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Martian methane plume models for defining Mars rover methane source search strategies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 February 2018

Christopher Nicol ,
Alex Ellery ,
Brian Lynch ,
Ed Cloutis  and
Guido de Croon
Christopher Nicol
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Alex Ellery*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Brian Lynch
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Ed Cloutis
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Guido de Croon
Affiliation:
Advanced Concepts Team, European Space Agency (ESTEC), Noordwijk, Netherlands
*
Author for correspondence: Alex Ellery, [email protected]
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Abstract

The detection of atmospheric methane on Mars implies an active methane source. This introduces the possibility of a biotic source with the implied need to determine whether the methane is indeed biotic in nature or geologically generated. There is a clear need for robotic algorithms which are capable of manoeuvring a rover through a methane plume on Mars to locate its source. We explore aspects of Mars methane plume modelling to reveal complex dynamics characterized by advection and diffusion. A statistical analysis of the plume model has been performed and compared to analyses of terrestrial plume models. Finally, we consider a robotic search strategy to find a methane plume source. We find that gradient-based techniques are ineffective, but that more sophisticated model-based search strategies are unlikely to be available in near-term rover missions.

Keywords

Chemical source localizationgradient-descent algorithmsMars methaneplume dynamicssource localization
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 17 , Special Issue 3: Robotic Astrobiology , July 2018 , pp. 228 - 238
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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