Variability of Methane Plumes at an Arctic Analogue Site with Implications for Martian Exploration

A. C. Innanen, J. E. Moores, H. M. Sapers, L. Beckering Vinckers Stofer, E. Dong, K. M. Axelrod

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We examine local variations in methane concentration on short time scales at two sites in the Canadian arctic. Gypsum Hill Springs and Wolf Spring are both martian analogue sites which produce point source methane plumes. Understanding the plume behaviour at these sites could aid in developing future instruments and techniques for characterising martian methane, a gas whose behaviour in the atmosphere of Mars is not currently well understood. In 2022 we took wind-direction transects at both sites and observed lower concentrations and lower methane variability upwind of the source, and higher concentrations and methane variability downwind. The methane signal varied on the order of a few seconds, and we saw that this variation resembled Brownian noise, indicative of a diffusive process. The power of the signals we observed are related to the frequency by the relation [Formula presented]. With an additional transect unaligned with the wind direction at Gypsum Hill as well as additional measurements taken at Wolf Spring in 2024, we saw that the standard deviation in the measurements decreased as we moved away from the methane source not only in the downwind direction but also at an angle to the wind direction. This has implications for trying to localise a methane plume from an unknown source, as the small-scale variability in the signal is a better indicator of proximity to the plume than absolute methane concentration. Thus, capturing high frequency methane measurements is important in localising methane sources.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)223-234
Number of pages12
JournalActa Astronautica
Volume235
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2025

Keywords

  • Mars
  • Mars instrumentation
  • Methane
  • Planetary atmospheres

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Aerospace Engineering

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