Mysterious Martian Methane

In 2003, researchers discovered methane on Mars.

The discovery, according to this ScienceDaily article, was especially remarkable because methane gas is produced — at least some of the time — by living beings. Cows, in particular, are well known for their impressive methane production.

After some study, the researchers determined that the methane on Mars was relatively recent (no more than 300 years old). They also found that the methane appeared to originate in three areas of the planet.

Then, in 2006, the researchers checked again, expecting to see a small decrease in the amount of methane on the planet. The gas had entirely disappeared. There was no obvious explanation; in fact, even computer models couldn't come up with a logical process by which so much methane could vanish so abruptly.

Now, in 2009, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana in Italian) are meeting, largely to discuss the issue of Martian methane. This coming year, NASA and the ESA are planning to launch joint missions to Mars. It seems almost certain that methane will be among the top issues to be researched in the near future, with scientists anxious to solve the Martian methane mystery.

Photo courtesy of NASA, via Wikimedia Commons