Zolotov gathered data from volcanoes ranging from Mt. St. Helen's and Iceland's Surtsey to Sicily's Mount Aetna and Hawaii's Kilauea. All of the volcanoes arose from different geological settings and produced initial gas temperatures of varying ranges. The process is not very efficient today. For instance, at Kilauea, the hydrogen and carbon monoxide amounts of the gases are no more than 2 percent. But it still is a steady source for hydrocarbons to form.
All scenarios involve organic compounds.
Unlike spark discharge scenarios, the processes we are pursuing to study the origins of life, here, or on Mars, are normal, daily geological processes. The volcanic gas scenario is one of the most approachable,' says Shock. The evidence is readily accessible, and we know we can extrapolate from evidence here to Mars and other bodies without much ambiguity. If you wish to quote from any part of this story, please credit Washington University In St. Louis as the original source.