Methane a sign of life - what drives its dynamics on Mars?

The dominant source of methane (CH₄) on Earth is biological and thus a sign of life. Therefore, the discovery of CH₄ in the Martian atmosphere was sensational and attracted a lot of attention both within the science community and in the public. Since its discovery, we have learned that the concentration of CH₄ on Mars is very dynamic and follows an annual cycle with relatively high concentration during Martian summer and low concentration during winter. Until now the drivers behind this dynamic pattern remain enigmatic as photochemistry which stands behind most atmospheric processes on Mars is too slow to explain the rapid decline. We studied wind-driven erosion as known from dust-devils and/or sand storms and explored whether it can work as a rapid CH₄ sink. The outcome of this study will be reported in my presentation.