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Abrahamsson V, Henderson BL, Friedman A, Gross J, Prothmann J, Davila AF, Williams AJ, Lin Y, Kanik I, Zhong F. Supercritical CO 2 and Subcritical H 2O Analysis Instrument: Automated Lipid Analysis for In Situ Planetary Life Detection. Anal Chem 2024; 96:13389-13397. [PMID: 39120043 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c00474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
The search for extraterrestrial extant or extinct life in our Solar System will require highly capable instrumentation and methods for detecting low concentrations of biosignatures. This paper introduces the Supercritical CO2 and Subcritical H2O Analysis (SCHAN) instrument, a portable and automated system that integrates supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), and subcritical water extraction coupled with liquid chromatography. The instrument is compact and weighs 6.3 kg, making it suitable for spaceflight missions to planetary bodies. Traditional techniques, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS), face challenges with involatile and thermally labile analytes, necessitating derivatization. The SCHAN instrument, however, eliminates the need for derivatization and cosolvents by utilizing neat supercritical CO2 with water as an additive. This SFE-SFC-MS method gives efficient lipid biosignature separations with median detection limits of 10 pg/g (ppt) for fatty acids and 50 pg/g (ppt) for sterols. Several free fatty acids and cholesterol were among the detected peaks in biologically lean samples from the Atacama Desert, demonstrating the instrument's potential for in situ life detection missions. The SCHAN instrument addresses the challenges of conventional systems, offering a compact, portable, and spaceflight-compatible tool for the analysis of organics for future astrobiology-focused missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Abrahamsson
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena ,California 91109-8001, United States
| | - Bryana L Henderson
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena ,California 91109-8001, United States
| | - Adam Friedman
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena ,California 91109-8001, United States
| | - Johannes Gross
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena ,California 91109-8001, United States
| | - Jens Prothmann
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena ,California 91109-8001, United States
| | - Alfonso F Davila
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field ,California 94035-1000, United States
| | - Amy J Williams
- University of Florida, Gainesville ,Florida 32611-7011, United States
| | - Ying Lin
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena ,California 91109-8001, United States
| | - Isik Kanik
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena ,California 91109-8001, United States
| | - Fang Zhong
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena ,California 91109-8001, United States
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Pozarycki C, Seaton KM, C Vincent E, Novak Sanders C, Nuñez N, Castillo M, Ingall E, Klempay B, Pontefract A, Fisher LA, Paris ER, Buessecker S, Alansson NB, Carr CE, Doran PT, Bowman JS, Schmidt BE, Stockton AM. Biosignature Molecules Accumulate and Persist in Evaporitic Brines: Implications for Planetary Exploration. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:795-812. [PMID: 39159437 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
The abundance of potentially habitable hypersaline environments in our solar system compels us to understand the impacts of high-salt matrices and brine dynamics on biosignature detection efforts. We identified and quantified organic compounds in brines from South Bay Salt Works (SBSW), where evapoconcentration of ocean water enables exploration of the impact of NaCl- and MgCl2-dominated brines on the detection of potential biosignature molecules. In SBSW, organic biosignature abundance and distribution are likely influenced by evapoconcentration, osmolyte accumulation, and preservation effects. Bioluminescence assays show that adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations are higher in NaCl-rich, low water activity (aw) samples (<0.85) from SBSW. This is consistent with the accumulation and preservation of ATP at low aw as described in past laboratory studies. The water-soluble small organic molecule inventory was determined by using microchip capillary electrophoresis paired with high-resolution mass spectrometry (µCE-HRMS). We analyzed the relative distribution of proteinogenic amino acids with a recently developed quantitative method using CE-separation and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection of amino acids in hypersaline brines. Salinity trends for dissolved free amino acids were consistent with amino acid residue abundance determined from the proteome of the microbial community predicted from metagenomic data. This highlights a tangible connection up and down the "-omics" ladder across changing geochemical conditions. The detection of water-soluble organic compounds, specifically proteinogenic amino acids at high abundance (>7 mM) in concentrated brines, demonstrates that potential organic biomarkers accumulate at hypersaline sites and suggests the possibility of long-term preservation. The detection of such molecules in high abundance when using diverse analytical tools appropriate for spacecraft suggests that life detection within hypersaline environments, such as evaporates on Mars and the surface or subsurface brines of ocean world Europa, is plausible and argues such environments should be a high priority for future exploration. Key Words: Salts-Analytical chemistry-Amino acids-Biosignatures-Capillary electrophoresis-Preservation. Astrobiology 24, 795-812.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad Pozarycki
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kenneth M Seaton
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Emily C Vincent
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Carlie Novak Sanders
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nickie Nuñez
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mariah Castillo
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ellery Ingall
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Benjamin Klempay
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Luke A Fisher
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Emily R Paris
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Steffen Buessecker
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Nikolas B Alansson
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Christopher E Carr
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Peter T Doran
- Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Jeff S Bowman
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Britney E Schmidt
- Departments of Astronomy and Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Amanda M Stockton
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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3
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Blankenship DD, Moussessian A, Chapin E, Young DA, Wesley Patterson G, Plaut JJ, Freedman AP, Schroeder DM, Grima C, Steinbrügge G, Soderlund KM, Ray T, Richter TG, Jones-Wilson L, Wolfenbarger NS, Scanlan KM, Gerekos C, Chan K, Seker I, Haynes MS, Barr Mlinar AC, Bruzzone L, Campbell BA, Carter LM, Elachi C, Gim Y, Hérique A, Hussmann H, Kofman W, Kurth WS, Mastrogiuseppe M, McKinnon WB, Moore JM, Nimmo F, Paty C, Plettemeier D, Schmidt BE, Zolotov MY, Schenk PM, Collins S, Figueroa H, Fischman M, Tardiff E, Berkun A, Paller M, Hoffman JP, Kurum A, Sadowy GA, Wheeler KB, Decrossas E, Hussein Y, Jin C, Boldissar F, Chamberlain N, Hernandez B, Maghsoudi E, Mihaly J, Worel S, Singh V, Pak K, Tanabe J, Johnson R, Ashtijou M, Alemu T, Burke M, Custodero B, Tope MC, Hawkins D, Aaron K, Delory GT, Turin PS, Kirchner DL, Srinivasan K, Xie J, Ortloff B, Tan I, Noh T, Clark D, Duong V, Joshi S, Lee J, Merida E, Akbar R, Duan X, Fenni I, Sanchez-Barbetty M, Parashare C, Howard DC, Newman J, Cruz MG, Barabas NJ, Amirahmadi A, Palmer B, Gawande RS, Milroy G, Roberti R, Leader FE, West RD, Martin J, Venkatesh V, Adumitroaie V, Rains C, Quach C, Turner JE, O’Shea CM, Kempf SD, Ng G, Buhl DP, Urban TJ. Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-Surface (REASON). SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2024; 220:51. [PMID: 38948073 PMCID: PMC11211191 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-024-01072-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON) is a dual-frequency ice-penetrating radar (9 and 60 MHz) onboard the Europa Clipper mission. REASON is designed to probe Europa from exosphere to subsurface ocean, contributing the third dimension to observations of this enigmatic world. The hypotheses REASON will test are that (1) the ice shell of Europa hosts liquid water, (2) the ice shell overlies an ocean and is subject to tidal flexing, and (3) the exosphere, near-surface, ice shell, and ocean participate in material exchange essential to the habitability of this moon. REASON will investigate processes governing this material exchange by characterizing the distribution of putative non-ice material (e.g., brines, salts) in the subsurface, searching for an ice-ocean interface, characterizing the ice shell's global structure, and constraining the amplitude of Europa's radial tidal deformations. REASON will accomplish these science objectives using a combination of radar measurement techniques including altimetry, reflectometry, sounding, interferometry, plasma characterization, and ranging. Building on a rich heritage from Earth, the moon, and Mars, REASON will be the first ice-penetrating radar to explore the outer solar system. Because these radars are untested for the icy worlds in the outer solar system, a novel approach to measurement quality assessment was developed to represent uncertainties in key properties of Europa that affect REASON performance and ensure robustness across a range of plausible parameters suggested for the icy moon. REASON will shed light on a never-before-seen dimension of Europa and - in concert with other instruments on Europa Clipper - help to investigate whether Europa is a habitable world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alina Moussessian
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Elaine Chapin
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Duncan A. Young
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
| | | | - Jeffrey J. Plaut
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Adam P. Freedman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Dustin M. Schroeder
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
- Department of Geophysics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Cyril Grima
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
| | - Gregor Steinbrügge
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Krista M. Soderlund
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
| | - Trina Ray
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Thomas G. Richter
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
| | - Laura Jones-Wilson
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | | | - Kirk M. Scanlan
- Geodesy & Earth Observation Division, DTU Space, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Christopher Gerekos
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
| | - Kristian Chan
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 USA
| | - Ilgin Seker
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Mark S. Haynes
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | | | | | - Bruce A. Campbell
- Smithsonian Institution, Center for Earth & Planetary Studies, MRC 315, Washington, DC 20013-7012 USA
| | - Lynn M. Carter
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
| | - Charles Elachi
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 USA
| | - Yonggyu Gim
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Alain Hérique
- University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CNES, IPAG, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Hauke Hussmann
- Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wlodek Kofman
- University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CNES, IPAG, 38000 Grenoble, France
- Centrum Badan Kosmicznych Polskiej Akademii Nauk (CBK PAN), Warsaw, Poland
| | - William S. Kurth
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
| | | | | | | | - Francis Nimmo
- Dept. Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 USA
| | - Carol Paty
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 USA
| | | | - Britney E. Schmidt
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
- Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
| | - Mikhail Y. Zolotov
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 USA
| | | | - Simon Collins
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Harry Figueroa
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Mark Fischman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Eric Tardiff
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Andy Berkun
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Mimi Paller
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | | | | | - Gregory A. Sadowy
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Kevin B. Wheeler
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Emmanuel Decrossas
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Yasser Hussein
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Curtis Jin
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Frank Boldissar
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Neil Chamberlain
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Brenda Hernandez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Elham Maghsoudi
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Jonathan Mihaly
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303 USA
| | - Shana Worel
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Vik Singh
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Kyung Pak
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Jordan Tanabe
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Robert Johnson
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Mohammad Ashtijou
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Tafesse Alemu
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Michael Burke
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Brian Custodero
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Michael C. Tope
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - David Hawkins
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Kim Aaron
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | | | | | - Donald L. Kirchner
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 USA
| | - Karthik Srinivasan
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Julie Xie
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Brad Ortloff
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Ian Tan
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Tim Noh
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Duane Clark
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Vu Duong
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Shivani Joshi
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Jeng Lee
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Elvis Merida
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Ruzbeh Akbar
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Xueyang Duan
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Ines Fenni
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | | | - Chaitali Parashare
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Duane C. Howard
- Center for Quantum Computing, Amazon Web Services, Pasadena, CA 91125 USA
| | | | - Marvin G. Cruz
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | | | - Ahmadreza Amirahmadi
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Brendon Palmer
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Rohit S. Gawande
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Grace Milroy
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Rick Roberti
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Frank E. Leader
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Richard D. West
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Jan Martin
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Vijay Venkatesh
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Virgil Adumitroaie
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Christine Rains
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Cuong Quach
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Jordi E. Turner
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
| | - Colleen M. O’Shea
- Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
| | - Scott D. Kempf
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
| | - Gregory Ng
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
| | - Dillon P. Buhl
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
| | - Timothy J. Urban
- Institute for Geophysics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 USA
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Qu Y, Yin Z, Kustatscher E, Nützel A, Peckmann J, Vajda V, Ivarsson M. Traces of Ancient Life in Oceanic Basalt Preserved as Iron-Mineralized Ultrastructures: Implications for Detecting Extraterrestrial Biosignatures. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:769-785. [PMID: 37222732 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Benefiting from their adaptability to extreme environments, subsurface microorganisms have been discovered in sedimentary and igneous rock environments on Earth and have been advocated as candidates in the search for extraterrestrial life. In this article, we study iron-mineralized microstructures in calcite-filled veins within basaltic pillows of the late Ladinian Fernazza group (Middle Triassic, 239 Ma) in Italy. These microstructures represent diverse morphologies, including filaments, globules, nodules, and micro-digitate stromatolites, which are similar to extant iron-oxidizing bacterial communities. In situ analyses including Raman spectroscopy have been used to investigate the morphological, elemental, mineralogical, and bond-vibrational modes of the microstructures. According to the Raman spectral parameters, iron minerals preserve heterogeneous ultrastructures and crystallinities, coinciding with the morphologies and precursor microbial activities. The degree of crystallinity usually represents a microscale gradient decreasing toward previously existing microbial cells, revealing a decline of mineralization due to microbial activities. This study provides an analog of possible rock-dwelling subsurface life on Mars or icy moons and advocates Raman spectroscopy as an efficient tool for in situ analyses. We put forward the concept that ultrastructural characteristics of minerals described by Raman spectral parameters corresponding to microscale morphologies could be employed as carbon-lean biosignatures in future space missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuangao Qu
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Zongjun Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Evelyn Kustatscher
- Museum of Nature South Tyrol, Bozen/Bolzano, Italy
- Department für Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften, Paläontologie und Geobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany
- SNSB-Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geobiologie, München, Germany
| | - Alexander Nützel
- Department für Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften, Paläontologie und Geobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany
- SNSB-Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geobiologie, München, Germany
- GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany
| | - Jörn Peckmann
- Institute für Geologie, Centrum für Erdsystemforschung und Nachhaltigkeit, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Vivi Vajda
- Department of Paleobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Magnus Ivarsson
- Department of Paleobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
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5
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Royle SH, Cropper L, Watson JS, Sinibaldi S, Entwisle M, Sephton MA. Solid-Phase Microextraction for Organic Contamination Control Throughout Assembly and Operational Phases of Space Missions. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:127-143. [PMID: 36473197 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Space missions concerned with life detection contain highly sensitive instruments for the detection of organics. Terrestrial contamination can interfere with signals of indigenous organics in samples and has the potential to cause false-positive biosignature detections, which may lead to incorrect suggestions of the presence of life elsewhere in the solar system. This study assessed the capability of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) as a method for monitoring organic contamination encountered by spacecraft hardware during assembly and operation. SPME-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) analysis was performed on potential contaminant source materials, which are commonly used in spacecraft construction. The sensitivity of SPME-GC-MS to organics was assessed in the context of contaminants identified in molecular wipes taken from hardware surfaces on the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover. SPME was found to be effective at detecting a wide range of common organic contaminants that include aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen-containing compounds, alcohols, and carbonyls. A notable example of correlation of contaminant with source material was the detection of benzenamine compounds in an epoxy adhesive analyzed by SPME-GC-MS and in the ExoMars rover surface wipe samples. The current form of SPME-GC-MS does not enable quantitative evaluation of contaminants, nor is it suitable for the detection of every group of organic molecules relevant to astrobiological contamination concerns, namely large and/or polar molecules such as amino acids. However, it nonetheless represents an effective new monitoring method for rapid, easy identification of organic contaminants commonly present on spacecraft hardware and could thus be utilized in future space missions as part of their contamination control and mitigation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel H Royle
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lorcan Cropper
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan S Watson
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Mark A Sephton
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Davis A, Ford M. Recovery of Microbes from Subsurface Europa Analog Environments: An Efficient Mechanical-Thermal Probe for Collecting Biological Samples from the Subsurface of Icy Moons. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:105-126. [PMID: 36399600 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The ultra-low temperatures (<173K) and ultra-low pressures (<0.1 Pa) that exist on the surface of icy moons present a formidable challenge for collecting biological samples. Standard drilling technology is not efficient in these conditions, where conduction of thermal energy leads to the possibility of freezing in place and shear forces impart a strenuous test on microbial viability. If microbes exist within the first few meters of the surface, an extraction process must be gentle enough to recover them intact. This report describes a substantial improvement from the study by Davis in 2017, who presented a concave conical thermal probe capable of penetrating -65°C ice in 1000 Pa pressure. The current report describes a mechanical-thermal device for penetrating ≤ -150°C ice in 10 Pa pressure, which is analogous to the physical conditions on the surface of icy moons. The mechanism has an efficiency of >68% with -65°C ice and >61% with -150°C ice, which is well above the expected 10-15% for a Philberth-type probe. In addition, the probe can harvest a sensitive bacterium (Escherichia coli) from under a layer of acidified peroxide ice (pH 1.1), which is analogous to the expected surface chemical composition of the icy moon Europa. In field tests at -20°C air and -6°C ice temperatures, multiple organisms were extracted in a viable state, and chemical analysis indicated high-resolution separation of stratified layers. Finally, attaching the thermal tip to a telescopic mechanism allowed the probe to penetrate through 1.0 m of -65°C ice, which is well below the depth of harmful radiation expected at the subsurface of Europa. The current work opens the door for a lander vehicle to penetrate the upper subsurface of Europa and analyze biologically active samples.
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7
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Theiling BP, Chou L, Da Poian V, Battler M, Raimalwala K, Arevalo R, Neveu M, Ni Z, Graham H, Elsila J, Thompson B. Science Autonomy for Ocean Worlds Astrobiology: A Perspective. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:901-913. [PMID: 35507950 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Astrobiology missions to ocean worlds in our solar system must overcome both scientific and technological challenges due to extreme temperature and radiation conditions, long communication times, and limited bandwidth. While such tools could not replace ground-based analysis by science and engineering teams, machine learning algorithms could enhance the science return of these missions through development of autonomous science capabilities. Examples of science autonomy include onboard data analysis and subsequent instrument optimization, data prioritization (for transmission), and real-time decision-making based on data analysis. Similar advances could be made to develop streamlined data processing software for rapid ground-based analyses. Here we discuss several ways machine learning and autonomy could be used for astrobiology missions, including landing site selection, prioritization and targeting of samples, classification of "features" (e.g., proposed biosignatures) and novelties (uncharacterized, "new" features, which may be of most interest to agnostic astrobiological investigations), and data transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luoth Chou
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Victoria Da Poian
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Microtell LLC, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Ricardo Arevalo
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Marc Neveu
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Center for Research and Exploration in Space Sciences and Technology II (CRESST II), USA
- Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Ziqin Ni
- Department of Geology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather Graham
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Jamie Elsila
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
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8
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Seaton KM, Cable ML, Stockton AM. Analytical Chemistry Throughout This Solar System. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (PALO ALTO, CALIF.) 2022; 15:197-219. [PMID: 35300527 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-anchem-061020-125416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
One of the greatest and most long-lived scientific pursuits of humankind has been to discover and study the planetary objects comprising our solar system. Information gained from solar system observations, via both remote sensing and in situ measurements, is inherently constrained by the analytical (often chemical) techniques we employ in these endeavors. The past 50 years of planetary science missions have resulted in immense discoveries within and beyond our solar system, enabled by state-of-the-art analytical chemical instrument suites on board these missions. In this review, we highlight and discuss some of the most impactful analytical chemical instruments flown on planetary science missions within the last 20 years, including analytical techniques ranging from remote spectroscopy to in situ chemical separations. We first highlight mission-based remote and in situ spectroscopic techniques, followed by in situ separation and mass spectrometry analyses. The results of these investigations are discussed, and their implications examined, from worlds as close as Venus and familiar as Mars to as far away and exotic as Titan. Instruments currently in development for planetary science missions in the near future are also discussed, as are the promises their capabilities bring. Analytical chemistry is critical to understanding what lies beyond Earth in our solar system, and this review seeks to highlight how questions, analytical tools, and answers have intersected over the past 20 years and their implications for the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Marshall Seaton
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA;
| | - Morgan Leigh Cable
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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9
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Bower DM, Yang CSC, Hewagama T, Nixon CA, Aslam S, Whelley PL, Eigenbrode JL, Jin F, Ruliffson J, Kolasinski JR, Samuels AC. Spectroscopic characterization of samples from different environments in a Volcano-Glacial region in Iceland: Implications for in situ planetary exploration. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2021; 263:120205. [PMID: 34332244 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2021.120205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Raman spectroscopy and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) are complementary techniques that together can provide a comprehensive characterization of geologic environments. For landed missions with constrained access to target materials on other planetary bodies, discerning signatures of life and habitability can be daunting, particularly where the preservation of organic compounds that contain the building blocks of life is limited. The main challenge facing any spectroscopy measurements of natural samples is the complicated spectra that often contain signatures for multiple components, particularly in rocks that are composed of several minerals with surfaces colonized by microbes. The goal of this study was to use the combination of Raman spectroscopy and LIBS to discern different environmental regimes based on the identification of minerals and biomolecules in rocks and sediments. Iceland is a terrestrial volcano-glacial location that offers a range of planetary analog environments, including volcanically active regions, extensive lava fields, geothermal springs, and large swaths of ice-covered terrain that are relevant to both rocky and icy planetary bodies. We combined portable VIS (532 nm) and NIR (785 nm) Raman spectroscopy, VIS micro-Raman spectroscopic mapping, and UV/VIS/NIR (200 - 1000 nm) and Mid-IR (5.6 - 10 μm, 1785 - 1000 cm-1) laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to characterize the mineral assemblages, hydrated components, and biomolecules in rock and sediment samples collected from three main sites in the volcanically active Kverkfjöll-Vatnajökull region of Iceland: basalt and basalt-hosted carbonate rind from Hveragil geothermal stream, volcanic sediments from the base of Vatnajökull glacier at Kverkfjöll, and lava from the nearby Holuhraun lava field. With our combination of techniques, we were able to identify major mineral polytypes typical for each sample set, as well as a large diversity of biomolecules typical for lichen communities across all samples. The anatase we observed using micro-Raman spectroscopic mapping of the lava compared with the volcanic sediment suggested different formation pathways: lava anatase formed authigenically, sediment anatase could have formed in association with microbial weathering. Mn-oxide, only detected in the carbonate samples, seems to have two possible formation pathways, either by fluvial or microbial weathering or both. Even with our ability to detect a wide diversity of biomolecules and minerals in all of the samples, there was not enough variation between each set to distinguish different environments based on the limited measurements done for this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina M Bower
- University of Maryland, Department of Astronomy, College Park, MD 20742, USA; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA.
| | | | - Tilak Hewagama
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA.
| | - Conor A Nixon
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA.
| | - Shahid Aslam
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA.
| | - Patrick L Whelley
- University of Maryland, Department of Astronomy, College Park, MD 20742, USA; NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA.
| | | | - Feng Jin
- Brimrose Corporation of America, Sparks-Glencoe, MD 21152, USA.
| | - Jennifer Ruliffson
- University of North Florida, Department of Chemistry, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | | | - Alan C Samuels
- Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA.
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10
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Ashkenazy Y, Tziperman E. Dynamic Europa ocean shows transient Taylor columns and convection driven by ice melting and salinity. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6376. [PMID: 34737306 PMCID: PMC8569204 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26710-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The deep (~100 km) ocean of Europa, Jupiter's moon, covered by a thick icy shell, is one of the most probable places in the solar system to find extraterrestrial life. Yet, its ocean dynamics and its interaction with the ice cover have received little attention. Previous studies suggested that Europa's ocean is turbulent using a global model and taking into account non-hydrostatic effects and the full Coriolis force. Here we add critical elements, including consistent top and bottom heating boundary conditions and the effects of icy shell melting and freezing on ocean salinity. We find weak stratification that is dominated by salinity variations. The ocean exhibits strong transient convection, eddies, and zonal jets. Transient motions organize in Taylor columns parallel to Europa's axis of rotation, are static inside of the tangent cylinder and propagate equatorward outside the cylinder. The meridional oceanic heat transport is intense enough to result in a nearly uniform ice thickness, that is expected to be observable in future missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosef Ashkenazy
- Department of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics, The Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Negev, 84990, Israel.
| | - Eli Tziperman
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 20 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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11
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Maggiori C, Raymond-Bouchard I, Brennan L, Touchette D, Whyte L. MinION sequencing from sea ice cryoconites leads to de novo genome reconstruction from metagenomes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21041. [PMID: 34702846 PMCID: PMC8548342 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00026-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome reconstruction from metagenomes enables detailed study of individual community members, their metabolisms, and their survival strategies. Obtaining high quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) is particularly valuable in extreme environments like sea ice cryoconites, where the native consortia are recalcitrant to culture and strong astrobiology analogues. We evaluated three separate approaches for MAG generation from Allen Bay, Nunavut sea ice cryoconites-HiSeq-only, MinION-only, and hybrid (HiSeq + MinION)-where field MinION sequencing yielded a reliable metagenome. The hybrid assembly produced longer contigs, more coding sequences, and more total MAGs, revealing a microbial community dominated by Bacteroidetes. The hybrid MAGs also had the highest completeness, lowest contamination, and highest N50. A putatively novel species of Octadecabacter is among the hybrid MAGs produced, containing the genus's only known instances of genomic potential for nitrate reduction, denitrification, sulfate reduction, and fermentation. This study shows that the inclusion of MinION reads in traditional short read datasets leads to higher quality metagenomes and MAGs for more accurate descriptions of novel microorganisms in this extreme, transient habitat and has produced the first hybrid MAGs from an extreme environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Maggiori
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Macdonald Stewart Building, Room MS3-053, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada.
| | - Isabelle Raymond-Bouchard
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Macdonald Stewart Building, Room MS3-053, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Laura Brennan
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Macdonald Stewart Building, Room MS3-053, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - David Touchette
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Macdonald Stewart Building, Room MS3-053, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Lyle Whyte
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Macdonald Stewart Building, Room MS3-053, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada
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12
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Complex Brines and Their Implications for Habitability. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080847. [PMID: 34440591 PMCID: PMC8398403 DOI: 10.3390/life11080847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There is evidence that life on Earth originated in cold saline waters around scorching hydrothermal vents, and that similar conditions might exist or have existed on Mars, Europa, Ganymede, Enceladus, and other worlds. Could potentially habitable complex brines with extremely low freezing temperatures exist in the shallow subsurface of these frigid worlds? Earth, Mars, and carbonaceous chondrites have similar bulk elemental abundances, but while the Earth is depleted in the most volatile elements, the Icy Worlds of the outer solar system are expected to be rich in them. The cooling of ionic solutions containing substances that likely exist in the Icy Worlds could form complex brines with the lowest eutectic temperature possible for the compounds available in them. Indeed, here, we show observational and theoretical evidence that even elements present in trace amounts in nature are concentrated by freeze–thaw cycles, and therefore contribute significantly to the formation of brine reservoirs that remain liquid throughout the year in some of the coldest places on Earth. This is interesting because the eutectic temperature of water–ammonia solutions can be as low as ~160 K, and significant fractions of the mass of the Icy Worlds are estimated to be water substance and ammonia. Thus, briny solutions with eutectic temperature of at least ~160 K could have formed where, historically, temperature have oscillated above and below ~160 K. We conclude that complex brines must exist in the shallow subsurface of Mars and the Icy Worlds, and that liquid saline water should be present where ice has existed, the temperature is above ~160 K, and evaporation and sublimation have been inhibited.
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13
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Rouzie D, Lindensmith C, Nadeau J. Microscopic Object Classification through Passive Motion Observations with Holographic Microscopy. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080793. [PMID: 34440537 PMCID: PMC8401815 DOI: 10.3390/life11080793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Digital holographic microscopy provides the ability to observe throughout a volume that is large compared to its resolution without the need to actively refocus to capture the entire volume. This enables simultaneous observations of large numbers of small objects within such a volume. We have constructed a microscope that can observe a volume of 0.4 µm × 0.4 µm × 1.0 µm with submicrometer resolution (in xy) and 2 µm resolution (in z) for observation of microorganisms and minerals in liquid environments on Earth and on potential planetary missions. Because environmental samples are likely to contain mixtures of inorganics and microorganisms of comparable sizes near the resolution limit of the instrument, discrimination between living and non-living objects may be difficult. The active motion of motile organisms can be used to readily distinguish them from non-motile objects (live or inorganic), but additional methods are required to distinguish non-motile organisms and inorganic objects that are of comparable size but different composition and structure. We demonstrate the use of passive motion to make this discrimination by evaluating diffusion and buoyancy characteristics of cells, styrene beads, alumina particles, and gas-filled vesicles of micron scale in the field of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devan Rouzie
- Department of Physics, Portland State University, 1719 SW 10th Ave., Portland, OR 97201, USA;
| | - Christian Lindensmith
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA;
| | - Jay Nadeau
- Department of Physics, Portland State University, 1719 SW 10th Ave., Portland, OR 97201, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-503-795-8929
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14
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Perl SM, Celestian AJ, Cockell CS, Corsetti FA, Barge LM, Bottjer D, Filiberto J, Baxter BK, Kanik I, Potter-McIntyre S, Weber JM, Rodriguez LE, Melwani Daswani M. A Proposed Geobiology-Driven Nomenclature for Astrobiological In Situ Observations and Sample Analyses. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:954-967. [PMID: 34357788 PMCID: PMC8403179 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
As the exploration of Mars and other worlds for signs of life has increased, the need for a common nomenclature and consensus has become significantly important for proper identification of nonterrestrial/non-Earth biology, biogenic structures, and chemical processes generated from biological processes. The fact that Earth is our single data point for all life, diversity, and evolution means that there is an inherent bias toward life as we know it through our own planet's history. The search for life "as we don't know it" then brings this bias forward to decision-making regarding mission instruments and payloads. Understandably, this leads to several top-level scientific, theoretical, and philosophical questions regarding the definition of life and what it means for future life detection missions. How can we decide on how and where to detect known and unknown signs of life with a single biased data point? What features could act as universal biosignatures that support Darwinian evolution in the geological context of nonterrestrial time lines? The purpose of this article is to generate an improved nomenclature for terrestrial features that have mineral/microbial interactions within structures and to confirm which features can only exist from life (biotic), features that are modified by biological processes (biogenic), features that life does not affect (abiotic), and properties that can exist or not regardless of the presence of biology (abiogenic). These four categories are critical in understanding and deciphering future returned samples from Mars, signs of potential extinct/ancient and extant life on Mars, and in situ analyses from ocean worlds to distinguish and separate what physical structures and chemical patterns are due to life and which are not. Moreover, we discuss hypothetical detection and preservation environments for extant and extinct life, respectively. These proposed environments will take into account independent active and ancient in situ detection prospects by using previous planetary exploration studies and discuss the geobiological implications within an astrobiological context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott M. Perl
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Mineral Sciences, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute for Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Address correspondence to: Scott M. Perl, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, +USA
| | - Aaron J. Celestian
- Mineral Sciences, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Charles S. Cockell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Frank A. Corsetti
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Laura M. Barge
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute for Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - David Bottjer
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Bonnie K. Baxter
- Great Salt Lake Institute, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Isik Kanik
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Sally Potter-McIntyre
- School of Earth Systems and Sustainability, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, Illinois, USA
| | - Jessica M. Weber
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Laura E. Rodriguez
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Mohit Melwani Daswani
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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15
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Abrahamsson V, Henderson BL, Herman J, Zhong F, Lin Y, Kanik I, Nixon CA. Extraction and Separation of Chiral Amino Acids for Life Detection on Ocean Worlds Without Using Organic Solvents or Derivatization. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:575-586. [PMID: 33533680 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In situ instrumentation that can detect amino acids at parts-per-billion concentration levels and distinguish an enantiomeric excess of either d- or l-amino acids is vital for future robotic life-detection missions to promising targets in our solar system. In this article, a novel chiral amino acid analysis method is described, which reduces the risk of organic contamination and spurious signals from by-products by avoiding organic solvents and organic additives. Online solid-phase extraction, chiral liquid chromatography, and mass spectrometry were used for automated analysis of amino acids from solid and aqueous environmental samples. Carbonated water (pH ∼3, ∼5 wt % CO2 achieved at 6 MPa) was used as the extraction solvent for solid samples at 150°C and as the mobile phase at ambient temperature for chiral chromatographic separation. Of 18 enantiomeric amino acids, 5 enantiomeric pairs were separated with a chromatographic resolution >1.5 and 12 pairs with a resolution >0.7. The median lower limit of detection of amino acids was 2.5 μg/L, with the lowest experimentally verified as low as 0.25 μg/L. Samples from a geyser site (Great Fountain Geyser) and a geothermal spring site (Lemon Spring) in Yellowstone National Park were analyzed to demonstrate the viability of the method for future in situ missions to Ocean Worlds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Abrahamsson
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Bryana L Henderson
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Julia Herman
- Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Fang Zhong
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Ying Lin
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Isik Kanik
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Icy Worlds, NASA Astrobiology Institute, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Conor A Nixon
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
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16
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Seaton KM, Cable ML, Stockton AM. Analytical Chemistry in Astrobiology. Anal Chem 2021; 93:5981-5997. [PMID: 33835785 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c04271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This Feature introduces and discusses the findings of key analytical techniques used to study planetary bodies in our solar system in the search for life beyond Earth, future missions planned for high-priority astrobiology targets in our solar system, and the challenges we face in performing these investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Marshall Seaton
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Avenue NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Morgan Leigh Cable
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Amanda Michelle Stockton
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Avenue NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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17
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Ligterink NFW, Grimaudo V, Moreno-García P, Lukmanov R, Tulej M, Leya I, Lindner R, Wurz P, Cockell CS, Ehrenfreund P, Riedo A. ORIGIN: a novel and compact Laser Desorption - Mass Spectrometry system for sensitive in situ detection of amino acids on extraterrestrial surfaces. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9641. [PMID: 32541786 PMCID: PMC7296031 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66240-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
For the last four decades space exploration missions have searched for molecular life on planetary surfaces beyond Earth. Often pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry has been used as payload on such space exploration missions. These instruments have relatively low detection sensitivity and their measurements are often undermined by the presence of chloride salts and minerals. Currently, ocean worlds in the outer Solar System, such as the icy moons Europa and Enceladus, represent potentially habitable environments and are therefore prime targets for the search for biosignatures. For future space exploration missions, novel measurement concepts, capable of detecting low concentrations of biomolecules with significantly improved sensitivity and specificity are required. Here we report on a novel analytical technique for the detection of extremely low concentrations of amino acids using ORIGIN, a compact and lightweight laser desorption ionization - mass spectrometer designed and developed for in situ space exploration missions. The identified unique mass fragmentation patterns of amino acids coupled to a multi-position laser scan, allows for a robust identification and quantification of amino acids. With a detection limit of a few fmol mm-2, and the possibility for sub-fmol detection sensitivity, this measurement technique excels current space exploration systems by three orders of magnitude. Moreover, our detection method is not affected by chemical alterations through surface minerals and/or salts, such as NaCl that is expected to be present at the percent level on ocean worlds. Our results demonstrate that ORIGIN is a promising instrument for the detection of signatures of life and ready for upcoming space missions, such as the Europa Lander.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valentine Grimaudo
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Pavel Moreno-García
- Interfacial Electrochemistry Group, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rustam Lukmanov
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marek Tulej
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ingo Leya
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert Lindner
- Life Support and Physical Sciences Instrumentation Section, European Space Agency, ESTEC, Bern, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Wurz
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Charles S Cockell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, UK Centre for Astrobiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Pascale Ehrenfreund
- Laboratory for Astrophysics, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Space Policy Institute, George Washington University, 20052, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Andreas Riedo
- Laboratory for Astrophysics, Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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18
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Vance SD, Melwani Daswani M. Serpentinite and the search for life beyond Earth. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2020; 378:20180421. [PMID: 31902342 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2018.0421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogen from serpentinization is a source of chemical energy for some life forms on Earth. It is a potential fuel for life in the subsurface of Mars and in the icy ocean worlds in the outer solar system. Serpentinization is also implicated in life's origin. Planetary exploration offers a way to investigate such theories by characterizing and ultimately searching for life in geochemical settings that no longer exist on Earth. At present, much of the current context of serpentinization on other worlds relies on inference from modelling and studies on Earth. While there is evidence from orbital spectral imaging and martian meteorites that serpentinization has occurred on Mars, the extent and duration of that activity has not been constrained. Similarly, ongoing serpentinization might explain hydrogen found in the ocean of Saturn's tiny moon Enceladus, but this raises questions about how long such activity has persisted. Titan's hydrocarbon-rich atmosphere may derive from ancient or present-day serpentinization at the bottom of its ocean. In Europa, volcanism or serpentinization may provide hydrogen as a redox couple to oxygen generated at the moon's surface. We assess the potential extent of serpentinization in the solar system's wet and rocky worlds, assuming that microfracturing from thermal expansion anisotropy sets an upper limit on the percolation depth of surface water into the rocky interiors. In this bulk geophysical model, planetary cooling from radiogenic decay implies the infiltration of water to greater depths through time, continuing to the present. The serpentinization of this newly exposed rock is assessed as a significant source of global hydrogen. Comparing the computed hydrogen and surface-generated oxygen delivered to Europa's ocean reveals redox fluxes similar to Earth's. Planned robotic exploration missions to other worlds can aid in understanding the planetary context of serpentinization, testing the predictions herein. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Serpentinite in the Earth System'.
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Affiliation(s)
- S D Vance
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8001, USA
| | - M Melwani Daswani
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8001, USA
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19
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Abrahamsson V, Henderson BL, Zhong F, Lin Y, Kanik I. Online supercritical fluid extraction and chromatography of biomarkers analysis in aqueous samples for in situ planetary applications. Anal Bioanal Chem 2019; 411:8091-8101. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-019-02189-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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20
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Royle SH, Watson JS, Zhang Y, Chatzitheoklitos G, Sephton MA. Solid Phase Micro Extraction: Potential for Organic Contamination Control for Planetary Protection of Life-Detection Missions to the Icy Moons of the Outer Solar System. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1153-1166. [PMID: 31216175 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Conclusively detecting, or ruling out the possibility of, life on the icy moons of the outer Solar System will require spacecraft missions to undergo rigorous planetary protection and contamination control procedures to achieve extremely low levels of organic terrestrial contamination. Contamination control is necessary to avoid forward contamination of the body of interest and to avoid the detection of false-positive signals, which could either mask indigenous organic chemistry of interest or cause an astrobiological false alarm. Here we test a new method for rapidly and inexpensively assessing the organic cleanliness of spaceflight hardware surfaces using solid phase micro extraction (SPME) fibers to directly swab surfaces. The results suggest that the method is both time and cost efficient. The SPME-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) method is sensitive to common midweight, nonpolar contaminant compounds, for example, aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, which are common contaminants in laboratory settings. While we demonstrate the potential of SPME for surface sampling, the GC-MS instrumentation restricts the SPME-GC-MS technique's sensitivity to larger polar and nonvolatile compounds. Although not used in this study, to increase the potential range of detectable compounds, SPME can also be used in conjunction with high-performance liquid chromatography/liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry systems suitable for polar analytes (Kataoka et al., 2000). Thus, our SPME method presents an opportunity to monitor organic contamination in a relatively rapid and routine way that produces information-rich data sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel H Royle
- Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Earth Science and Engineering, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jonathan S Watson
- Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Earth Science and Engineering, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Yuting Zhang
- Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Earth Science and Engineering, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Georgios Chatzitheoklitos
- Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Earth Science and Engineering, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Mark A Sephton
- Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, Earth Science and Engineering, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, UK
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21
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Rennó NO, Backhus R, Cooper C, Flatico JM, Fischer E, Greer LC, Krasowski MJ, Kremic T, Martínez GM, Prokop NF, Sweeney D, Vicente-Retortillo A. A Simple Instrument Suite for Characterizing Habitability and Weathering: The Modern Aqueous Habitat Reconnaissance Suite (MAHRS). ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:849-866. [PMID: 30964330 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The shallow subsurface of Mars is extremely interesting as a possible microbial habitat because it becomes temporarily wet, it is shielded from radiation, and mixing by aeolian processes could provide the sources of energy and nutrients necessary for sustaining microbial life in it. The Modern Aqueous Habitat Reconnaissance Suite (MAHRS) was developed primarily to search for potentially habitable environments in the shallow subsurface of Mars and to study weathering, but it can also be used to search for potentially habitable environments in the shallow subsurface of other planetary bodies such as the Icy Worlds. MAHRS includes an instrument developed to measure regolith wetness and search for brine in the shallow subsurface of Mars, where it is most likely to be found. The detection of brine can aid in our understanding not only of habitability but also of geochemistry and aqueous weathering processes. Besides the regolith wetness sensor, MAHRS includes an electric field sensor, an optical microscope, and a radiometer developed to characterize the near-surface environment and study mixing by aeolian processes. MAHRS was designed to aid in the selection of optimum areas for sample collection for return to Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- N O Rennó
- 1Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - R Backhus
- 2Space Physics Research Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - C Cooper
- 2Space Physics Research Laboratory, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | | | - E Fischer
- 1Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - L C Greer
- 4NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | - T Kremic
- 3Ohio Aerospace Institute, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - G M Martínez
- 1Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - N F Prokop
- 4NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - David Sweeney
- 1Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - A Vicente-Retortillo
- 1Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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22
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Ashkenazy Y. The surface temperature of Europa. Heliyon 2019; 5:e01908. [PMID: 31294099 PMCID: PMC6595243 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e01908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous estimates of the annual mean surface temperature of Jupiter's moon, Europa, neglected the effect of the eccentricity of Jupiter's orbit around the Sun, the effect of the emissivity and heat capacity of Europa's ice, the effect of the eclipse of Europa (i.e., the relative time that Europa is within the shadow of Jupiter), the effect of Jupiter's radiation, and the effect of Europa's internal heating. Other studies concentrated on the diurnal cycle but neglected some of the above factors. In addition, to our knowledge, the seasonal cycle of the surface temperature of Europa was not estimated. Here we systematically estimate the diurnal, seasonal and annual mean surface temperature of Europa, when Europa's obliquity, emissivity, heat capacity, and eclipse, as well as Jupiter's radiation, internal heating, and eccentricity, are all taken into account. For a typical internal heating rate of 0.05 W m - 2 , the equator, pole, and the global and mean annual mean surface temperatures are 96 K, 46 K, and 90 K, respectively. We found that the temperature at the high latitudes is significantly affected by the internal heating, especially during the winter solstice, suggesting that measurements of high latitude surface temperatures can be used to constrain the internal heating. We also estimate the incoming solar radiation to Enceladus, the moon of Saturn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosef Ashkenazy
- Department of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics, BIDR, Ben-Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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23
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24
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Cooper JF. Biosignature hide and seek. NATURE ASTRONOMY 2018; 2:617-618. [PMID: 30713998 PMCID: PMC6351077 DOI: 10.1038/s41550-018-0542-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A new model predicts locations on the surface of radiation-blasted Europa, the ocean moon of Jupiter, where biochemical signatures of life emergent from the subsurface ocean might survive long enough for detection on the moon's changing surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F Cooper
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
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25
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Vance SD, Kedar S, Panning MP, Stähler SC, Bills BG, Lorenz RD, Huang HH, Pike WT, Castillo JC, Lognonné P, Tsai VC, Rhoden AR. Vital Signs: Seismology of Icy Ocean Worlds. ASTROBIOLOGY 2018; 18:37-53. [PMID: 29345986 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2016.1612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Ice-covered ocean worlds possess diverse energy sources and associated mechanisms that are capable of driving significant seismic activity, but to date no measurements of their seismic activity have been obtained. Such investigations could reveal the transport properties and radial structures, with possibilities for locating and characterizing trapped liquids that may host life and yielding critical constraints on redox fluxes and thus on habitability. Modeling efforts have examined seismic sources from tectonic fracturing and impacts. Here, we describe other possible seismic sources, their associations with science questions constraining habitability, and the feasibility of implementing such investigations. We argue, by analogy with the Moon, that detectable seismic activity should occur frequently on tidally flexed ocean worlds. Their ices fracture more easily than rocks and dissipate more tidal energy than the <1 GW of the Moon and Mars. Icy ocean worlds also should create less thermal noise due to their greater distance and consequently smaller diurnal temperature variations. They also lack substantial atmospheres (except in the case of Titan) that would create additional noise. Thus, seismic experiments could be less complex and less susceptible to noise than prior or planned planetary seismology investigations of the Moon or Mars. Key Words: Seismology-Redox-Ocean worlds-Europa-Ice-Hydrothermal. Astrobiology 18, 37-53.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven D Vance
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Sharon Kedar
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Mark P Panning
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Simon C Stähler
- 2 Institute of Geophysics , ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- 3 Leibniz-Institute for Baltic Sea Research (IOW) , Rostock, Germany
| | - Bruce G Bills
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Ralph D Lorenz
- 4 Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory , Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Hsin-Hua Huang
- 5 Institute of Earth Sciences , Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- 6 Seismological Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California, USA
| | - W T Pike
- 7 Optical and Semiconductor Devices Group, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College , London, UK
| | - Julie C Castillo
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Philippe Lognonné
- 8 Univ Paris Diderot-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris , Paris, France
| | - Victor C Tsai
- 6 Seismological Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Alyssa R Rhoden
- 9 School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona, USA
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26
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Uckert K, Chanover NJ, Getty S, Voelz DG, Brinckerhoff WB, McMillan N, Xiao X, Boston PJ, Li X, McAdam A, Glenar DA, Chavez A. The Characterization of Biosignatures in Caves Using an Instrument Suite. ASTROBIOLOGY 2017; 17:1203-1218. [PMID: 29227156 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2016.1568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The search for life and habitable environments on other Solar System bodies is a major motivator for planetary exploration. Due to the difficulty and significance of detecting extant or extinct extraterrestrial life in situ, several independent measurements from multiple instrument techniques will bolster the community's confidence in making any such claim. We demonstrate the detection of subsurface biosignatures using a suite of instrument techniques including IR reflectance spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. We focus our measurements on subterranean calcium carbonate field samples, whose biosignatures are analogous to those that might be expected on some high-interest astrobiology targets. In this work, we discuss the feasibility and advantages of using each of the aforementioned instrument techniques for the in situ search for biosignatures and present results on the autonomous characterization of biosignatures using multivariate statistical analysis techniques. Key Words: Biosignature suites-Caves-Mars-Life detection. Astrobiology 17, 1203-1218.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Uckert
- 1 Department of Astronomy, New Mexico State University , Las Cruces, New Mexico
| | - Nancy J Chanover
- 1 Department of Astronomy, New Mexico State University , Las Cruces, New Mexico
| | | | - David G Voelz
- 3 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Mexico State University , Las Cruces, New Mexico
| | | | - Nancy McMillan
- 4 Department of Geological Sciences, New Mexico State University , Las Cruces, New Mexico
| | - Xifeng Xiao
- 3 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Mexico State University , Las Cruces, New Mexico
| | - Penelope J Boston
- 5 NASA Astrobiology Institute , NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
| | - Xiang Li
- 6 University of Maryland , Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Amy McAdam
- 2 NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center , Greenbelt, Maryland
| | - David A Glenar
- 6 University of Maryland , Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Arriana Chavez
- 4 Department of Geological Sciences, New Mexico State University , Las Cruces, New Mexico
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Chela-Flores J. Instrumentation for Testing Whether the Icy Moons of the Gas and Ice Giants Are Inhabited. ASTROBIOLOGY 2017; 17:958-961. [PMID: 29019413 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2016.1621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Evidence of life beyond Earth may be closer than we think, given that the forthcoming missions to the jovian system will be equipped with instruments capable of probing Europa's icy surface for possible biosignatures, including chemical biomarkers, despite the strong radiation environment. Geochemical biomarkers may also exist beyond Europa on icy moons of the gas giants. Sulfur is proposed as a reliable geochemical biomarker for approved and forthcoming missions to the outer solar system. Key Words: JUICE mission-Clipper mission-Geochemical biomarkers-Europa-Moons of the ice giants-Geochemistry-Mass spectrometry. Astrobiology 17, 958-961.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Chela-Flores
- 1 The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics , Trieste, Italy
- 2 IDEA, Fundacion Instituto de Estudios Avanzados Caracas , República Bolivariana de Venezuela
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28
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Davis A. A Prototype Ice-Melting Probe for Collecting Biological Samples from Cryogenic Ice at Low Pressure. ASTROBIOLOGY 2017; 17:709-720. [PMID: 28820643 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2016.1514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In the Solar System, the surface of an icy moon is composed of irregular ice formations at cryogenic temperatures (<200 K), with an oxidized surface layer and a tenuous atmosphere at very low pressure (<10-6 atm). A lander mission, whose aim is to collect and analyze biological samples from the surface ice, must contain a device that collects samples without refreezing liquid and without sublimation of ice. In addition, if the samples are biological in nature, then precautions must be taken to ensure the samples do not overheat or mix with the oxidized layer. To achieve these conditions, the collector must maintain temperatures close to maintenance or growth conditions of the organism (<293 K), and it must separate or neutralize the oxidized layer and be physically gentle. Here, we describe a device that addresses these requirements and is compatible with low atmospheric pressure while using no pumps. The device contains a heated conical probe with a central orifice, which is forced into surface ice and directs the meltwater upward into a reservoir. The force on the probe is proportional to the height of meltwater (pressure) obtained in the system and allows regulation of the melt rate and temperature of the sample. The device can collect 5-50 mL of meltwater from the surface of an ice block at 233-208 K with an environmental pressure of less than 10-2 atm while maintaining a sample temperature between 273 and 293 K. These conditions maintain most biological samples in a pristine state and maintain the integrity of most organisms' structure and function. Key Words: Europa-Icy moon-Microbe-Eukaryote-Spacecraft. Astrobiology 17, 709-720.
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29
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Pascal R. Physicochemical Requirements Inferred for Chemical Self-Organization Hardly Support an Emergence of Life in the Deep Oceans of Icy Moons. ASTROBIOLOGY 2016; 16:328-334. [PMID: 27116590 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2015.1412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED An approach to the origin of life, focused on the property of entities capable of reproducing themselves far from equilibrium, has been developed recently. Independently, the possibility of the emergence of life in the hydrothermal systems possibly present in the deep oceans below the frozen crust of some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn has been raised. The present report is aimed at investigating the mutual compatibility of these alternative views. In this approach, the habitability concept deduced from the limits of life on Earth is considered to be inappropriate with regard to emerging life due to the requirement for an energy source of sufficient potential (equivalent to the potential of visible light). For these icy moons, no driving force would have been present to assist the process of emergence, which would then have had to rely exclusively on highly improbable events, thereby making the presence of life unlikely on these Solar System bodies, that is, unless additional processes are introduced for feeding chemical systems undergoing a transition toward life and the early living organisms. KEY WORDS Icy moon-Bioenergetics-Chemical evolution-Habitability-Origin of life. Astrobiology 16, 328-334.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Pascal
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM, UMR 5247, CNRS/Université de Montpellier/ENSCM), Montpellier, France
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30
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Mikucki JA, Lee PA, Ghosh D, Purcell AM, Mitchell AC, Mankoff KD, Fisher AT, Tulaczyk S, Carter S, Siegfried MR, Fricker HA, Hodson T, Coenen J, Powell R, Scherer R, Vick-Majors T, Achberger AA, Christner BC, Tranter M. Subglacial Lake Whillans microbial biogeochemistry: a synthesis of current knowledge. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2016; 374:rsta.2014.0290. [PMID: 26667908 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2014.0290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Liquid water occurs below glaciers and ice sheets globally, enabling the existence of an array of aquatic microbial ecosystems. In Antarctica, large subglacial lakes are present beneath hundreds to thousands of metres of ice, and scientific interest in exploring these environments has escalated over the past decade. After years of planning, the first team of scientists and engineers cleanly accessed and retrieved pristine samples from a West Antarctic subglacial lake ecosystem in January 2013. This paper reviews the findings to date on Subglacial Lake Whillans and presents new supporting data on the carbon and energy metabolism of resident microbes. The analysis of water and sediments from the lake revealed a diverse microbial community composed of bacteria and archaea that are close relatives of species known to use reduced N, S or Fe and CH4 as energy sources. The water chemistry of Subglacial Lake Whillans was dominated by weathering products from silicate minerals with a minor influence from seawater. Contributions to water chemistry from microbial sulfide oxidation and carbonation reactions were supported by genomic data. Collectively, these results provide unequivocal evidence that subglacial environments in this region of West Antarctica host active microbial ecosystems that participate in subglacial biogeochemical cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Mikucki
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA Department of Biology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA
| | - P A Lee
- Hollings Marine Lab, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
| | - D Ghosh
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - A M Purcell
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - A C Mitchell
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
| | - K D Mankoff
- Department of Geosciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - A T Fisher
- Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - S Tulaczyk
- Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - S Carter
- Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - M R Siegfried
- Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - H A Fricker
- Institute for Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - T Hodson
- Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Northern, Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
| | - J Coenen
- Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Northern, Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
| | - R Powell
- Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Northern, Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
| | - R Scherer
- Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences Northern, Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
| | - T Vick-Majors
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - A A Achberger
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - B C Christner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - M Tranter
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1SS, UK
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31
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Lindensmith CA, Rider S, Bedrossian M, Wallace JK, Serabyn E, Showalter GM, Deming JW, Nadeau JL. A Submersible, Off-Axis Holographic Microscope for Detection of Microbial Motility and Morphology in Aqueous and Icy Environments. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147700. [PMID: 26812683 PMCID: PMC4728210 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea ice is an analog environment for several of astrobiology’s near-term targets: Mars, Europa, Enceladus, and perhaps other Jovian or Saturnian moons. Microorganisms, both eukaryotic and prokaryotic, remain active within brine channels inside the ice, making it unnecessary to penetrate through to liquid water below in order to detect life. We have developed a submersible digital holographic microscope (DHM) that is capable of resolving individual bacterial cells, and demonstrated its utility for immediately imaging samples taken directly from sea ice at several locations near Nuuk, Greenland. In all samples, the appearance and motility of eukaryotes were conclusive signs of life. The appearance of prokaryotic cells alone was not sufficient to confirm life, but when prokaryotic motility occurred, it was rapid and conclusive. Warming the samples to above-freezing temperatures or supplementing with serine increased the number of motile cells and the speed of motility; supplementing with serine also stimulated chemotaxis. These results show that DHM is a useful technique for detection of active organisms in extreme environments, and that motility may be used as a biosignature in the liquid brines that persist in ice. These findings have important implications for the design of missions to icy environments and suggest ways in which DHM imaging may be integrated with chemical life-detection suites in order to create more conclusive life detection packages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian A. Lindensmith
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, United States of America
| | - Stephanie Rider
- Graduate Aerospace Laboratories (GALCIT), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, United States of America
| | - Manuel Bedrossian
- Graduate Aerospace Laboratories (GALCIT), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, United States of America
| | - J. Kent Wallace
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, United States of America
| | - Eugene Serabyn
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, United States of America
| | - G. Max Showalter
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States of America
| | - Jody W. Deming
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States of America
| | - Jay L. Nadeau
- Graduate Aerospace Laboratories (GALCIT), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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32
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Abedin MN, Bradley AT, Sharma SK, Misra AK, Lucey PG, McKay CP, Ismail S, Sandford SP. Mineralogy and astrobiology detection using laser remote sensing instrument. APPLIED OPTICS 2015; 54:7598-7611. [PMID: 26368883 DOI: 10.1364/ao.54.007598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A multispectral instrument based on Raman, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), and a lidar system provides high-fidelity scientific investigations, scientific input, and science operation constraints in the context of planetary field campaigns with the Jupiter Europa Robotic Lander and Mars Sample Return mission opportunities. This instrument conducts scientific investigations analogous to investigations anticipated for missions to Mars and Jupiter's icy moons. This combined multispectral instrument is capable of performing Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy out to a >100 m target distance from the rover system and provides single-wavelength atmospheric profiling over long ranges (>20 km). In this article, we will reveal integrated remote Raman, LIF, and lidar technologies for use in robotic and lander-based planetary remote sensing applications. Discussions are focused on recently developed Raman, LIF, and lidar systems in addition to emphasizing surface water ice, surface and subsurface minerals, organics, biogenic, biomarker identification, atmospheric aerosols and clouds distributions, i.e., near-field atmospheric thin layers detection for next robotic-lander based instruments to measure all the above-mentioned parameters.
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33
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Barge LM, Cardoso SSS, Cartwright JHE, Cooper GJT, Cronin L, De Wit A, Doloboff IJ, Escribano B, Goldstein RE, Haudin F, Jones DEH, Mackay AL, Maselko J, Pagano JJ, Pantaleone J, Russell MJ, Sainz-Díaz CI, Steinbock O, Stone DA, Tanimoto Y, Thomas NL. From Chemical Gardens to Chemobrionics. Chem Rev 2015; 115:8652-703. [PMID: 26176351 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Barge
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Silvana S S Cardoso
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 3RA, United Kingdom
| | - Julyan H E Cartwright
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-Universidad de Granada , E-18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Geoffrey J T Cooper
- WestCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow , Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Leroy Cronin
- WestCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow , Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Anne De Wit
- Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit, CP231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ivria J Doloboff
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Bruno Escribano
- Basque Center for Applied Mathematics , E-48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Raymond E Goldstein
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB3 0WA, United Kingdom
| | - Florence Haudin
- Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit, CP231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - David E H Jones
- Department of Chemistry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne , Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Alan L Mackay
- Birkbeck College, University of London , Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Jerzy Maselko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alaska , Anchorage, Alaska 99508, United States
| | - Jason J Pagano
- Department of Chemistry, Saginaw Valley State University , University Center, Michigan 48710-0001, United States
| | - J Pantaleone
- Department of Physics, University of Alaska , Anchorage, Alaska 99508, United States
| | - Michael J Russell
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - C Ignacio Sainz-Díaz
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-Universidad de Granada , E-18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Oliver Steinbock
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University , Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4390, United States
| | - David A Stone
- Iron Shell LLC , Tucson, Arizona 85717, United States
| | - Yoshifumi Tanimoto
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University , Tondabayashi 548-8540, Japan
| | - Noreen L Thomas
- Department of Materials, Loughborough University , Loughborough LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
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Harris LV, Hutchinson IB, Ingley R, Marshall CP, Olcott Marshall A, Edwards HG. Selection of Portable Spectrometers for Planetary Exploration: A Comparison of 532 nm and 785 nm Raman Spectroscopy of Reduced Carbon in Archean Cherts. ASTROBIOLOGY 2015; 15:420-9. [PMID: 26060980 PMCID: PMC4490632 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2014.1220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge and understanding of the martian environment has advanced greatly over the past two decades, beginning with NASA's return to the surface of Mars with the Pathfinder mission and its rover Sojourner in 1997 and continuing today with data being returned by the Curiosity rover. Reduced carbon, however, is yet to be detected on the martian surface, despite its abundance in meteorites originating from the planet. If carbon is detected on Mars, it could be a remnant of extinct life, although an abiotic source is much more likely. If the latter is the case, environmental carbonaceous material would still provide a source of carbon that could be utilized by microbial life for biochemical synthesis and could therefore act as a marker for potential habitats, indicating regions that should be investigated further. For this reason, the detection and characterization of reduced or organic carbon is a top priority for both the ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars rover, currently due for launch in 2018, and for NASA's Mars 2020 mission. Here, we present a Raman spectroscopic study of Archean chert Mars analog samples from the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. Raman spectra were acquired with a flight-representative 532 nm instrument and a 785 nm instrument with similar operating parameters. Reduced carbon was successfully detected with both instruments; however, its Raman bands were detected more readily with 785 nm excitation, and the corresponding spectra exhibited superior signal-to-noise ratios and reduced background levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam V. Harris
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Ian B. Hutchinson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Richard Ingley
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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Shelor CP, Dasgupta PK, Aubrey A, Davila AF, Lee MC, McKay CP, Liu Y, Noell AC. What can in situ ion chromatography offer for Mars exploration? ASTROBIOLOGY 2014; 14:577-588. [PMID: 24963874 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.1131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The successes of the Mars exploration program have led to our unprecedented knowledge of the geological, mineralogical, and elemental composition of the martian surface. To date, however, only one mission, the Phoenix lander, has specifically set out to determine the soluble chemistry of the martian surface. The surprising results, including the detection of perchlorate, demonstrated both the importance of performing soluble ion measurements and the need for improved instrumentation to unambiguously identify all the species present. Ion chromatography (IC) is the state-of-the-art technique for soluble ion analysis on Earth and would therefore be the ideal instrument to send to Mars. A flight IC system must necessarily be small, lightweight, low-power, and have low eluent consumption. We demonstrate here a breadboard system that addresses these issues by using capillary IC at low flow rates with an optimized eluent generator and suppressor. A mix of 12 ions known or plausible for the martian soil, including 4 (oxy)chlorine species, has been separated at flow rates ranging from 1 to 10 μL/min, requiring as little as 200 psi at 1.0 μL/min. This allowed the use of pneumatic displacement pumping from a pressurized aluminum eluent reservoir and the elimination of the high-pressure pump entirely (the single heaviest and most energy-intensive component). All ions could be separated and detected effectively from 0.5 to 100 μM, even when millimolar concentrations of perchlorate were present in the same mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Phillip Shelor
- 1 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Arlington , Arlington, Texas
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