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| Author |
Krasnopolsky, Vladimir A.; Maillard, Jean Pierre; C. Owen, Tobias |
| Title |
Detection of methane in the martian atmosphere: evidence for life? |
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Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Icarus |
Abbreviated Journal |
Icarus |
| Volume |
172 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
537-547 |
| Keywords |
FTS, Mars atmosphere, methane absorption lines, IR spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, landfill gas |
| Abstract |
Using the Fourier Transform Spectrometer at the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope, we observed a spectrum of Mars at the P-branch of the strongest CH4 band at 3.3 μm with resolving power of 180,000 for the apodized spectrum. Summing up the spectral intervals at the expected positions of the 15 strongest Doppler-shifted martian lines, we detected the absorption by martian methane at a 3.7 sigma level which is exactly centered in the summed spectrum. The observed CH4 mixing ratio is 10±3 ppb. Total photochemical loss of CH4 in the martian atmosphere is equal to View the MathML source, the CH4 lifetime is 340 years and methane should be uniformly mixed in the atmosphere. Heterogeneous loss of atmospheric methane is probably negligible, while the sink of CH4 during its diffusion through the regolith may be significant. There are no processes of CH4 formation in the atmosphere, so the photochemical loss must therefore be balanced by abiogenic and biogenic sources. Outgassing from Mars is weak, the latest volcanism is at least 10 million years old, and thermal emission imaging from the Mars Odyssey orbiter does not reveal any hot spots on Mars. Hydrothermal systems can hardly be warmer than the room temperature at which production of methane is very low in terrestrial waters. Therefore a significant production of hydrothermal and magmatic methane is not very likely on Mars. The calculated average production of CH4 by cometary impacts is 2% of the methane loss. Production of methane by meteorites and interplanetary dust does not exceed 4% of the methane loss. Methane cannot originate from an extinct biosphere, as in the case of “natural gas†on Earth, given the exceedingly low limits on organic matter set by the Viking landers and the dry recent history which has been extremely hostile to the macroscopic life needed to generate the gas. Therefore, methanogenesis by living subterranean organisms is a plausible explanation for this discovery. Our estimates of the biomass and its production using the measured CH4 abundance show that the martian biota may be extremely scarce and Mars may be generally sterile except for some oases. |
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Klapwijk, T. M.; Barends, R.; Gao, J. R.; Hajenius, M.; Baselmans, J. J. A. |
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Improved superconducting hot-electron bolometer devices for the THz range |
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Conference Article |
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2004 |
Publication |
Proc. SPIE |
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Proc. SPIE |
| Volume |
5498 |
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129-139 |
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HEB mixer distributed model, numerical model |
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Improved and reproducible heterodyne mixing (noise temperatures of 950 K at 2.5 THz) has been realized with NbN based hot-electron superconducting devices with low contact resistances. A distributed temperature numerical model of the NbN bridge, based on a local electron and a phonon temperature, has been used to understand the physical conditions during the mixing process. We find that the mixing is predominantly due to the exponential rise of the local resistivity as a function of electron temperature. |
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Invited talk, Recommended by Klapwijk |
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912 |
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Boogaard, G.R.; Verbruggen, A.H.; Belzig, W.; Klapwijk T.M. |
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Resistance of superconducting nanowires connected to normal-metal leads |
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Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Phys. Rev. B |
Abbreviated Journal |
Phys. Rev. B |
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69 |
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Pages |
220503(R)(1-4) |
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We study experimentally the low temperature resistance of superconducting nanowires connected to normal metal reservoirs. Wefind that a substantial fraction of the nanowires is resistive, down to the lowest tempera-ture measured, indicative of an intrinsic boundary resistance due to the Andreev-conversion of normal current to supercurrent. The results are successfully analyzed in terms of the kinetic equations for diffusive superconductors. |
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RPLAB @ atomics90 @ |
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960 |
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Meledin D.; Pantaleev M.; Pavolotsky A.; Risacher C.; Robles V.A.P.; Belitsky V.; Drakinskiy V.; Cherednichenko S. |
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Design of a balanced waveguide HEB mixer for APEX 1.32 THz receiver |
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Conference Article |
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2004 |
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Proc. 15th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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211-217 |
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The prototype of a waveguide balanced Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) Terahertz mixer is designed as a part of development for the APEX Project of Band T2 receiver for 1250-1390 GHz. The proposed mixer employs balanced scheme with two identical HEB devices. These individual mixers would be placed on two separate crystalline quartz substrates with dimensions of 1000μm x67μm x17 μm each with integrated RF choke filters, DC-bias and IF circuitry. A 3 dB quadrature waveguide directional coupler is needed to provide local oscillator (LO) injection and RF signal distribution between the two HEB mixers. We have designed the coupler to achieve the required frequency band, low insertion loss and symmetrical division of the RF and LO power within the band of interest. Initial design of HEB mixer layout is developed based on a previous development for a 345 GHz sideband separation mixer. We present also results of development of microfabrication technology of the waveguide hybrid employing micromachining approach combined with electroplating technique. |
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RPLAB @ atomics90 @ |
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972 |
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| Author |
Martin슠Harwit |
| Title |
The Herschel mission |
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Journal Article |
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2004 |
Publication |
Advances in Space Research |
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34 |
Issue |
3 |
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568-572 |
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RPLAB @ s @ herschel_mission |
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375 |
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