Mars methane mystery plot thickens
A new sensitive survey of the Red Planet’s atmosphere has detected no methane – a gas that on Earth is strongly linked to life.
The joint European-Russian Trace Gas Orbiter satellite conducted its search last year between April and August. Its observations contrast sharply with detections made by other missions in 2013.
The European Space Agency’s project scientist on TGO, HÃ¥kan Svedhem, explained the situation to BBC science correspondent Jonathan Amos.
Read more at www.bbc.co.uk
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jerry krause
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Hi,
As a chemist who has made laboratory measurements, I must comment: Science Fiction!!!!
Have a good day, Jerry
jerry krause
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Hi,
However I believe atmospheric scientists could learn something about solar caused atmospheric circulation, without any influence of the latent heats of water or clouds, by studying the dust storms which occur in the surface layer (of whose thickness I have no idea) its atmosphere.
Have a good day, Jerry
Rosie Langridge
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Hi Jerry
Would you like to elaborate for me? Which of the various claims are “science fiction”?
jerry krause
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Hi Rosie,
Went back to listen again. When I hear they can ‘pick out’ a single molecule of a gas among billions of other molecules. I spent hours and hours massing to a few reproducible millionth of a gram. There is a limit to the sensitivity of laboratory l measurements. Or maybe it is I am just too old to believe the modern miracles about which such feats are claimed. And I have read that some comets are composed of methane so I entertain such wild ideas that a satellite might encounter such a diffuse clouds of methane.orbiting Mars or our sun as Mars orbits the sun but on a different orbital path.
Maybe I am wrong.
Sorry i expressed my doubts.
Have a good day, Jerry
Rosie Langridge
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Thanks, Jerry, though I am mystified concerning your apology. A scientist asks questions. You asked questions of the report, and I asked questions of you – because I had no understanding of your concerns. Many thanks for your reply which I found very interesting.
K. Kaiser
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Apart from anything else:
Pictures of “strange objects”, like this hole are of little use if there is no — not even an approximate — scale given.
This hole could be a few centimeters or a few kilometers in size.
KK