2026-10-12T04:32:46Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34023325 2026-09-29T11:05:53Z category_12 category_272 category_873 category_39 category_46 category_734 category_64 portal_63 item_type_6 month_year_09_2026

Abiotic Methane Formation by Electrochemical Reactions under Simulated Martian Dust Conditions Junqi Ren (18761989) Yuheng Ni (13919835) Zhongchen Wu (2342032) Xiaoli Wang (46677) Zongcheng Ling (10883344) Wenshuo Mao (20009242) Tongwen Jin (25136782) Guobin Jin (25136785) Guangkuo Liu (17075674) Xianyang Sun (18606283) Chuanmin Ma (9546870) Yueming Li (487489) Cell Biology Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified Ecology Immunology Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Cancer trace gas orbiter surface abiotic pathway stringent upper limits controlled laboratory conditions hydrous surface minerals produce detectable ch 4 </ sub 2 </ sub abiotic methane formation potential abiotic ch formation pathway associated reported martian ch martian methane potential sign hydrated minerals associated water martian climate martian ch tgo ). strongly mineral situ detections remain unresolved often considered mineral systems greater availability geological activity generally enhanced fundamental feature findings reveal electrochemical reactions dust electrochemistry dust activity additional near accessible mineral Reports of Martian methane (CH₄) remain controversial, with some in situ detections but stringent upper limits from the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO). While CH₄ is often considered to be a potential sign of biological or geological activity, the origin and variability of reported Martian CH₄ remain unresolved. Dust activity, a fundamental feature of the Martian climate, brings together atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂), water preserved in hydrous surface minerals, and strong electrochemical effects associated with electrostatic discharge (ESD), thereby creating favorable conditions for the generation of CH₄. Here, we show that low-pressure CO₂ discharge in the presence of hydrated minerals can produce detectable CH₄ under controlled laboratory conditions, supporting a potential abiotic CH₄ formation pathway associated with dust activity. The CH₄ response is strongly mineral-dependent and is generally enhanced by greater availability of accessible mineral-associated water, while externally supplied water alone is insufficient to induce CH₄ formation in all mineral systems. These findings reveal a plausible coupling among atmospheric CO₂, mineral-associated water, and dust electrochemistry that provides an additional near-surface abiotic pathway for the formation of Martian CH₄. 2026-09-29T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.6c00168.s001 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Abiotic_Methane_Formation_by_Electrochemical_Reactions_under_Simulated_Martian_Dust_Conditions/34023325 CC BY-NC 4.0