There must be a lot of cows, cyanobacteria, and dinosaurs living on Pluto to produce all this biogenic fossil fuel: The lower atmosphere of Pluto revealed.
Using ESO's Very Large Telescope, astronomers have gained valuable new insights about the atmosphere of the dwarf planet Pluto. The scientists found unexpectedly large amounts of methane in the atmosphere, and also discovered that the atmosphere is hotter than the surface by about 40 degrees, although it still only reaches a frigid minus 180 degrees Celsius. These properties of Pluto's atmosphere may be due to the presence of pure methane patches or of a methane-rich layer covering the dwarf planet's surface.
"With lots of methane in the atmosphere, it becomes clear why Pluto's atmosphere is so warm," says Emmanuel Lellouch, lead author of the paper reporting the results.
OiM,
ReplyDeletenow now, you have just given your abiotic oil theories a problem.
:-)
HYDROGEN & CARBON
ReplyDelete(music)
Hydrogen & carbon
Hydrogen & carbon
Go together like a horse and carriage, that'll do it brother you can't have one without the other...
Seriously, how many moons and planets do hydrocarbons have to be found on before there is an inescapable conclusion: Hydrogen & carbon, as two of the most plentiful elements in the Universe, have a natural chemical affinity for each other and do combine abiotically.
Welcome to our abiotic oil world.
An added thought, is it possible that electrical energy, electromagnetism, facilitates this combining of elements in the Earth's crust, as geologists continue to make observations & measurements that suggest the electromagnetic dynamics of the Earth's crust are more significant than ever imagined.
"This planet, with all its appalling immensity, is to electric currrents virtually no more than a small metal ball." -- Nikola Tesla, inventor of the A.C. electrical power distribution system all the world uses, today.
Regrettably, the general public isn't aware of the true extent of Earth's electromagnetic nature.
Why is it regrettable?
Knowledge for it's own sake is valuable in many ways that aren't apparent at first blush. And, perhaps more important it helps explain why abiotic oil is so plentiful.
Electromagnetism & hydrocarbons?
The association may not be as powerful as the association between volcanoes & oil in the public imagination, but in the long run gives a better understanding for why hydrocarons are so plentiful on Earth.
And will continue to be so.