Weekly Space Hangout - Guest: Dr. Dorothy Oehler Talks "Is there Methane on Mars?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qCpVV-4Q50 Host: Fraser Cain ( @fcain ) Special Guest: Dr. Dorothy Z. Oehler is a planetary geologist and Precambrian paleontologist. She is interested in using martian geomorphology to better understand the history of the planet and identify regions where accumulations of organic materials including methane could occur. To this objective, she is applying concepts of facies prediction to prioritize habitable sites on Mars that could preserve remnants of an early biosphere. She is additionally using concepts of subsurface organic maturation (from her experience in petroleum exploration) to locate areas on Mars of potential methane generation, accumulation, and release to the atmosphere. Dr. Oehler is also interested in seeking ways to identify biosignatures of potential extraterrestrial life. This includes establishing new criteria for identifying bona fide biosignatures of fragmentary remains of primitive life forms. In this regard, she has studied some of the oldest organic microfossils on Earth, using both Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) to determine their carbon isotopic composition (to assess their origin and significance to evolution of life on our planet) and Nano-scale SIMS (NanoSIMS) to chemically map, at the sub-micron scale, some of Earth's earliest life forms. Results from these studies provide insights into the most primitive lifeforms on Earth and, as such, may be applicable to recognizing poorly preserved remnants of primitive life that might be encountered in planetary exploration. Read her latest publication "No detection of methane on Mars from early ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter observations" https://www.nature.com/articles/s4158... Regular Guests: Dr. Morgan Rehnberg ( http://cosmicchatter.org/ & @MorganRehnberg ) Dr. Kimberly Cartier ( http://KimberlyCartier.org & @AstroKimCartier ) This week's stories: - NASA's twin study report released. - What happened with Beresheet. - Pepsi NOT destroying the night sky. (Thanks!) - Falcon Heavy success/sadness... - Exoplanet updates.   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://astrogear.spreadshirt.com/ for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations. Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by Astrosphere New Media. http://www.astrosphere.org/ Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at [email protected].