Evidence of oil and gas hydrates within planet Mars: early biogenic or thermogenic sources from the Martian soils and deeper sediments near the deltas

摘要

The presence of water (in liquid form) within the gullies of the Newton Crater from Mars (nearthe equator), oil-like hydrocarbons on the surface, gas hydrates in the deeper zones on Mars, anda list of publications on the geochemistry and astrobiology of carbonaceous chondrites haveindicated that these petroleum hydrocarbons are closely related to the complex biological speciessimilar to our terrestrial environment. Recent evidence of the possible presence of bacterialglobule associated with carbonate minerals in the geological history of Mars may have indicatedthe link between possible bacterial growth and generation of petroleum hydrocarbons on Mars.Recent evidence of the possible presence of bacterially derived source rocks (organic rich blackcarbonaceous rocks) and heat flow distribution within Eberswalde and Holden areas of Marsduring the earlier Martian geological time (possibly within the first 2 Ga) may have beenoriginated from both biogeneic and thermogenic oil and gas hydrates. The thermal evolution ofthis biological geopolymer (source rock) could be observed in our earlier findings within thecarbonaceous chondrites which show three distinct thermal events. Based on the currentknowledge gained from carbonaceous chondrites, deltas, and hydrocarbons present within Mars,the methane on Mars may have been derived from the following sources: (1) deeper gashydrates; (b) from the cracking of oil to gas within deeper oil or gas bearing reservoirs from ahigher reservoir temperature; and (c) the high temperature conversion of current bacterial bodieswithin the upper surface of Mars.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.