title: Evidence for methane in Martian meteorites.
abstract: The putative occurrence of methane in the Martian atmosphere has had a major influence on the exploration of Mars, especially by the implication of active biology. The occurrence has not been borne out by measurements of atmosphere by the MSL rover Curiosity but, as on Earth, methane on Mars is most likely in the subsurface of the crust. Serpentinization of olivine-bearing rocks, to yield hydrogen that may further react with carbon-bearing species, has been widely invoked as a source of methane on Mars, but this possibility has not hitherto been tested. Here we show that some Martian meteorites, representing basic igneous rocks, liberate a methane-rich volatile component on crushing. The occurrence of methane in Martian rock samples adds strong weight to models whereby any life on Mars is/was likely to be resident in a subsurface habitat, where methane could be a source of energy and carbon for microbial activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth Sciences, Brock University, 500 Glenridge Avenue, St Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2S 3A1.|School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK.
authors.forename: Nigel J F
authors.initials: NJF
authors.lastname: Blamey
authors.affiliation: School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parnell
authors.affiliation: School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, UK.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.affiliation: Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Glasgow G75 0QF, UK.
authors.forename: Darren F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.affiliation: Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Glasgow G75 0QF, UK.|School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomkinson
authors.affiliation: School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7.
authors.forename: Jared
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shivak
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7.
authors.forename: Matthew R M
authors.initials: MRM
authors.lastname: Izawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7.
authors.forename: Neil R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7.
authors.forename: Roberta L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Flemming
mesh_terms: D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis; D018535:Mars; D019110:Meteoroids; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D008697:Methane