Besides biological production, what geological process is cited as a source for Martian methane ($ ext{CH}_4$)?
Answer
Water-rock reactions or serpentinization.
The detection of methane in the Martian atmosphere is intriguing because on Earth, the majority of this gas is biogenic. However, the text clarifies that methane can also arise from purely geological origins, which researchers must rule out before biological explanations gain traction. One key abiotic pathway mentioned involves the chemical interaction between liquid water and minerals within the Martian crust, a process known generally as water-rock reactions. Serpentinization, a specific type of hydrothermal alteration involving ultramafic rocks and water, is explicitly cited as a geological mechanism capable of generating methane without any involvement from living organisms.
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