“Curiosity Finds Active and Ancient Organic Chemistry on Mars”

            Mars Curiosity rover has measured a tenfold spike in methane, an organic chemical, in the planet’s atmosphere and detected other organic molecules in a rock-powder sample collected by the robotic laboratory's drill." This temporary increase in methane -- sharply up and then back down -- tells us there must be some relatively localized source," said Sushil Atreya of the University of Michigan and a member of the Curiosity rover science team. "There are many possible sources, biological or non-biological, such as interaction of water and rock."

            Researchers used Curiosity's onboard Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) laboratory a dozen times in a 20-month period to sniff methane in the atmosphere. During two of those months, in late 2013 and early 2014, four measurements averaged seven parts per billion. Before and after that, readings averaged only one-tenth that level.

            Further, Curiosity also detected different organic chemicals in samples of powder drilled from a rock dubbed Cumberland. This is the first definitive detection of organics in surface materials of Mars. These Martian organics could either have formed on Mars or been delivered to Mars by meteorites.

            Organic molecules, which contain carbon and usually hydrogen, are chemical building blocks of life, although they can exist without the presence of life. Curiosity's findings from analyzing samples of atmosphere and rock powder do not reveal whether Mars has ever harbored life, but the findings do shed light on a chemically active modern Mars and on favorable conditions for life on ancient Mars.

            Curiosity is one element of NASA's ongoing Mars research and preparation for a human mission to Mars in the 2030s.

Alejandro Gonzalez

Pablo Romo

Paola Rodriguez

Chem 1045 Spring 2015

Chemistry Group