Freemason;
Career-field my ARSE!

You are a NOBODY!

I just realized a different more probable (and thus by Ocham's razor more truthful) solution.

Methane Hydrates.

On Earth, methane hydrates form from biological activity on the sea-beds, however Mars is not Earth so the geological method can not be assumed to be the only method.

A methane hydrate is a molecule of methane trapped in a crystal of ice.

Now there are two possibilities, probably a combination of both.

Ancient volcanic activity and bolides introducing methane into the atmosphere.

Then like seeds for precipitation, the methane acts as a seed for ice-crystals to form (which there is in the Martian atmosphere) and thus trap the methane.

There is no reason that the sensors on the space craft would detect methane hydrates versus methane, it is simply seeking for the methane signature.

There is also no reason to believe that methane hydrates would be quickly vaporized releasing the methane, and even if it were, it could be recaptured again in the Martian atmosphere by vaporized water crystalizing into a methane hydrate.

Thus, the water-ice in the Martian atmosphere, may actually be a larger concentration of methane hydrates.

Just as on Earth, rain forms around a dust particle, so could the water-ice crystalize around the methane molecule.

This would mean that methane could survive in the Atmosphere much longer than assumed by this thread.

Also it will help to explain why there is any water-ice in the atmosphere at all, considering H2O is much less mass than CO2, water should be blown off the planet by solar activity and simple kinetics.

However if most of the water in the atmosphere is methane hydrates, it becomes much "heavier" and will not be so easily blown out to space.

Ixataar, this is my career field, read it and cry, I sadly just know more than you do about this science. I'm sick of you trying to "belittle" my character. It is not my fault that you have no clue what you are talking about, and exist in a dream world.

Methane Hydrates is the most logical explaination of the methane being detected, it would not surprise me if that is exactly the cause posted when the journal is published.

FreeMason, not to be an total jerk to you you obviously know some information in the field but why do you gotta be so arrogant?

Freemason: I do not agree with Ixaatars outburst, however from reading through this thread I can understand why he got upset. I'm a highly trained geologist and post on these forums on several occasions, I've seen people with ideas which are quite clearly wrong when it comes to geology related issues. However I don't race in and tell them they have no clue what they are speaking about, not everybody had the chance or the inclination to study e.g geology. The way you speak to people is that you regard them to be stupid. Having lots of knowledge doesn't make you intelligent. So please don't speak to people like they are mere mortals,

and as for Ixaatar you shouldn't have gone for freemason like that.

Oh thank you Rock Hunter, glad to see you agree with me, even if you don't care for my methods. I don't have time to be patient with people like Ixataar is all. To answer the now 3rd to last post as writing this, I just am...it's not personal, if people don't get offended by what I tell them bluntly and "arrogantly" then there'd be no problem. It's like someone saying about an apple "this is an orange". Some would say, "no billy that's an apple" and others like me would say "you dumb *explicative*." Who knows why, I have often thought that they should run psychological studies on behavior on and off-line, I believe it is there is less inhibition on-line, thus allowing a more brutal nature to develope.

Oh and Rock Hunter, how did you like my idea of methane hydrates accounting for the methane and even for the water-ice in the atmosphere?

I think that's a smashing theory...just need to test it...preferably with a manned mission

[edit on 26-7-2004 by FreeMason]