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Independent confirmation of a methane spike on Mars and a source region east of Gale Crater

Cardesín-Moinelo, Alejandro; Marín-Yaseli de la Parra, Julia; Aoki, Shohei +11 more

Reports of methane detection in the Martian atmosphere have been intensely debated. The presence of methane could enhance habitability and may even be a signature of life. However, no detection has been confirmed with independent measurements. Here, we report a firm detection of 15.5 ± 2.5 ppb by volume of methane in the Martian atmosphere above G…

A deep groundwater origin for recurring slope lineae on Mars

Heggy, Essam; Abotalib, Abotalib Z.

The recurring slope lineae on Mars have been hypothesized to originate from snow melting, deliquescence, dry flow or shallow groundwater. Except for the dry flow origin, these hypotheses imply the presence of surficial or near-surface volatiles, placing the exploration and characterization of potential habitable environments within the reach of ex…

Surface refreshing of Martian moon Phobos by orbital eccentricity-driven grain motion

Fujimoto, Masaki; Ballouz, Ronald-Louis; Baresi, Nicola +2 more

The surface of the Martian moon Phobos exhibits two distinct geologic units, red and blue, characterized by their spectral slopes. The provenance of these units is uncertain yet crucial to understanding the origin of the Martian moon and its interaction with the space environment. Here we present a combination of dynamical analyses and numerical s…