1
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Barat A, Powner MW. Spontaneous Peptide Ligation Mediated by Cysteamine. JACS AU 2024; 4:1752-1757. [PMID: 38818061 PMCID: PMC11134366 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00243] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The fundamental and universal nature of life's exploitation of peptides suggests they must have played a vital role during the onset of life, but their spontaneous chemoselective synthesis in water remains unknown. Aminonitriles (1) are widely accepted as prebiotic precursors of both amino acids and peptides, but they do not spontaneously polymerize in water to yield peptides. Here, we demonstrate that the simple prebiotically plausible aminothiol, cysteamine (5), participates in Strecker chemistry to furnish β-mercaptoethyl-α-aminonitriles (8) and β-mercaptoethyl-amino acids (16), which are predisposed to spontaneously form peptides in water. Intramolecular thiol catalyzed ligation is faster, higher-yielding, and more α-selective than previously reported prebiotic peptide ligation chemistries, enabling, for example, the highly regioselective α-ligation of Asp- and Glu-dinitriles in quantitative yields. Our findings suggest that cysteamine (5), the thiol bearing moiety of the universal thiol cofactor coenzyme A, may have played an important role in the selective chemical synthesis of prebiotic α-peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Barat
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew W. Powner
- Department
of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
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2
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Wilson CF, Marcq E, Gillmann C, Widemann T, Korablev O, Mueller NT, Lefèvre M, Rimmer PB, Robert S, Zolotov MY. Possible Effects of Volcanic Eruptions on the Modern Atmosphere of Venus. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2024; 220:31. [PMID: 38585189 PMCID: PMC10997549 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-024-01054-5] [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: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
This work reviews possible signatures and potential detectability of present-day volcanically emitted material in the atmosphere of Venus. We first discuss the expected composition of volcanic gases at present time, addressing how this is related to mantle composition and atmospheric pressure. Sulfur dioxide, often used as a marker of volcanic activity in Earth's atmosphere, has been observed since late 1970s to exhibit variability at the Venus' cloud tops at time scales from hours to decades; however, this variability may be associated with solely atmospheric processes. Water vapor is identified as a particularly valuable tracer for volcanic plumes because it can be mapped from orbit at three different tropospheric altitude ranges, and because of its apparent low background variability. We note that volcanic gas plumes could be either enhanced or depleted in water vapor compared to the background atmosphere, depending on magmatic volatile composition. Non-gaseous components of volcanic plumes, such as ash grains and/or cloud aerosol particles, are another investigation target of orbital and in situ measurements. We discuss expectations of in situ and remote measurements of volcanic plumes in the atmosphere with particular focus on the upcoming DAVINCI, EnVision and VERITAS missions, as well as possible future missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin F. Wilson
- European Space Agency, Keplerlaan 1, 2201, AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands
- Physics Dept, Oxford University, Oxford, OX1 3PU UK
| | - Emmanuel Marcq
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Sorbonne Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - Cédric Gillmann
- Institut für Geophysik, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, ETH Zurich, Sonneggstraße 5, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Widemann
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, DYPAC, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Oleg Korablev
- Space Research Institute (IKI), Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117997 Russia
| | - Nils T. Mueller
- Institute for Planetary Research, DLR, Rutherfordstraße 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Geosciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Malteserstr. 74-100, 12249 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maxence Lefèvre
- LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Sorbonne Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - Paul B. Rimmer
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0HE UK
| | - Séverine Robert
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mikhail Y. Zolotov
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1404 USA
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3
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Mráziková K, Knížek A, Saeidfirozeh H, Petera L, Civiš S, Saija F, Cassone G, Rimmer PB, Ferus M. A Novel Abiotic Pathway for Phosphine Synthesis over Acidic Dust in Venus' Atmosphere. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:407-422. [PMID: 38603526 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0046] [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: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Recent ground-based observations of Venus have detected a single spectral feature consistent with phosphine (PH3) in the middle atmosphere, a gas which has been suggested as a biosignature on rocky planets. The presence of PH3 in the oxidized atmosphere of Venus has not yet been explained by any abiotic process. However, state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical research published in previous works demonstrated a photochemical origin of another potential biosignature-the hydride methane-from carbon dioxide over acidic mineral surfaces on Mars. The production of methane includes formation of the HC · O radical. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations predict an energetically plausible reaction network leading to PH3, involving either HC · O or H· radicals. We suggest that, similarly to the photochemical formation of methane over acidic minerals already discussed for Mars, the origin of PH3 in Venus' atmosphere could be explained by radical chemistry starting with the reaction of ·PO with HC·O, the latter being produced by reduction of CO2 over acidic dust in upper atmospheric layers of Venus by ultraviolet radiation. HPO, H2P·O, and H3P·OH have been identified as key intermediate species in our model pathway for phosphine synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaudia Mráziková
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Antonín Knížek
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Homa Saeidfirozeh
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Lukáš Petera
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Svatopluk Civiš
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Franz Saija
- Institute for Physical-Chemical Processes, National Research Council of Italy (IPCF-CNR), Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Cassone
- Institute for Physical-Chemical Processes, National Research Council of Italy (IPCF-CNR), Messina, Italy
| | - Paul B Rimmer
- University of Cambridge, Cavendish Astrophysics, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Ferus
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
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4
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Petkowski JJ, Seager S, Grinspoon DH, Bains W, Ranjan S, Rimmer PB, Buchanan WP, Agrawal R, Mogul R, Carr CE. Astrobiological Potential of Venus Atmosphere Chemical Anomalies and Other Unexplained Cloud Properties. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:343-370. [PMID: 38452176 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0060] [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: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Long-standing unexplained Venus atmosphere observations and chemical anomalies point to unknown chemistry but also leave room for the possibility of life. The unexplained observations include several gases out of thermodynamic equilibrium (e.g., tens of ppm O2, the possible presence of PH3 and NH3, SO2 and H2O vertical abundance profiles), an unknown composition of large, lower cloud particles, and the "unknown absorber(s)." Here we first review relevant properties of the venusian atmosphere and then describe the atmospheric chemical anomalies and how they motivate future astrobiology missions to Venus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janusz J Petkowski
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
- JJ Scientific, Mazowieckie, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sara Seager
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - William Bains
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sukrit Ranjan
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Department of Planetary Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Paul B Rimmer
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
| | - Weston P Buchanan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Rachana Agrawal
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rakesh Mogul
- California Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Christopher E Carr
- School of Aerospace Engineering and School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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5
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Nikitin AV, Campargue A, Protasevich AE, Rey M, Sung K, Tyuterev VG. Analysis of experimental spectra of phosphine in the Tetradecad range near 2.3 μm using ab initio calculations. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2023; 302:122896. [PMID: 37331254 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.122896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Due to its major interest for the chemistry of planetary atmospheres and exobiology, accurate spectroscopy data of phosphine are required for the search of signatures of this molecule in astronomical observations. In this work, high resolution infrared laboratory spectra of phosphine were analyzed for the first time in the full Tetradecad region (3769-4763 cm-1) involving 26 rotationally resolved bands. Overall, 3242 lines were assigned in spectra previously recorded by Fourier transform spectroscopy at temperatures 200 K and 296 K, using a combined theoretical model based on ab initio calculations. The total nuclear motion Hamiltonian of PH3 including ab initio potential energy surface, was reduced to an effective Hamiltonian using the high-order contact transformation method adapted to vibrational polyads of the AB3 symmetric top molecules, followed by empirical optimization of the parameters. At this step, the experimental line positions were reproduced with a standard deviation of 0.0026 cm-1 that provided unambiguous identification of observed transitions. The effective dipole transition moments of the bands were obtained by fitting to the intensities obtained from variational calculations using the ab initio dipole moment surface. The assigned lines were used to newly determine 1609 experimental vibration-rotational levels up to Jmax = 18 with energy in the range 3896-6037 cm-1 that represents significant extension towards higher energies compared to previous works. Transitions for all 26 sublevels of the Tetradecad were identified but with noticeably fewer transitions for fourfold excited bands because of their weaker intensity. At the final step, pressure-broadened half widths were attached to each transition and a composite line list adopting ab initio intensities and empirical line positions corrected to the accuracy of about 0.001 cm-1 for strong and medium transitions was validated against experimental spectra available in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- A V Nikitin
- Laboratory of Theoretical Spectroscopy, V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics, SB RAS, 1, Academician Zuev square, 634021 Tomsk, Russia.
| | - A Campargue
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, LIPhy, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - A E Protasevich
- Laboratory of Theoretical Spectroscopy, V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics, SB RAS, 1, Academician Zuev square, 634021 Tomsk, Russia
| | - M Rey
- Groupe de Spectrométrie Moléculaire et Atmosphérique, UMR CNRS 7331, Université de Reims, U.F.R. Sciences, B.P. 1039, 51687 Reims Cedex 2, France
| | - K Sung
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - Vl G Tyuterev
- Laboratory of Theoretical Spectroscopy, V.E. Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics, SB RAS, 1, Academician Zuev square, 634021 Tomsk, Russia
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6
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Foote S, Sinhadc P, Mathis C, Walker SI. False Positives and the Challenge of Testing the Alien Hypothesis. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:1189-1201. [PMID: 37962842 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0005] [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: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The origin of life and the detection of alien life have historically been treated as separate scientific research problems. However, they are not strictly independent. Here, we discuss the need for a better integration of the sciences of life detection and origins of life. Framing these dual problems within the formalism of Bayesian hypothesis testing, we demonstrate via simple examples how high confidence in life detection claims require either (1) a strong prior hypothesis about the existence of life in a particular alien environment, or conversely, (2) signatures of life that are not susceptible to false positives. As a case study, we discuss the role of priors and hypothesis testing in recent results reporting potential detection of life in the venusian atmosphere and in the icy plumes of Enceladus. While many current leading biosignature candidates are subject to false positives because they are not definitive of life, our analyses demonstrate why it is necessary to shift focus to candidate signatures that are definitive. This indicates a necessity to develop methods that lack substantial false positives, by using observables for life that rely on prior hypotheses with strong theoretical and empirical support in identifying defining features of life. Abstract theories developed in pursuit of understanding universal features of life are more likely to be definitive and to apply to life-as-we-don't-know-it. We discuss Molecular Assembly theory as an example of such an observable which is applicable to life detection within the solar system. In the absence of alien examples these are best validated in origin of life experiments, substantiating the need for better integration between origins of life and biosignature science research communities. This leads to a conclusion that extraordinary claims in astrobiology (e.g., definitive detection of alien life) require extraordinary explanations, whereas the evidence itself could be quite ordinary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Searra Foote
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Pritvik Sinhadc
- Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Dubai College, Dubai, UAE
| | - Cole Mathis
- Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
| | - Sara Imari Walker
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute for Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
- ASU-SFI Center for Biosocial Complex Systems, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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7
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Reyes-Umana V, Ewens SD, Meier DAO, Coates JD. Integration of molecular and computational approaches paints a holistic portrait of obscure metabolisms. mBio 2023; 14:e0043123. [PMID: 37855625 PMCID: PMC10746228 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00431-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are essential drivers of earth's geochemical cycles. However, the significance of elemental redox cycling mediated by microorganisms is often underestimated beyond the most well-studied nutrient cycles. Phosphite, (per)chlorate, and iodate are each considered esoteric substrates metabolized by microorganisms. However, recent investigations have indicated that these metabolisms are widespread and ubiquitous, affirming a need to continue studying the underlying microbiology to understand their biogeochemical effects and their interface with each other and our biosphere. This review focuses on combining canonical techniques of culturing microorganisms with modern omic approaches to further our understanding of obscure metabolic pathways and elucidate their importance in global biogeochemical cycles. Using these approaches, marker genes of interest have already been identified for phosphite, (per)chlorate, and iodate using traditional microbial physiology and genetics. Subsequently, their presence was queried to reveal the distribution of metabolic pathways in the environment using publicly available databases. In conjunction with each other, computational and experimental techniques provide a more comprehensive understanding of the location of these microorganisms, their underlying biochemistry and genetics, and how they tie into our planet's geochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Reyes-Umana
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Sophia D. Ewens
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - David A. O. Meier
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - John D. Coates
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
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8
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Hallsworth JE, Udaondo Z, Pedrós‐Alió C, Höfer J, Benison KC, Lloyd KG, Cordero RJB, de Campos CBL, Yakimov MM, Amils R. Scientific novelty beyond the experiment. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1131-1173. [PMID: 36786388 PMCID: PMC10221578 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Practical experiments drive important scientific discoveries in biology, but theory-based research studies also contribute novel-sometimes paradigm-changing-findings. Here, we appraise the roles of theory-based approaches focusing on the experiment-dominated wet-biology research areas of microbial growth and survival, cell physiology, host-pathogen interactions, and competitive or symbiotic interactions. Additional examples relate to analyses of genome-sequence data, climate change and planetary health, habitability, and astrobiology. We assess the importance of thought at each step of the research process; the roles of natural philosophy, and inconsistencies in logic and language, as drivers of scientific progress; the value of thought experiments; the use and limitations of artificial intelligence technologies, including their potential for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research; and other instances when theory is the most-direct and most-scientifically robust route to scientific novelty including the development of techniques for practical experimentation or fieldwork. We highlight the intrinsic need for human engagement in scientific innovation, an issue pertinent to the ongoing controversy over papers authored using/authored by artificial intelligence (such as the large language model/chatbot ChatGPT). Other issues discussed are the way in which aspects of language can bias thinking towards the spatial rather than the temporal (and how this biased thinking can lead to skewed scientific terminology); receptivity to research that is non-mainstream; and the importance of theory-based science in education and epistemology. Whereas we briefly highlight classic works (those by Oakes Ames, Francis H.C. Crick and James D. Watson, Charles R. Darwin, Albert Einstein, James E. Lovelock, Lynn Margulis, Gilbert Ryle, Erwin R.J.A. Schrödinger, Alan M. Turing, and others), the focus is on microbiology studies that are more-recent, discussing these in the context of the scientific process and the types of scientific novelty that they represent. These include several studies carried out during the 2020 to 2022 lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic when access to research laboratories was disallowed (or limited). We interviewed the authors of some of the featured microbiology-related papers and-although we ourselves are involved in laboratory experiments and practical fieldwork-also drew from our own research experiences showing that such studies can not only produce new scientific findings but can also transcend barriers between disciplines, act counter to scientific reductionism, integrate biological data across different timescales and levels of complexity, and circumvent constraints imposed by practical techniques. In relation to urgent research needs, we believe that climate change and other global challenges may require approaches beyond the experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E. Hallsworth
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological SciencesQueen's University BelfastBelfastUK
| | - Zulema Udaondo
- Department of Biomedical InformaticsUniversity of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle RockArkansasUSA
| | - Carlos Pedrós‐Alió
- Department of Systems BiologyCentro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Juan Höfer
- Escuela de Ciencias del MarPontificia Universidad Católica de ValparaísoValparaísoChile
| | - Kathleen C. Benison
- Department of Geology and GeographyWest Virginia UniversityMorgantownWest VirginiaUSA
| | - Karen G. Lloyd
- Microbiology DepartmentUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Radamés J. B. Cordero
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and ImmunologyJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Claudia B. L. de Campos
- Institute of Science and TechnologyUniversidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP)São José dos CamposSPBrazil
| | | | - Ricardo Amils
- Department of Molecular Biology, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC‐UAM)Nicolás Cabrera n° 1, Universidad Autónoma de MadridMadridSpain
- Department of Planetology and HabitabilityCentro de Astrobiología (INTA‐CSIC)Torrejón de ArdozSpain
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9
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Angerhausen D, Ottiger M, Dannert F, Miguel Y, Sousa-Silva C, Kammerer J, Menti F, Alei E, Konrad BS, Wang HS, Quanz SP. Large Interferometer for Exoplanets: VIII. Where Is the Phosphine? Observing Exoplanetary PH 3 with a Space-Based Mid-Infrared Nulling Interferometer. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:183-194. [PMID: 36576793 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0010] [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
Phosphine could be a key molecule in the understanding of exotic chemistry that occurs in (exo)planetary atmospheres. While phosphine has been detected in the Solar System's giant planets, it has not been observed in exoplanets to date. In the exoplanetary context, however, it has been theorized to be a potential biosignature molecule. The goal of our study was to identify which illustrative science cases for PH3 chemistry are observable with a space-based mid-infrared nulling interferometric observatory like the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets (LIFE) concept. We identified a representative set of scenarios for PH3 detections in exoplanetary atmospheres that vary over the whole dynamic range of the LIFE mission. We used chemical kinetics and radiative transfer calculations to produce forward models of these informative, prototypical observational cases for LIFEsim, our observation simulator software for LIFE. In a detailed, yet first order approximation, it takes a mission like LIFE: (i) about 1 h to find phosphine in a warm giant around a G star at 10 pc, (ii) about 10 h in H2 or CO2 dominated temperate super-Earths around M star hosts at 5 pc, (iii) and even in 100 h it seems very unlikely that phosphine would be detectable in a Venus-Twin with extreme PH3 concentrations at 5 pc. Phosphine in concentrations previously discussed in the literature is detectable in 2 out of the 3 cases, and it is detected about an order of magnitude faster than in comparable cases with James Webb Space Telescope. We show that there is a significant number of objects accessible for these classes of observations. These results will be used to prioritize the parameter range for the next steps with more detailed retrieval simulations. They will also inform timely questions in the early design phase of a mission like LIFE and guide the community by providing easy-to-scale first estimates for a large part of detection space of such a mission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Angerhausen
- Department of Physics, Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- National Center of Competence in Research PlanetS, Bern, Switzerland
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Maurice Ottiger
- Department of Physics, Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Felix Dannert
- Department of Physics, Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yamila Miguel
- SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Leiden Observatory, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Clara Sousa-Silva
- Center for Astrophysics, Harvard-Smithsonian, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Science, Mathematics, and Computing, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, USA
| | - Jens Kammerer
- Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Franziska Menti
- Department of Physics, Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eleonora Alei
- Department of Physics, Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- National Center of Competence in Research PlanetS, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Björn S Konrad
- Department of Physics, Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- National Center of Competence in Research PlanetS, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Haiyang S Wang
- Department of Physics, Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- National Center of Competence in Research PlanetS, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sascha P Quanz
- Department of Physics, Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- National Center of Competence in Research PlanetS, Bern, Switzerland
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10
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Electronic structure of PH2− containing complexes as photoelectron spectroscopy candidates. COMPUT THEOR CHEM 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.comptc.2023.114054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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11
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Coleine C, Delgado-Baquerizo M. Unearthing terrestrial extreme microbiomes for searching terrestrial-like life in the Solar System. Trends Microbiol 2022; 30:1101-1115. [PMID: 35568658 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The possibility of life elsewhere in the universe has fascinated humankind for ages. To the best of our knowledge, life, as we know it, is limited to planet Earth; yet current investigation suggests that life might be more common than previously thought. In this review, we explore extreme terrestrial analogue environments in the search for some notable examples of extreme organisms, including overlooked microbial groups such as viruses, fungi, and protists, associated with limits of life on Earth. This knowledge is integral to provide the foundational principles needed to predict what sort of Earth-like organisms we might find in the Solar System and beyond, and to understand the future and origins of life on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Coleine
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Av. Reina Mercedes 10, E-41012, Sevilla, Spain; Unidad Asociada CSIC-UPO (BioFun). Universidad Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Sevilla, Spain.
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12
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Lomas T. Stranger than we can imagine: the possibility and potential significance of non-human forms of consciousness and wellbeing. THE JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2022.2131608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Lomas
- Human Flourishing Program, Harvard University
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13
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Mission Architecture to Characterize Habitability of Venus Cloud Layers via an Aerial Platform. AEROSPACE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/aerospace9070359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Venus is known for its extreme surface temperature and its sulfuric acid clouds. But the cloud layers on Venus have similar temperature and pressure conditions to those on the surface of Earth and are conjectured to be a possible habitat for microscopic life forms. We propose a mission concept to explore the clouds of Venus for up to 30 days to evaluate habitability and search for signs of life. The baseline mission targets a 2026 launch opportunity. A super-pressure variable float altitude balloon aerobot cycles between the altitudes of 48 and 60 km, i.e., primarily traversing the lower, middle, and part of the upper cloud layers. The instrument suite is carried by a gondola design derived from the Pioneer Venus Large Probe pressure vessel. The aerobot transmits data via an orbiter relay combined with a direct-to-Earth link. The orbiter is captured into a 6-h retrograde orbit with a low, roughly 170-degree, inclination. The total mass of the orbiter and entry probe is estimated to be 640 kg. An alternate concept for a constant float altitude balloon is also discussed as a lower complexity option compared to the variable float altitude version. The proposed mission would complement other planned missions and could help elucidate the limits of habitability and the role of unknown chemistry or possibly life itself in the Venus atmosphere.
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14
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Jordan S, Shorttle O, Rimmer PB. Proposed energy-metabolisms cannot explain the atmospheric chemistry of Venus. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3274. [PMID: 35701394 PMCID: PMC9198073 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30804-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Life in the clouds of Venus, if present in sufficiently high abundance, must be affecting the atmospheric chemistry. It has been proposed that abundant Venusian life could obtain energy from its environment using three possible sulfur energy-metabolisms. These metabolisms raise the possibility of Venus’s enigmatic cloud-layer SO2-depletion being caused by life. We here couple each proposed energy-metabolism to a photochemical-kinetics code and self-consistently predict the composition of Venus’s atmosphere under the scenario that life produces the observed SO2-depletion. Using this photo-bio-chemical kinetics code, we show that all three metabolisms can produce SO2-depletions, but do so by violating other observational constraints on Venus’s atmospheric chemistry. We calculate the maximum possible biomass density of sulfur-metabolising life in the clouds, before violating observational constraints, to be ~10−5 − 10−3 mg m−3. The methods employed are equally applicable to aerial biospheres on Venus-like exoplanets, planets that are optimally poised for atmospheric characterisation in the near future. The metabolisms proposed for hypothetical life in the clouds of Venus cannot explain the planet’s atmospheric chemistry and thus a limit can be placed on the maximum allowed biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Jordan
- Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Oliver Shorttle
- Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Paul B Rimmer
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK
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15
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The ORIGIN Space Instrument for Detecting Biosignatures and Habitability Indicators on a Venus Life Finder Mission. AEROSPACE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/aerospace9060312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Recent and past observations of chemical and physical peculiarities in the atmosphere of Venus have renewed speculations about the existence of life in its clouds. To find signs of Venusian life, a dedicated astrobiological space exploration mission is required, and for this reason the Venus Life Finder mission is currently being prepared. A Venus Life Finder mission will require dedicated and specialized instruments to hunt for biosignatures and habitability indicators. In this contribution, we present the ORIGIN space instrument, a laser desorption/laser ablation ionization mass spectrometer. This instrument is designed to detect large, non-volatile molecules, specifically biomolecules such as amino acids and lipids. At the same time, it can also be used in ablation mode for elemental composition analysis. Recent studies with this space prototype instrument of amino acids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, lipids, salts, metals, sulphur isotopes, and microbial elemental composition are discussed in the context of studies of biosignatures and habitability indicators in Venus’s atmosphere. The implementation of the ORIGIN instrument into a Venus Life Finder mission is discussed, emphasizing the low weight and low power consumption of the instrument. An instrument design and sample handling system are presented that make optimal use of the capabilities of this instrument. ORIGIN is a highly versatile instrument with proven capabilities to investigate and potentially resolve many of the outstanding questions about the atmosphere of Venus and the presence of life in its clouds.
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16
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Bains W, Petkowski JJ, Seager S, Ranjan S, Sousa-Silva C, Rimmer PB, Zhan Z, Greaves JS, Richards AMS. Venusian phosphine: a ‘wow!’ signal in chemistry? PHOSPHORUS SULFUR 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/10426507.2021.1998051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- William Bains
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Janusz J. Petkowski
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sara Seager
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sukrit Ranjan
- Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Northwestern University, Evanston, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, USA
| | | | - Paul B. Rimmer
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Zhuchang Zhan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jane S. Greaves
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Anita M. S. Richards
- Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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17
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Viana RB, Savedra RM, da Silva AB. A mechanistic view of the reaction between phosphine and fluorine atom: insights into PH3F isomers. COMPUT THEOR CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.comptc.2022.113769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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18
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From Atmospheric Evolution to the Search of Species of Astrobiological Interest in the Solar System—Case Studies Using the Planetary Spectrum Generator. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13030461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The study of minor chemical species in terrestrial planets’ atmospheres can teach us about the chemistry, dynamics and evolution of the atmospheres through time. Phosphine or methane on terrestrial planets are potential biosignatures, such that their detection may signify the presence of life on a planet. Therefore, the search for these species in the solar system is an important step for the subsequent application of the same techniques to exoplanetary atmospheres. To study atmospheric depletion and the evolution of water abundance in the atmospheres of terrestrial planets, the estimation of the D/H ratio and its spatial and temporal variability is used. We used the Planetary Spectrum Generator (PSG), a radiative transfer suite, with the goal of simulating spectra from observations of Venus, Mars and Jupiter, searching for minor chemical species. The present study contributes to highlight that the PSG is an efficient tool for studying minor chemical species and compounds of astrobiological interest in planetary atmospheres, allowing to perform the detection and retrieval of the relevant molecular species. Regarding detection, it is effective in disentangling different molecular opacities affecting observations. In order to contribute to the scientific community that is focused on the study of minor chemical species in the solar system’s atmospheres, using this tool, in this work, we present the results from an analysis of observations of Venus, Mars and Jupiter, by comparison of observations with simulations in the infrared (IR). The first step was to clearly identify the position of molecular features using our model simulations, since the molecular absorption/emission features of different molecules tend to overlap. For this step, we used the method of the variation of abundances. The second step was to determine the molecular abundances and compare them with values from the literature using the retrieval method and the line depth ratio method. For Venus, our study of SO2-related observations by the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) at 7.4 μm enabled the identification of absorption lines due to sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide as well as constrain the abundance of SO2 at the cloud top. Phosphine was not detected in the comparison between the simulation and TEXES IR observations around 10.5 μm. For Mars, both a positive and a non-detection of methane were studied using PSG simulations. The related spectra observations in the IR, at approximately 3.3 μm, correspond, respectively, to the Mars Express (MEx) and ExoMars space probes. Moreover, an estimate of the deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio (D/H ratio) was obtained by comparing the simulations with observations by the Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (EXES) onboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) at approximately 7.19–7.23 μm. For Jupiter, the detection of ammonia, phosphine, deuterated methane and methane was studied, by comparing the simulations with IR observations by the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) at approximately 7–12 μm. Moreover, the retrieval of the profiles of ammonia and phosphine was performed.
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19
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A Data Resource for Prediction of Gas-Phase Thermodynamic Properties of Small Molecules. DATA 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/data7030033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The thermodynamic properties of a substance are key to predicting its behavior in physical and chemical systems. Specifically, the enthalpy of formation and entropy of a substance can be used to predict whether reactions involving that substance will proceed spontaneously under conditions of constant temperature and pressure, and if they do, what the heat and work yield of those reactions would be. Prediction of enthalpy and entropy of substances is therefore of value for substances for which those parameters have not been experimentally measured. We developed a database of 2869 experimental values of enthalpy of formation and 1403 values for entropy for substances composed of stable small molecules, derived from the literature. We developed a model for predicting enthalpy of formation and entropy from semiempirical quantum mechanical calculations of energy and atom counts, and applied the model to a comprehensive database of 16,417 small molecules. The database of small-molecule thermodynamic properties will be useful for predicting the outcome of any process that might involve the generation or destruction of volatile products, such as atmospheric chemistry, volcanism, or waste pyrolysis. Additionally, the collected experimental thermodynamic values will be of value to others developing models to predict enthalpy and entropy.
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20
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Abstract
The initial reports of the presence of phosphine in the cloud decks of Venus have led to the suggestion that volcanism is the source of phosphine, through volcanic phosphides ejected into the clouds. Here, we examine the idea that mantle plume volcanism, bringing material from the deep mantle to the surface, could generate observed amounts of phosphine through the interaction of explosively erupted phosphide with sulfuric acid clouds. The direct eruption of deep mantle phosphide is unphysical, but a shallower material could contain traces of phosphide, and could be erupted to the surface. The explosive eruption that efficiently transports material to the clouds would require ocean:magma interactions or the subduction of a hydrated oceanic crust, neither of which occur on modern Venus. The transport of the erupted material to altitudes coinciding with the observations of phosphine is consequently very inefficient. Using the model proposed by Truong and Lunine as a base case, we estimate that an eruption volume of at least 21,600 km3/year would be required to explain the presence of 1 ppb phosphine in the clouds. This is greater than any historical terrestrial eruption rate, and would have several detectable consequences for remote and in situ observations to confirm. More realistic lithospheric mineralogy, volcano mechanics or atmospheric photochemistry require even more volcanism.
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21
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Production of ammonia makes Venusian clouds habitable and explains observed cloud-level chemical anomalies. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2110889118. [PMID: 34930842 PMCID: PMC8719887 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110889118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This research provides a transformative hypothesis for the chemistry of the atmospheric cloud layers of Venus while reconciling decades-long atmosphere anomalies. Our model predicts that the clouds are not entirely made of sulfuric acid, but are partially composed of ammonium salt slurries, which may be the result of biological production of ammonia in cloud droplets. As a result, the clouds are no more acidic than some extreme terrestrial environments that harbor life. Life could be making its own environment on Venus. The model’s predictions for the abundance of gases in Venus’ atmosphere match observation better than any previous model, and are readily testable. The atmosphere of Venus remains mysterious, with many outstanding chemical connundra. These include the unexpected presence of ∼10 ppm O2 in the cloud layers, an unknown composition of large particles in the lower cloud layers, and hard to explain measured vertical abundance profiles of SO2 and H2O. We propose a hypothesis for the chemistry in the clouds that largely addresses all of the above anomalies. We include ammonia (NH3), a key component that has been tentatively detected both by the Venera 8 and Pioneer Venus probes. NH3 dissolves in some of the sulfuric acid cloud droplets, effectively neutralizing the acid and trapping dissolved SO2 as ammonium sulfite salts. This trapping of SO2 in the clouds, together with the release of SO2 below the clouds as the droplets settle out to higher temperatures, explains the vertical SO2 abundance anomaly. A consequence of the presence of NH3 is that some Venus cloud droplets must be semisolid ammonium salt slurries, with a pH of ∼1, which matches Earth acidophile environments, rather than concentrated sulfuric acid. The source of NH3 is unknown but could involve biological production; if so, then the most energy-efficient NH3-producing reaction also creates O2, explaining the detection of O2 in the cloud layers. Our model therefore predicts that the clouds are more habitable than previously thought, and may be inhabited. Unlike prior atmospheric models, ours does not require forced chemical constraints to match the data. Our hypothesis, guided by existing observations, can be tested by new Venus in situ measurements.
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22
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Limaye SS, Zelenyi L, Zasova L. Introducing the Venus Collection-Papers from the First Workshop on Habitability of the Cloud Layer. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:1157-1162. [PMID: 34582698 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0142] [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: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We introduce the collection of papers from the first workshop on the habitability of the venusian cloud layer organized by the Roscosmos/IKI-NASA Joint Science Definition Team (JSDT) for Russia's Venera-D mission and hosted by the Space Research Institute in Moscow, Russia, during October 2-5, 2019. The collection also includes three papers that were developed independently of the workshop but are relevant to venusian cloud habitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay S Limaye
- Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lev Zelenyi
- Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Ludmilla Zasova
- Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
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23
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Limaye SS, Mogul R, Baines KH, Bullock MA, Cockell C, Cutts JA, Gentry DM, Grinspoon DH, Head JW, Jessup KL, Kompanichenko V, Lee YJ, Mathies R, Milojevic T, Pertzborn RA, Rothschild L, Sasaki S, Schulze-Makuch D, Smith DJ, Way MJ. Venus, an Astrobiology Target. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:1163-1185. [PMID: 33970019 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We present a case for the exploration of Venus as an astrobiology target-(1) investigations focused on the likelihood that liquid water existed on the surface in the past, leading to the potential for the origin and evolution of life, (2) investigations into the potential for habitable zones within Venus' present-day clouds and Venus-like exo atmospheres, (3) theoretical investigations into how active aerobiology may impact the radiative energy balance of Venus' clouds and Venus-like atmospheres, and (4) application of these investigative approaches toward better understanding the atmospheric dynamics and habitability of exoplanets. The proximity of Venus to Earth, guidance for exoplanet habitability investigations, and access to the potential cloud habitable layer and surface for prolonged in situ extended measurements together make the planet a very attractive target for near term astrobiological exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay S Limaye
- Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Rakesh Mogul
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Kevin H Baines
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | | | - Charles Cockell
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - James A Cutts
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Diana M Gentry
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | | | - James W Head
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - Vladimir Kompanichenko
- Institute for Complex Analysis of Regional Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Birobidzhan, Russia
| | - Yeon Joo Lee
- Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Richard Mathies
- Chemistry Department and Space Sciences Lab, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Tetyana Milojevic
- Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rosalyn A Pertzborn
- Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Satoshi Sasaki
- School of Health Sciences, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Dirk Schulze-Makuch
- Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (ZAA), Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), Potsdam, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Stechlin, Germany
| | - David J Smith
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Michael J Way
- NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York, New York, USA
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24
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Kotsyurbenko OR, Cordova JA, Belov AA, Cheptsov VS, Kölbl D, Khrunyk YY, Kryuchkova MO, Milojevic T, Mogul R, Sasaki S, Słowik GP, Snytnikov V, Vorobyova EA. Exobiology of the Venusian Clouds: New Insights into Habitability through Terrestrial Models and Methods of Detection. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:1186-1205. [PMID: 34255549 PMCID: PMC9545807 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The search for life beyond Earth has focused on Mars and the icy moons Europa and Enceladus, all of which are considered a safe haven for life due to evidence of current or past water. The surface of Venus, on the other hand, has extreme conditions that make it a nonhabitable environment to life as we know it. This is in contrast, however, to its cloud layer, which, while still an extreme environment, may prove to be a safe haven for some extreme forms of life similar to extremophiles on Earth. We consider the venusian clouds a habitable environment based on the presence of (1) a solvent for biochemical reactions, (2) appropriate physicochemical conditions, (3) available energy, and (4) biologically relevant elements. The diversity of extreme microbial ecosystems on Earth has allowed us to identify terrestrial chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms that may be analogs to putative venusian organisms. Here, we hypothesize and describe biological processes that may be performed by such organisms in the venusian clouds. To detect putative venusian organisms, we describe potential biosignature detection methods, which include metal-microbial interactions and optical methods. Finally, we describe currently available technology that can potentially be used for modeling and simulation experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg R. Kotsyurbenko
- Yugra State University, The Institute of Oil and Gas, School of Ecology, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russian Federation
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
| | - Jaime A. Cordova
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Andrey A. Belov
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
- Moscow State University, Faculty of Soil Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir S. Cheptsov
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
- Moscow State University, Faculty of Soil Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Space Research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Denise Kölbl
- Space Biochemistry Group, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yuliya Y. Khrunyk
- Department of Heat Treatment and Physics of Metal, Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
- M.N. Mikheev Institute of Metal Physics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation
| | - Margarita O. Kryuchkova
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
- Moscow State University, Faculty of Soil Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Tetyana Milojevic
- Space Biochemistry Group, Department of Biophysical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rakesh Mogul
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Satoshi Sasaki
- School of Biosciences and Biotechnology/School of Health Sciences, Tokyo University of Technology, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Grzegorz P. Słowik
- Institute of Materials and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Valery Snytnikov
- Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation
- Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation
| | - Elena A. Vorobyova
- Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life, Leeds, UK
- Moscow State University, Faculty of Soil Science, Moscow, Russian Federation
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25
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Omran A, Oze C, Jackson B, Mehta C, Barge LM, Bada J, Pasek MA. Phosphine Generation Pathways on Rocky Planets. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:1264-1276. [PMID: 34551269 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The possibility of life in the venusian clouds was proposed in the 1960s, and recently this hypothesis has been revived with the potential detection of phosphine (PH3) in Venus' atmosphere. These observations may have detected ∼5-20 ppb phosphine on Venus (Greaves et al., 2020), which raises questions about venusian atmospheric/geochemical processes and suggests that this phosphine could possibly be generated by biological processes. In such a claim, it is essential to understand the abiotic phosphorus chemistry that may occur under Venus-relevant conditions, particularly those processes that may result in phosphine generation. Here, we discuss two related abiotic routes for phosphine generation within the atmosphere of Venus. Based on our assessment, corrosion of large impactors as they ablate near Venus' cloud layer, and the presence of reduced phosphorus compounds in the subcloud layer could result in production of phosphine and may explain the phosphine detected in Venus' atmosphere or on other rocky planets. We end on a cautionary note: although there may be life in the clouds of Venus, the detection of a simple, single gas, phosphine, is likely not a decisive indicator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Omran
- Department of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Christopher Oze
- Geology Department, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Brian Jackson
- Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA
| | - Chris Mehta
- Department of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Laura M Barge
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Jeffrey Bada
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography Department, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Matthew A Pasek
- Department of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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26
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Baines KH, Nikolić D, Cutts JA, Delitsky ML, Renard JB, Madzunkov SM, Barge LM, Mousis O, Wilson C, Limaye SS, Verdier N. Investigation of Venus Cloud Aerosol and Gas Composition Including Potential Biogenic Materials via an Aerosol-Sampling Instrument Package. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:1316-1323. [PMID: 33944604 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A lightweight, low-power instrument package to measure, in situ, both (1) the local gaseous environment and (2) the composition and microphysical properties of attendant venusian aerosols is presented. This Aerosol-Sampling Instrument Package (ASIP) would be used to explore cloud chemical and possibly biotic processes on future aerial missions such as multiweek balloon missions and on short-duration (<1 h) probes on Venus and potentially on other cloudy worlds such as Titan, the Ice Giants, and Saturn. A quadrupole ion-trap mass spectrometer (QITMS; Madzunkov and Nikolić, J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 25:1841-1852, 2014) fed alternately by (1) an aerosol separator that injects only aerosols into a vaporizer and mass spectrometer and (2) the pure aerosol-filtered atmosphere, achieves the compositional measurements. Aerosols vaporized <600°C are measured over atomic mass ranges from 2 to 300 AMU at <0.02 AMU resolution, sufficient to measure trace materials, their isotopic ratios, and potential biogenic materials embedded within H2SO4 aerosols, to better than 20% in <300 s for H2SO4 -relative abundances of 2 × 10-9. An integrated lightweight, compact nephelometer/particle-counter determines the number density and particle sizes of the sampled aerosols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H Baines
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Dragan Nikolić
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - James A Cutts
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | | | | | - Stojan M Madzunkov
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Laura M Barge
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Olivier Mousis
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
| | | | - Sanjay S Limaye
- Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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27
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Truong N, Lunine JI. Volcanically extruded phosphides as an abiotic source of Venusian phosphine. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2021689118. [PMID: 34253608 PMCID: PMC8307446 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021689118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We hypothesize that trace amounts of phosphides formed in the mantle are a plausible abiotic source of the Venusian phosphine observed by Greaves et al. [Nat. Astron., https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-1174-4 (2020)]. In this hypothesis, small amounts of phosphides (P3- bound in metals such as iron), sourced from a deep mantle, are brought to the surface by volcanism. They are then ejected into the atmosphere in the form of volcanic dust by explosive volcanic eruptions, which were invoked by others to explain the episodic changes of sulfur dioxide seen in the atmosphere [Esposito, Science 223, 1072-1074 (1984)]. There they react with sulfuric acid in the aerosol layer to form phosphine (2 P3- + 3H2SO4 = 2PH3 + 3SO42-). We take issue with the conclusion of Bains et al. [arXiv:2009.06499 (2020)] that the volcanic rates for such a mechanism would have to be implausibly high. We consider a mantle with the redox state similar to the Earth, magma originating deep in the mantle-a likely scenario for the origin of plume volcanism on Venus-and episodically high but plausible rates of volcanism on a Venus bereft of plate tectonics. We conclude that volcanism could supply an adequate amount of phosphide to produce phosphine. Our conclusion is supported by remote sensing observations of the Venusian atmosphere and surface that have been interpreted as indicative of currently active volcanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Truong
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853;
- Carl Sagan Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - J I Lunine
- Carl Sagan Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853;
- Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
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