methane is produced by the decomposition of natural gas.
methane is produced by the decomposition of what?
natural gas
methanogenic "archaea" are responsible for almost all biological sources of methane, though methylphosphonate-degrading "bacteria" produce an as-yet not fully quantified fraction of biogenic methane, particularly in the oceans. some live in symbiotic relationships with other life forms, including termites, ruminants, and cultivated crops. other sources of methane, the principal component of natural gas, include landfill gas, biogas, and methane hydrate. when methane-rich gases are produced by the anaerobic decay of organic matter (biomass), these are referred to as biogas (or natural biogas). sources of biogas include swamps, marshes, and landfills, as well as agricultural waste materials such as sewage sludge and manure by way of anaerobic digesters, in addition to enteric fermentation, particularly in cattle. landfill gas is created by decomposition of waste in landfill sites. excluding water vapor, about half of landfill gas is methane and most of the rest is carbon dioxide, with small amounts of nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen, and variable trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide and siloxanes. if the gas is not removed, the pressure may get so high that it works its way to the surface, causing damage to the landfill structure, unpleasant odor, vegetation die-off, and an explosion hazard. the gas can be vented to the atmosphere, flared or burned to produce electricity or heat. biogas can also be produced by separating organic materials from waste that otherwise goes to landfills. this method is more efficient than just capturing the landfill gas it produces. anaerobic lagoons produce biogas from manure, while biogas reactors can be used for manure or plant parts. like landfill gas, biogas is mostly methane and carbon dioxide, with small amounts of nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen. however, with the exception of pesticides, there are usually lower levels of contaminants.
natural gas
bullet::::- mars – the martian atmosphere contains 10 nmol/mol methane. the source of methane on mars has not been determined. research suggests that methane may come from volcanoes, fault lines, or methanogens, that it may be a byproduct of electrical discharges from dust devils and dust storms, or that it may be the result of uv radiation. in january 2009, nasa scientists announced that they had discovered that the planet often vents methane into the atmosphere in specific areas, leading some to speculate this may be a sign of biological activity below the surface. the "curiosity" rover, which landed on mars in august 2012, can distinguish between different isotopologues of methane; but even if the mission determines that microscopic martian life is the source of the methane, it probably resides far below the surface, beyond the rover's reach. the first measurements with the tunable laser spectrometer (tls) indicated that there is less than 5 ppb of methane at the landing site. on 16 december 2014, nasa reported the curiosity rover detected a "tenfold spike", likely localized, in the amount of methane in the martian atmosphere. sample measurements taken "a dozen times over 20 months" showed increases in late 2013 and early 2014, averaging "7 parts of methane per billion in the atmosphere." before and after that, readings averaged around one-tenth that level. the spikes in concentration suggest that mars is episodically producing or releasing methane from an unknown source. the exomars trace gas orbiter will perform measurements of methane starting in april 2018, as well as its decomposition products such as formaldehyde and methanol.
extraterrestrial atmosphere