with two of the same seven small bodies. The proposed mechanism for methane production is dissemination of carbon-rich cometary material on infall into Mars' atmosphere followed by methane production via UV photolysis, a process that has been observed in laboratory experiments. Given this set of observations it is necessary and indeed conducive to the scientific process to explore and robustly test the hypothesis.
Document ID
20180002589
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Fries, M. (NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Archer, D. (Jacobs Technology, Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Christou, T. (Jacobs Technology, Inc. Houston, TX, United States)
Conrad, P. (Carnegie Institution for Science Washington, DC, United States)
Eigenbrode, J. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Kate, I. L. ten (Utrecht Univ. Utrecht, Netherlands)
Steele, A. (Utrecht Univ. Utrecht, Netherlands)
Date Acquired
April 27, 2018
Publication Date
March 19, 2018
Subject Category
Space Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
JSC-E-DAA-TN52121
Meeting Information
Meeting: Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
Location: Woodlands, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 19, 2018
End Date: March 23, 2018
Sponsors: Lunar and Planetary Inst.
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNJ13HA01C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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