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Martian methane has been a mystery from the very beginning of the Mars mission. However, it seems like this mystery will remain unsolved for a little longer. Last week, the Curiosity Rover had detected a high level of methane gas on Mars. Spiking hopes of the existence of microbial life.
Methane level has subsided once again on Mars
Mars has been the centre of scientific attention for a long time now. Time and again it appeared like all the secrets it has will finally be unveiled, but that never happened. When last week the high level of methane gas was once again found on the planet, hopes escalated.
Curiosity Rover found high level of methane on Mars
Source: NASA
However, like all other times, it turned out to be futile. The experiments that were supposed to follow-up the discovery showed no interesting results. The methane level had gone back to the basic background level. NASA announced the news on Tuesday about the result of the follow-up experiment.
NASA suggests that the temporary spike might have been caused by a transient plume which was observed by the Curiosity Rover in past. Scientists have detected a sporadic change in the level of methane.
NASA is trying to find the hidden pattern
They have tried and failed to see any set pattern in the changing of the methane level. Ashwin Vasavada, who is a NASA scientist said
We’re more motivated than ever to keep measuring and put our brains together to figure out how methane behaves in the Martian atmosphere,”
The level of methane is gone back to normal on Mars
Source: Iowa Public Radio
NASA even specified that the Curiosity Rover is not well equipped to deal with the situation. It does not have the necessary equipment that can detect the true source of methane. Ergo, it not still unclear if methane present on Mars in because of living organisms or just a geological phenomenon.
One of the theories given is that the methane is released from cracks and underground reservoirs. Since Mars lacks active volcanoes that can add methane in the atmosphere directly.
Let’s see when this mystery about methane will be solved.
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