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Alberini A, Fornaro T, García-Florentino C, Biczysko M, Poblacion I, Aramendia J, Madariaga JM, Poggiali G, Vicente-Retortillo Á, Benison KC, Siljeström S, Biancalani S, Lorenz C, Cloutis EA, Applin DM, Gómez F, Steele A, Wiens RC, Hand KP, Brucato JR. Investigating the stability of aromatic carboxylic acids in hydrated magnesium sulfate under UV irradiation to assist detection of organics on Mars. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15945. [PMID: 38987581 PMCID: PMC11237158 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66669-8] [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] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC) instrument onboard the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover detected so far some of the most intense fluorescence signals in association with sulfates analyzing abraded patches of rocks at Jezero crater, Mars. To assess the plausibility of an organic origin of these signals, it is key to understand if organics can survive exposure to ambient Martian UV after exposure by the Perseverance abrasion tool and prior to analysis by SHERLOC. In this work, we investigated the stability of organo-sulfate assemblages under Martian-like UV irradiation and we observed that the spectroscopic features of phthalic and mellitic acid embedded into hydrated magnesium sulfate do not change for UV exposures corresponding to at least 48 Martian sols and, thus, should still be detectable in fluorescence when the SHERLOC analysis takes place, thanks to the photoprotective properties of magnesium sulfate. In addition, different photoproduct bands diagnostic of the parent carboxylic acid molecules could be observed. The photoprotective behavior of hydrated magnesium sulfate corroborates the hypothesis that sulfates might have played a key role in the preservation of organics on Mars, and that the fluorescence signals detected by SHERLOC in association with sulfates could potentially arise from organic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Alberini
- INAF- Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, L.go E. Fermi 5, 50125, Firenze, Italy.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Via Giovanni Sansone 1, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Florence, Italy.
| | - Teresa Fornaro
- INAF- Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, L.go E. Fermi 5, 50125, Firenze, Italy.
| | - Cristina García-Florentino
- INAF- Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, L.go E. Fermi 5, 50125, Firenze, Italy
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48080, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Malgorzata Biczysko
- College of Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Iratxe Poblacion
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48080, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Julene Aramendia
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48080, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Madariaga
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48080, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Giovanni Poggiali
- INAF- Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, L.go E. Fermi 5, 50125, Firenze, Italy
- LESIA - Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, 5 Place Jules Janssen, 92190, Meudon, France
| | | | - Kathleen C Benison
- Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | | | - Sole Biancalani
- INAF- Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, L.go E. Fermi 5, 50125, Firenze, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123, Povo, Italy
- Italian Space Angency (ASI), Viale del Politecnico Snc, 00133, Rome, Italy
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Florence, Via G. La Pira 4, 50121, Florence, Italy
| | - Christian Lorenz
- INAF- Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, L.go E. Fermi 5, 50125, Firenze, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126, Naples, Italy
| | - Edward A Cloutis
- Centre for Terrestrial and Planetary Exploration, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada
| | - Dan M Applin
- Centre for Terrestrial and Planetary Exploration, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2E9, Canada
| | - Felipe Gómez
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
| | | | - Roger C Wiens
- Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Kevin P Hand
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - John R Brucato
- INAF- Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, L.go E. Fermi 5, 50125, Firenze, Italy
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2
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Bramble MS, Hand KP. Spectral evidence for irradiated halite on Mars. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5503. [PMID: 38448458 PMCID: PMC10917766 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55979-6] [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] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The proposed chloride salt-bearing deposits on Mars have an enigmatic composition due to the absence of distinct spectral absorptions for the unique mineral at all wavelengths investigated. We report on analyses of remote visible-wavelength spectroscopic observations that exhibit properties indicative of the mineral halite (NaCl) when irradiated. Visible spectra of halite are generally featureless, but when irradiated by high-energy particles they develop readily-identifiable spectral alterations in the form of color centers. Consistent spectral characteristics observed in the reflectance data of the chloride salt-bearing deposits support the presence of radiation-formed color centers of halite on the surface of Mars. We observe a seasonal cycle of color center formation with higher irradiated halite values during winter months, with the colder temperatures interpreted as increasing the formation efficiency and stability. Irradiated halite identified on the surface of Mars suggests that the visible surface is being irradiated to the degree that defects are forming in alkali halide crystal structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Bramble
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA.
| | - Kevin P Hand
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA, 91109, USA
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3
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Olsson-Francis K, Doran PT, Ilyin V, Raulin F, Rettberg P, Kminek G, Mier MPZ, Coustenis A, Hedman N, Shehhi OA, Ammannito E, Bernardini J, Fujimoto M, Grasset O, Groen F, Hayes A, Gallagher S, Kumar K P, Mustin C, Nakamura A, Seasly E, Suzuki Y, Peng J, Prieto-Ballesteros O, Sinibaldi S, Xu K, Zaitsev M. The COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy for robotic missions to Mars: A review of current scientific knowledge and future perspectives. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2023; 36:27-35. [PMID: 36682826 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Planetary protection guidance for martian exploration has become a notable point of discussion over the last decade. This is due to increased scientific interest in the habitability of the red planet with updated techniques, missions becoming more attainable by smaller space agencies, and both the private sector and governments engaging in activities to facilitate commercial opportunities and human-crewed missions. The international standards for planetary protection have been developed through consultation with the scientific community and the space agencies by the Committee on Space Research's (COSPAR) Panel on Planetary Protection, which provides guidance for compliance with the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. In 2021, the Panel evaluated recent scientific data and literature regarding the planetary protection requirements for Mars and the implications of this on the guidelines. In this paper, we discuss the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy for Mars, review the new scientific findings and discuss the next steps required to enable the next generation of robotic missions to Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Olsson-Francis
- AstrobiologyOU, Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
| | - Peter T Doran
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Vyacheslav Ilyin
- Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Francois Raulin
- Univ Paris Est Cr Univ Paris Est Créteil and Université Paris Cité, CNRS, LISA, F-94010 Créteil, France
| | - Petra Rettberg
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Research Group Astrobiology, 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | | | - María-Paz Zorzano Mier
- Centro deAstrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Athena Coustenis
- LESIA, Paris Observatory, PSL University, CNRS, Paris University, 92195 Meudon Cedex, France
| | - Niklas Hedman
- Committee, Policy and Legal Affairs Section, Office for Outer Space Affairs, United Nations Office at Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - James Bernardini
- Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
| | - Masaki Fujimoto
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Kanagawa, Japan
| | | | - Frank Groen
- Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
| | - Alex Hayes
- Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6801, USA
| | - Sarah Gallagher
- Institute of Earth and Space Exploration, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Akiko Nakamura
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo,7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Elaine Seasly
- Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
| | - Yohey Suzuki
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo,7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Jing Peng
- China National Space Administration, Beijing, China
| | - Olga Prieto-Ballesteros
- Centro deAstrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Kanyan Xu
- Laboratory of Space Microbiology, Shenzhou Space Biotechnology Group, Chinese Academy of Space Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Maxim Zaitsev
- Planetary Physics Dept., Space Research Inst. of Russian Acad. of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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4
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Razzell Hollis J, Fornaro T, Rapin W, Wade J, Vicente-Retortillo Á, Steele A, Bhartia R, Beegle LW. Detection and Degradation of Adenosine Monophosphate in Perchlorate-Spiked Martian Regolith Analog, by Deep-Ultraviolet Spectroscopy. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:511-525. [PMID: 33493410 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2362] [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: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The search for organic biosignatures on Mars will depend on finding material protected from the destructive ambient radiation. Solar ultraviolet can induce photochemical degradation of organic compounds, but certain clays have been shown to preserve organic material. We examine how the SHERLOC instrument on the upcoming Mars 2020 mission will use deep-ultraviolet (UV) (248.6 nm) Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy to detect a plausible biosignature of adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) adsorbed onto Ca-montmorillonite clay. We found that the spectral signature of AMP is not altered by adsorption in the clay matrix but does change with prolonged exposure to the UV laser over dosages equivalent to 0.2-6 sols of ambient martian UV. For pure AMP, UV exposure leads to breaking of the aromatic adenine unit, but in the presence of clay the degradation is limited to minor alteration with new Raman peaks and increased fluorescence consistent with formation of 2-hydroxyadenosine, while 1 wt % Mg perchlorate increases the rate of degradation. Our results confirm that clays are effective preservers of organic material and should be considered high-value targets, but that pristine biosignatures may be altered within 1 sol of martian UV exposure, with implications for Mars 2020 science operations and sample caching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Razzell Hollis
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Teresa Fornaro
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- INAF-Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Florence, Italy
| | - William Rapin
- Department of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
- Sorbonne Université, IMPMC, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Jessica Wade
- Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Álvaro Vicente-Retortillo
- Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
| | - Andrew Steele
- Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Luther W Beegle
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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5
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Mateo-Marti E, Galvez-Martinez S, Gil-Lozano C, Zorzano MP. Pyrite-induced uv-photocatalytic abiotic nitrogen fixation: implications for early atmospheres and Life. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15311. [PMID: 31653928 PMCID: PMC6814809 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51784-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular form of nitrogen, N2, is universally available but is biochemically inaccessible for life due to the strength of its triple bond. Prior to the emergence of life, there must have been an abiotic process that could fix nitrogen in a biochemically usable form. The UV photo-catalytic effects of minerals such as pyrite on nitrogen fixation have to date been overlooked. Here we show experimentally, using X-ray photoemission and infrared spectroscopies that, under a standard earth atmosphere containing nitrogen and water vapour at Earth or Martian pressures, nitrogen is fixed to pyrite as ammonium iron sulfate after merely two hours of exposure to 2,3 W/m 2 of ultraviolet irradiance in the 200-400 nm range. Our experiments show that this process exists also in the absence of UV, although about 50 times slower. The experiments also show that carbonates species are fixed on pyrite surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Mateo-Marti
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, Km. 4, 28850-Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.
| | - S Galvez-Martinez
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, Km. 4, 28850-Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - C Gil-Lozano
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, Km. 4, 28850-Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - María-Paz Zorzano
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, Km. 4, 28850-Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering, Luleå Universit of Technology, 97187, Luleå, Sweden
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6
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Mateo-Marti E, Prieto-Ballesteros O, Muñoz Caro G, González-Díaz C, Muñoz-Iglesias V, Gálvez-Martínez S. Characterizing Interstellar Medium, Planetary Surface and Deep Environments by Spectroscopic Techniques Using Unique Simulation Chambers at Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB). Life (Basel) 2019; 9:life9030072. [PMID: 31510002 PMCID: PMC6789534 DOI: 10.3390/life9030072] [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: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
At present, the study of diverse habitable environments of astrobiological interest has become a major challenge. Due to the obvious technical and economical limitations on in situ exploration, laboratory simulations are one of the most feasible research options to make advances both in several astrobiologically interesting environments and in developing a consistent description of the origin of life. With this objective in mind, we applied vacuum and high pressure technology to the design of versatile simulation chambers devoted to the simulation of the interstellar medium, planetary atmospheres conditions and high-pressure environments. These simulation facilities are especially appropriate for studying the physical, chemical and biological changes induced in a particular sample by in situ irradiation or physical parameters in a controlled environment. Furthermore, the implementation of several spectroscopies, such as infrared, Raman, ultraviolet, etc., to study solids, and mass spectrometry to monitor the gas phase, in our simulation chambers, provide specific tools for the in situ physico-chemical characterization of analogues of astrobiological interest. Simulation chamber facilities are a promising and potential tool for planetary exploration of habitable environments. A review of many wide-ranging applications in astrobiology are detailed herein to provide an understanding of the potential and flexibility of these unique experimental systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Mateo-Marti
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, Km. 4, 28850-Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain.
| | | | - Guillermo Muñoz Caro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, Km. 4, 28850-Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain.
| | | | | | - Santos Gálvez-Martínez
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Ctra. Ajalvir, Km. 4, 28850-Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain.
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7
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Oehler DZ, Etiope G. Methane Seepage on Mars: Where to Look and Why. ASTROBIOLOGY 2017; 17:1233-1264. [PMID: 28771029 PMCID: PMC5730060 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Methane on Mars is a topic of special interest because of its potential association with microbial life. The variable detections of methane by the Curiosity rover, orbiters, and terrestrial telescopes, coupled with methane's short lifetime in the martian atmosphere, may imply an active gas source in the planet's subsurface, with migration and surface emission processes similar to those known on Earth as "gas seepage." Here, we review the variety of subsurface processes that could result in methane seepage on Mars. Such methane could originate from abiotic chemical reactions, thermogenic alteration of abiotic or biotic organic matter, and ancient or extant microbial metabolism. These processes can occur over a wide range of temperatures, in both sedimentary and igneous rocks, and together they enhance the possibility that significant amounts of methane could have formed on early Mars. Methane seepage to the surface would occur preferentially along faults and fractures, through focused macro-seeps and/or diffuse microseepage exhalations. Our work highlights the types of features on Mars that could be associated with methane release, including mud-volcano-like mounds in Acidalia or Utopia; proposed ancient springs in Gusev Crater, Arabia Terra, and Valles Marineris; and rims of large impact craters. These could have been locations of past macro-seeps and may still emit methane today. Microseepage could occur through faults along the dichotomy or fractures such as those at Nili Fossae, Cerberus Fossae, the Argyre impact, and those produced in serpentinized rocks. Martian microseepage would be extremely difficult to detect remotely yet could constitute a significant gas source. We emphasize that the most definitive detection of methane seepage from different release candidates would be best provided by measurements performed in the ground or at the ground-atmosphere interface by landers or rovers and that the technology for such detection is currently available. Key Words: Mars-Methane-Seepage-Clathrate-Fischer-Tropsch-Serpentinization. Astrobiology 17, 1233-1264.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuseppe Etiope
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma 2, Roma, Italy, and Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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8
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Lasne J, Noblet A, Szopa C, Navarro-González R, Cabane M, Poch O, Stalport F, François P, Atreya SK, Coll P. Oxidants at the Surface of Mars: A Review in Light of Recent Exploration Results. ASTROBIOLOGY 2016; 16:977-996. [PMID: 27925795 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2016.1502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In 1976, the Viking landers carried out the most comprehensive search for organics and microbial life in the martian regolith. Their results indicate that Mars' surface is lifeless and, surprisingly, depleted in organics at part-per-billion levels. Several biology experiments on the Viking landers gave controversial results that have since been explained by the presence of oxidizing agents on the surface of Mars. These oxidants may degrade abiotic or biological organics, resulting in their nondetection in the regolith. As several exploration missions currently focus on the detection of organics on Mars (or will do so in the near future), knowledge of the oxidative state of the surface is fundamental. It will allow for determination of the capability of organics to survive on a geological timescale, the most favorable places to seek them, and the best methods to process the samples collected at the surface. With this aim, we review the main oxidants assumed to be present on Mars, their possible formation pathways, and those laboratory studies in which their reactivity with organics under Mars-like conditions has been evaluated. Among the oxidants assumed to be present on Mars, only four have been detected so far: perchlorate ions (ClO4-) in salts, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the atmosphere, and clays and metal oxides composing surface minerals. Clays have been suggested as catalysts for the oxidation of organics but are treated as oxidants in the following to keep the structure of this article straightforward. This work provides an insight into the oxidizing potential of the surface of Mars and an estimate of the stability of organic matter in an oxidizing environment. Key Words: Mars surface-Astrobiology-Oxidant-Chemical reactions. Astrobiology 16, 977-996.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lasne
- 1 LISA, Universités Paris-Est Créteil and Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace , CNRS UMR 7583, Créteil, France
| | - A Noblet
- 1 LISA, Universités Paris-Est Créteil and Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace , CNRS UMR 7583, Créteil, France
| | - C Szopa
- 2 LATMOS, UPMC Université Paris 06, Université Versailles St Quentin , CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - R Navarro-González
- 3 Laboratorio de Química de Plasmas y Estudios Planetarios, Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Ciudad de México, México
| | - M Cabane
- 2 LATMOS, UPMC Université Paris 06, Université Versailles St Quentin , CNRS, Guyancourt, France
| | - O Poch
- 1 LISA, Universités Paris-Est Créteil and Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace , CNRS UMR 7583, Créteil, France
- 4 NCCR PlanetS, Physikalisches Institut, Universität Bern , Bern, Switzerland
| | - F Stalport
- 1 LISA, Universités Paris-Est Créteil and Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace , CNRS UMR 7583, Créteil, France
| | - P François
- 1 LISA, Universités Paris-Est Créteil and Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace , CNRS UMR 7583, Créteil, France
- 5 IC2MP, Equipe Eau Géochimie Santé, Université de Poitiers , CNRS UMR 7285, Poitiers, France
| | - S K Atreya
- 6 Department of Climate and Space Sciences, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - P Coll
- 1 LISA, Universités Paris-Est Créteil and Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace , CNRS UMR 7583, Créteil, France
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9
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Baqué M, Verseux C, Böttger U, Rabbow E, de Vera JPP, Billi D. Preservation of Biomarkers from Cyanobacteria Mixed with Mars-Like Regolith Under Simulated Martian Atmosphere and UV Flux. ORIGINS LIFE EVOL B 2016; 46:289-310. [PMID: 26530341 DOI: 10.1007/s11084-015-9467-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The space mission EXPOSE-R2 launched on the 24th of July 2014 to the International Space Station is carrying the BIOMEX (BIOlogy and Mars EXperiment) experiment aimed at investigating the endurance of extremophiles and stability of biomolecules under space and Mars-like conditions. In order to prepare the analyses of the returned samples, ground-based simulations were carried out in Planetary and Space Simulation facilities. During the ground-based simulations, Chroococcidiopsis cells mixed with two Martian mineral analogues (phyllosilicatic and sulfatic Mars regolith simulants) were exposed to a Martian simulated atmosphere combined or not with UV irradiation corresponding to the dose received during a 1-year-exposure in low Earth orbit (or half a Martian year on Mars). Cell survival and preservation of potential biomarkers such as photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments or DNA were assessed by colony forming ability assays, confocal laser scanning microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and PCR-based assays. DNA and photoprotective pigments (carotenoids) were detectable after simulations of the space mission (570 MJ/m(2) of UV 200-400 nm irradiation and Martian simulated atmosphere), even though signals were attenuated by the treatment. The fluorescence signal from photosynthetic pigments was differently preserved after UV irradiation, depending on the thickness of the samples. UV irradiation caused a high background fluorescence of the Martian mineral analogues, as revealed by Raman spectroscopy. Further investigation will be needed to ensure unambiguous identification and operations of future Mars missions. However, a 3-month exposure to a Martian simulated atmosphere showed no significant damaging effect on the tested cyanobacterial biosignatures, pointing out the relevance of the latter for future investigations after the EXPOSE-R2 mission. Data gathered during the ground-based simulations will contribute to interpret results from space experiments and guide our search for life on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickael Baqué
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Cyprien Verseux
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Ute Böttger
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elke Rabbow
- Radiation Biology Department, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Köln, Germany
| | | | - Daniela Billi
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
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10
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Jheeta S, Ptasinska S, Sivaraman B, Mason N. The irradiation of 1:1 mixture of ammonia:carbon dioxide ice at 30K using 1kev electrons. Chem Phys Lett 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2012.06.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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11
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Martinez-Frias J, Lázaro E, Esteve-Núñez A. Geomarkers versus biomarkers: paleoenvironmental and astrobiological significance. AMBIO 2007; 36:425-6. [PMID: 17847809 DOI: 10.1579/0044-7447(2007)36[425:gvbpaa]2.0.co;2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Martinez-Frias
- Centro de Astrobiologia CSIS/INTA, NASA Astrobiology Institute Ctra de Ajalvir, Madrid, Spain
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