NDLI: Production Of Low Molecular Weight Hydrocarbons By Volcanic Eruptions On Early Mars

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Segura, Antígona Navarro González, Rafael
Copyright Year	2005
Abstract	Methane and other larger hydrocarbons have been proposed as possible greenhouse gases on early Mars. In this work we explore if volcanic processes may have been a source for such molecules based on theoretical and experimental considerations. Geologic evidence and numerical simulations indicate that explosive volcanism was widely distributed throughout Mars. Volcanic lightning is typically produced in such explosive volcanism. Therefore this geologic setting was studied to determine if lightning could be a source for hydrocarbons in volcanic plumes. Volcanic lightning was simulated by focusing a high-energy infrared laser beam inside of a Pyrex reactor that contained the proposed volcanic gas mixture composed of 64% CH$_{4}$, 24% H$_{2}$, 10% H$_{2}$O and 2% N$_{2}$, according to an accretion model and the nitrogen content measured in Martian meteorites. The analysis of products was performed by gas chromatography coupled to infrared and mass spectroscopy. Eleven hydrocarbons were identified among the products, of which acetylene (C$_{2}$H$_{2}$) was the most abundant. A thermochemical model was used to determine which hydrocarbons could arise only from volcanic heat. In this case, acetylene and ethylene are formed at magmatic temperatures. Our results indicate that explosive volcanism may have injected into the atmosphere of early Mars ∼6×10$^{12}$ g yr$^{−1}$ of acetylene, and ∼2×10$^{12}$ g yr$^{−1}$ of 1,3-butadiyne, both produced by volcanic lightning, ∼5×10$^{11}$ g yr$^{−1}$ of ethylene produced by volcanic heat, and 10$^{13}$ g yr$^{−1}$ of methane.
Starting Page	477
Ending Page	487
Page Count	11
File Format	PDF
ISSN	01696149
Journal	Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres
Volume Number	35
Issue Number	5
e-ISSN	15730875
Language	English
Publisher	Kluwer Academic Publishers
Publisher Date	2005-01-01
Publisher Place	Dordrecht
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Subject Keyword	explosive volcanism hydrocarbons lightning magmatic gases Mars Martian atmosphere volcanic activity volcanic lightning Organic Chemistry Geochemistry Biochemistry
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Medicine Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Space and Planetary Science

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1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
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3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
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