Mars Methane Spectroscopy
- Visualizations by:
- Chris Smith
- View full credits
Conceptual animation demonstrating the process of spectroscopy. The first animation demonstrates the general concept of visible-light spectroscopy by which white light is separated into its component wavelengths (colors) using a prism. The second animation demonstrates how this idea is applied to the discovery of methane in Mars' atmosphere. Because it absorbs specific wavelengths of electromagnetic energy, methane has a 'fingerprint' that can be seen as missing lines on the resulting spectograph.
For More Information
See http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/news/marsmethane.html
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Animator
- Chris Smith (KBRwyle) [Lead]
Scientist
- Michael Mumma (NASA/GSFC)
Producer
- Chris Smith (KBRwyle)
Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Related pages
NASA On Air: Lunar Eclipse April 4, 2015 at 4:58 AM PDT (4/4/2015)
April 3rd, 2015
Read moreLEAD: Early risers on Saturday morning (April 4, 2015) will have a chance to see the shortest total lunar eclipse of the century.1. The moon will turn red as it crosses the earth’s long shadow for less than five minutes.2. Why is the moon red rather than dark if it is in the earth’s shadow?3. Turns out the earth’s atmosphere acts as a filter and a prism.4. Similar to a sunset, the light becomes red.5. The earth’s atmospheric 'lens' bends this red light only slightly, which is enough to bask the 2000-mile diameter moon in red light.6. The lunar eclipse starts at 4:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time.TAG: Best viewing will be in the Western United States, early Saturday morning. The next total eclipse is not until September 2015. For More InformationSee [http://www.nasa.gov/eclipse](http://www.nasa.gov/eclipse) Related pages
Possible Methane Sources and Sinks on Mars
Dec. 16th, 2014
Read moreThere are several possible ways that methane can be created, stored, and released on Mars, including both biological and non-biological pathways. Graphic with main title only Graphic without text This illustration portrays possible ways that methane might be added to Mars' atmosphere (sources) and removed from the atmosphere (sinks). NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has detected fluctuations in methane concentration in the atmosphere, implying both types of activity occur in the modern environment of Mars.A molecule of methane consists of one atom of carbon and four atoms of hydrogen. Methane can be generated by microbes and can also be generated by processes that do not require life, such as reactions between water and olivine (or pyroxene) rock. Ultraviolet radiation (UV) can induce reactions that generate methane from other organic chemicals produced by either biological or non-biological processes, such as comet dust falling on Mars. Methane generated underground in the distant or recent past might be stored within lattice-structured methane hydrates called clathrates, and released by the clathrates at a later time, so that methane being released to the atmosphere today might have formed in the past.Winds on Mars can quickly distribute methane coming from any individual source, reducing localized concentration of methane. Methane can be removed from the atmosphere by sunlight-induced reactions (photochemistry). These reactions can oxidize the methane, through intermediary chemicals such as formaldehyde and methanol, into carbon dioxide, the predominant ingredient in Mars' atmosphere.Learn more about the detection of methane on Mars. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/december/nasa-rover-finds-active-ancient-organic-chemistry-on-mars) Related pages
Tour 2022: NASA's Upcoming Earth Missions
Dec. 13th, 2021
Read moreMusic: "Kitchen Preparations," "Kinky Boots," "Bossa Baby," "Pleasantville" and "Exotic Encounter" from Universal Production MusicComplete transcript available. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission — SWOT — focuses on the planet’s most precious resource: Water. SWOT will help researchers compile the first global survey of Earth’s surface freshwater and study our changing ocean. We’re also launching TROPICS — six small satellites designed to help scientists better understand tropical storms and hurricanes. Traveling in pairs in three different orbits, TROPICS will provide near-hourly observations of a storm’s precipitation, temperature, and humidity. Winds on Earth kick up millions of tons of dust every year. EMIT will use spectroscopy to “fingerprint” different types of dust from its perch on the International Space Station, helping scientists map the areas on Earth that produce different types of dust. We’ve worked with our partners at NOAA to study Earth for decades. In 2022, the JPSS-2 mission will continue that legacy of monitoring weather, sea surface temperatures, algal blooms, clouds, rainfall, heat, smoke, dust storms, ozone, and air quality. NASA has a unique view of our planet from space. NASA’s fleet of Earth-observing satellites provide high quality data on different parts of Earth’s interconnected environment from air quality to sea ice. Take a tour of missions launching in 2022, including SWOT, TROPICS, EMIT, and JPSS-2. Related pages