An Updated Model for Methane

The gorgeous view from the Utah Valley Convention Center in Provo. Today I'm talking about what I'm not presenting here (a project conceived, executed, written up, submitted, reviewed and accepted all after the deadline for DPS abstracts!)

Greetings from the 49th annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences! While a bit on the colder side, it's a gloriously sunny day here in Provo, Utah.
But I'm not here to talk about the conference. I've already submitted my talk and picked up my poster, so I've got a few minutes before the reception starts to catch up on my writing a little.

Instead, I wanted to spend some digital ink on my 50th paper (18th 1st author paper) which just came out in-press at Planetary and Space Science. While that's a milestone worth some commentary, I'd like to focus in this post on the Science itself. This particular paper is a novel one for me in that it is an update of a previous model that I had created back in 2012. In fact, a perceptive reader will notice some parallels between this paper and that of Moores and Schuerger (2012). Those are intentional. Indeed, it was our express intention to re-examine our earlier results in light of just how far research on martian methane has come over the past five years.

Upon a Peak in Darien (WW108)

Our guest on WW this week was David Southwood. He and I both had the joy of working on the Huygens probe in 2005. Of course, our participation on that project was at very different levels - he as senior project leadership with ESA for many years, myself as a graduate student in the US contingent of the DISR Instrument. I was probably amongst the most johnny-come-lately participants, having started in 2004 on a project that had existed in one form or another since 1972.

I mention Huygens because Professor Southwood lists that mission amongst the highlights of his career. However, he has participated in more scientific projects, space missions and scientific endeavors and has won more awards and accolades than I can possibly list in this space. To give you a flavour, he has worked on missions to every classical planet in the solar system and astronomical projects beyond it, was part of the magnetometer team that discovered evidence of liquid water on Europa, led the Cassini Magnetometer Team and has contributed greatly to the study of space weather.

I was extremely fortunate to get the chance to speak with Professor Southwood as he was in Toronto a few weeks ago to give the annual J. Tuzo Wilson lecture at the University of Toronto. I also need to thank his host, Dr. Nigel Edwards (a former prof of mine, back in my undergraduate days) for fitting WW into his and David's schedule at the last possible moment. We and our listeners appreciate your flexibility and accommodation!

What makes this interview one of my favourites is that Professor Southwood really epitomizes what we are trying to do here on Western Worlds. Not only do we want to share the Science of other worlds with you, but also how we get there (Engineering/Space Technology) how the decisions about where to fly get made (Space Agency/Space Politics) and how all of that comes back around to you, our listeners (Education/Public Outreach).  Professor Southwood has led a hybrid career that has combined the best of all of these worlds, and I for one, will take his advice to heart. If I can achieve in my own career even a few percent of what he has been able to do in his, I will count it a resounding success.

If you missed our broadcast, fear not! You can download a copy of Professor Southwood's interview from the WW webpage here. As usual, my introduction is under the cut.

Another conference and more bad news looming

ESA's TGO - Last ditch negotiations are expected Monday in South Africa at the International Astronautical Congress to see if this mission can be saved.

As I was crossing the Atlantic, Universe Today was reporting some details about the negotiations between ESA and NASA with respect to the ESA Exo-Mars program. From the sound of the article, barring some last ditch maneuvering at this week's IAC meeting in South Africa, Trace Gas Orbiter could be nearing the end of the road.