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

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

Oct 2005

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005oleb...35..477s&link_type=abstract

Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres, Volume 35, Issue 5, pp.477-487

Mathematics

Logic

2

Explosive Volcanism, Hydrocarbons, Lightning, Magmatic Gases, Mars, Martian Atmosphere, Volcanic Activity, Volcanic Lightning

Scientific paper

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% CH4, 24% H2, 10% H2O and 2% N2, 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 (C2H2) 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 ˜6×1012 g yr-1 of acetylene, and ˜2×1012 g yr-1 of 1,3-butadiyne, both produced by volcanic lightning, ˜5×1011 g yr-1 of ethylene produced by volcanic heat, and 1013 g yr-1 of methane.

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