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Mars Methane


Movie   ID   Title
Mike Mumma and his team of researchers at Goddard Space Flight Center have made the first definitive observations of methane in the atmosphere of Mars. The evidence of methane plumes only during certain seasons and the chemical processes that could lead to its possible sources both raise intriguing questions for future study.<p><p><p>For complete transcript, click <a href='/vis/a010000/a010300/a010363/Transcript_of_methane_short.htm'>here</a>.   10363   The Mystery of Martian Methane
In this animation, energy produced by radioactive minerals remove hydrogen from water molecules, which are then consumed by the microbes along with carbon dioxide. The microbes then emit methane as a byproduct.   10362   Radiolytic Production of Methane by Microbial Life
Conceptual animation demonstrating the process of spectroscopy. The first animation demonstrates the general concept of visible-light spectroscopy by which white light is separated into its component wavelengths (colors) using a prism. The second animation demonstrates how this idea is applied to the discovery of methane in Mars' atmosphere. Because it absorbs specific wavelengths of electromagnetic energy, methane has a 'fingerprint' that can be seen as missing lines on the resulting spectograph.   10360   Mars Methane Spectroscopy
Conceptual animation depicting how biological organisms (shown as oval-shaped translucent structures) living beneath the surface of Mars may have produced methane (shown as blue spheres).   10359   Biological Creation of Methane
Conceptual animation depicting how geochemical processes during the course of Mars' history may have produced the methane plumes now seen in Mars' atmosphere. Here, through a process called serpentinization, methane is generated as part of a reaction involving the conversion of liquid water (seen seeping into the planet's crust), iron oxide, and carbon dioxide energized by the planet's internal heat into serpentine minerals.   10358   Geochemical Creation of Methane
Visualization of a methane plume found in Mars’ atmosphere during the northern summer season.   3574   Methane Plume on Mars


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