From 2012...
Mars methane not biological in origin
June 1, 2012
Emma Woollacott
Disappointingly, scientists say they’ve been able to establish where the methane on Mars comes from - and it’s not from living organisms.
When methane was discovered in Mars’ atmosphere nine years ago, scientists drew paralles with Earth to conclude that it was probably produced either by volcanoes or - more excitingly - biological processes.
The planet appears to be generating about 200 to 300 tonnes of methane every year.
However, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz and the universities in Utrecht and Edinburgh have now shown that methane escapes from a meteorite if it’s irradiated with ultraviolet light under Martian conditions.
Since carbon-rich meteorites and interplanetary dust from space are continually hitting the Martian surface, they conclude that this is where the methane’s coming from.
“Methane is produced from innumerable, small micro-meteorites and interplanetary dust particles that land on the Martian surface from space,” says atmospheric chemist Frank Keppler.”The energy is provided by the extremely intense ultraviolet radiation.”
Unlike Earth, Mars has no protective ozone layer which could absorb most of the UV radiation from space. Moreover, the Martian atmosphere is very thin, so that much less of the meteorite burns up.”
Read more at http://www.tgdaily.com/space-features/63759-mars-methane-not-biological-in-origin#iB4ptbR3ObtB2uTA.99
Carbonaceous chondrites make up some 5 or 6 percent of all meteors and have all the stuff to make methane and other volatile organic chemicals and and have a good amount of water.
I thought Keppler died centuries ago,along with Archimedes and Copernicus .
Maybe Mars has cows !- and we have Keppler ,..again !
I am waiting for Copernicus ,... or Godot ! Whoever comes first !