Abiotic methane sources (IMAGE)

University of California - Santa Cruz

Abiotic methane sources

Caption

Methane in a planet’s atmosphere may be a sign of life if nonbiological sources can be ruled out. This illustration summarizes the known abiotic sources of methane on Earth, including outgassing from volcanoes, reactions in settings such as mid-ocean ridges, hydrothermal vents, and subduction zones, and impacts from asteroids and comets.

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© 2022 Elena Hartley

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