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The Mysteries of Mars
Context:
Geologists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology propose that much of Mars’ missing atmosphere could be trapped in the planet’s clay-covered crust.
More on News:
- They suggest that liquid water may have trickled through certain rock types, initiating reactions that drew carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converted it into methane.
- This methane, a stable form of carbon, could potentially be stored for aeons on the Martian clay surface.
Mars once had flowing water, which needed a thick atmosphere to stay liquid and prevent freezing. However, about 3.5 billion years ago, the water dried up and the carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere thinned dramatically. Understanding the fate of Mars’ atmosphere has been a central mystery in the study of the planet.
Key Highlights:
- The study focused on smectite, a type of clay that can trap carbon for billions of years. This clay can draw and store atmospheric carbon dioxide over millions of years, which can significantly cool a planet.
- Despite smectite typically forming through tectonic activity on Earth, which Mars lacks, the researchers hypothesised that it could form from the reaction of Martian water with olivine, an abundant iron-rich rock.
Formation of Smectite on Mars:
- They examined the interaction between Martian water and olivine, a common rock on the planet. They created a computer model simulating the reactions between water, olivine, and the carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere over a billion years.
- Their findings suggested that oxygen atoms in the water would bind with iron in olivine, releasing hydrogen.
- This hydrogen could then react with carbon dioxide to form methane. Over time, the interaction would convert olivine into smectite, which would trap the generated methane.
Implications for Future Exploration:
- This research not only enhances our understanding of Mars’s climatic history but also holds potential implications for future human exploration.
- Methane stored in Martian clay could serve as a valuable resource for energy.
- As humanity looks towards sending missions to Mars, understanding the planet’s past and its resources becomes increasingly important.
- The possibility of utilising methane as an energy source could aid in sustainable colonisation efforts on the Red Planet.
