Evidence for methane in Martian meteorites.
Evidence for methane in Martian meteorites.
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DOI：
10.1038/ncomms8399
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发表时间：
2015-06-16
影响因子：
16.6
通讯作者：
Flemming RL
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Blamey NJF;Parnell J;McMahon S;Mark DF;Tomkinson T;Lee M;Shivak J;Izawa MRM;Banerjee NR;Flemming RL
火星大气中可能存在的甲烷对火星的探索产生了重大影响，特别是受到了活跃生物学的影响。这种情况还没有被MSL漫游者好奇号对大气的测量所证实，但就像在地球上一样，火星上的甲烷最有可能是在地壳的地下。含有橄榄石的岩石的蛇纹岩作用产生的氢气可能会进一步与含碳物种发生反应，这已被广泛用作火星甲烷的来源，但这种可能性迄今尚未得到测试。在这里，我们展示了一些火星陨石，代表着基性火成岩，在粉碎时释放出一种富含甲烷的挥发性成分。在火星岩石样本中发现甲烷，为火星上的任何生命可能居住在地下栖息地的模型增加了很大的份量，在那里甲烷可能是微生物活动的能源和碳的来源。众所周知，地球上的极端微生物会呼吸甲烷，而火星上潜在的甲烷存在表明，类似的生物也可能在那里生存。在这里，作者提供了来自火星陨石的数据，证实了甲烷的存在，表明火星上存在能够支持生物的栖息地。
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. Extremophiles on Earth are known to respire methane, and the potential existence of methane on Mars indicates similar organisms could survive there. Here, the authors present data from Martian meteorites confirming the presence of methane, indicating that a habitat capable of supporting organisms exists on Mars.