At this very moment, eleven robotic missions are exploring Mars, a combination of orbiters, landers, rovers, and one aerial vehicle (the Ingenuity helicopter). Like their predecessors, these missions are studying Mars atmosphere, surface, and subsurface to learn more about its past and evolution, including how it went from a once warmer and wetter environment to the freezing, dusty, and extremely dry planet we see today. In addition, these missions are looking for evidence of past life on Mars and perhaps learning if and where it might still exist today.
One particularly interesting issue is how the atmosphere of Mars primarily composed of carbon dioxide (CO2) is relatively enriched with Carbon-13 (13C), aka. heavy carbon. For years, scientists have speculated that the ratio of this isotope to light carbon (12C) might be responsible for organics found on the surface (a sign of biological processes!). But after analyzing data from the ESAs ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) mission, an international team led by The Open University determined that these organics may be abiotic in origin (i.e., not biological).
The study was led by Juan Alday, a postdoctoral researcher with The Open University (OU), and members of its Atmospheric Research and Surface Exploration group. They were joined by the Space Research Institute (IKI), the Laboratoire Atmosphres, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), and the Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Planetary Physics (AOPP) group at the University of Oxford. Their findings were represented in a paper titled Photochemical depletion of heavy CO isotopes in the Martian atmosphere, which recently appeared in Nature Astronomy.
Carbon dioxide accounts for about 96% of the atmosphere on Mars, with trace amounts of carbon monoxide (0.0557%). The relative abundance of the heavy carbon isotope in these gases (which accounts for just 1.1% of carbon isotopes in Earths atmosphere) has been attributed to the preferential escape of light carbon (12C) to space over several billion years. This is based in part on recent measurements by NASAs Curiosity rover that revealed a depletion of 13C in surface organic material (methane gas).
By analyzing this enrichment, scientists hope to learn more about the atmospheric processes contributing to the evolution of isotopic ratios between the upper and lower atmosphere. Since atmospheric CO and organic molecules share the same 13C-depleted isotopic signature, scientists hope to find clues as to whether organic processes (a possible indication of life) may have played a role. For the sake of their study, the team led by Dr. Alday examined CO vertical profiles obtained by the TGO Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS).
This suite consists of three infrared Echelle-spectrometers that gather information in the near-, mid-, and far-infrared (NIR, MIR, TIRVIM) channels. Since 2016, these instruments have gathered spectra from Mars atmosphere, using absorption lines that indicate the presence of different chemical elements to determine its composition. The team then combined this data with a photochemical model that predicts the depletion of carbon and oxygen in CO molecules in the atmosphere due to interaction with solar radiation.
Their results indicate (contrary to what was previously thought) that carbon monoxide (CO) in the Martian atmosphere is depleted of heavy carbon instead of light carbon. As Dr. Alday explained in an OU News press release.
The key [to] understanding why there is less 13C in CO lies in the chemical relationship between CO2 and CO. When CO2 molecules are destroyed by sunlight to form CO, 12CO2 molecules are more efficiently destroyed than 13CO2, leading a depletion of 13C in CO over long periods of time.
These findings help address the long-standing debate about whether biological or non-biological processes led to the presence of organic material on the surface of Mars. Despite the trace amounts of CO in the atmosphere of Mars, they have important implications for our understanding of how the Martian atmosphere and climate have evolved with time. On the one hand, they could provide insight into past conditions that allowed for flowing and standing bodies of water on the surface.
On the other, it helps refine the search for past life on Mars, even if the findings could be seen as a letdown. The ultimate goal, said Dr. Alday, is to determine if the conditions for life ever existed and if they lasted long enough for life to emerge:
We do not know what the atmosphere of early Mars was like nor what conditions allowed liquid water to flow on the surface. The isotopes of carbon on Mars atmosphere can help us estimate how much CO2 there was in the past. The new measurements by the ExoMars TGO suggest that less CO2 has escaped the planet than previously thought and provide new constraints on the composition of this early atmosphere of Mars.
This research was made possible thanks to support from the UK Space Agency, which funded the development of the ACS spectrometers and the Atmospheric Research and Surface Exploration groups research. The TGO is part of the larger ExoMars program, a collaborative effort between the ESA and Roscosmos. This program will send the Rosalind Franklin rover to Mars in the coming years to further assist in the ongoing search for past (and maybe even present) life on Mars.
Further Reading: Open University News, Nature Astronomy
Like Loading...
Continued here:
Life Probably Didn't Have a Hand in Creating Organic Deposits on ... - Universe Today
- Two new books explore Mars and what it means to be human - Science News [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- The United Arab Emirates' Hope mission to Mars in photos - Space.com [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Why mastering the Moon is vital before missions to Mars - Flightglobal [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- What will astronauts need to survive the dangerous journey to Mars? - Science News [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Perseverance: the new mission to Mars | News - The Guardian [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- 3 Countries Are Scheduled To Send Spacecraft To Mars This Summer - NPR [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Mars Mission From United Arab Emirates Embarks on 7-Month Journey - The New York Times [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- NASA's Mars Rover Drivers Need Your Help NASAs Mars ... [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Mars Facts: Life, Water and Robots on the Red Planet | Space [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Mars Facts - Interesting Facts about Planet Mars [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Overview | Mars NASA Solar System Exploration [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- NASAs Mars Exploration Program [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Mars Petcare India appoints Pitchfork Partners as their strategic communication consultant - The Financial Express [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- UAE's Mars probe has covered 20% of its journey in a month - Khaleej Times [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Planetwide Storms May Have Filled Lakes, Rivers on Ancient Mars - Astrobiology Magazine [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Ancient Mars Had Planet-Wide Rainstorms So Intense They Breached Its Lakes - ScienceAlert [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Follow NASAs Perseverance rover in real time as it heads toward Mars - Digital Trends [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Massive lava tubes on the moon and Mars could be used by astronauts - CNN [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- No, Mars Wont Be As Big As The Moon On August 27. Heres When And Where To See Them Together - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- This Mars helicopter will be the first ever to fly on another planet - The Next Web [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Bacteria could survive the trip to Mars in the form of thick aggregates - UPI News [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- It Rained So Hard on Ancient Mars that Craters Filled Up and Overflowed - Universe Today [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Follow NASA's Perseverance Rover in Real Time on Its Way to Mars - NASA Mars Exploration [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Yes, The First Humans On Mars Should Consider Becoming Cave-Dwellers - Forbes [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- China's Mars mission tests instruments on its way to the Red Planet - Space.com [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Mars Will Make Its Closest Appearance Since 2018 Next Month - Sarasota [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- Frazetta's 'The Princess Of Mars' Leads Heritage Auctions' Comics & Comic Art Sale - Antiques and the Arts Online [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- The Expanse Season 5: Earth, Mars or Belters - Who the Real Villain Is - Screen Rant [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- JAXA's MMX mission will capture Mars and its moons in 8K - New Atlas [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- 'Like a scene from Mars': Skies in parts of California turn orange as wildfires rage - NBC News [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- Mars hires former IFT chief science and technology officer as new head of R&D - FoodNavigator-USA.com [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- Here is your 2020 Mars observation guide for Arizona - KTAR.com [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- Jersey Skies: Viewing the 'dusky' details of Mars as it makes close approach to Earth - Jersey's Best [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- 8K views of Mars on the menu for Martian moon mission spacecraft - CNET [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- Would becoming one of the first people to settle Mars be worth dying for? | TheHill - The Hill [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2020]
- Prominent attorney Tom Mars weighs in on whether Big Ten players who signed with agents can opt back in for 2020 - Saturday Down South [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- An inside look at how Mars Wrigley is working to save Halloween - Candy Industry [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- Le Mars, IA police officer dismissed after investigation of social media posts - KTIV [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- Mars is a planet to watch over the next month; Heres why - MLive.com [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- Forget Mars, NASA considers a mission to Venus - The Indian Express [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- Turning the Red Planet green: How we'll grow crops on Mars - BBC Focus Magazine [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- Mars travelers could use this Earthly fiber to build on Mars - BGR [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- Sols 2885-2886: Once More With MTBSTFA NASA's Mars Exploration Program - NASA Mars Exploration [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- We won't live on Mars any time soon despite what people like Elon Musk might try and tell us - iNews [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- NASA Mars rover runs first-of-its-kind experiment seeking clues to ancient life - CNET [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- This is how we should build on Mars, scientists say - CNN [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2020] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2020]
- Mars Express Finds Even More Ponds of Water Under the Ground on Mars - Universe Today [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- The Mars Inn, Loftus, to be sold at auction - The Northern Echo [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Is There a Painted Desert on Mars? - SETI Institute [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- The TOZ-81 'Mars' Gun Was The Soviet Union's Ultimate Space Revolver - The Drive [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- 300000 Young People Explore STEM Through A "Mission to Mars" In the 2020 4-H STEM Challenge - PRNewswire [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Sols 2901-2903: Warts and All! - NASA Mars Exploration [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Photos of fiery Mars, nearly at its best in 2 years - EarthSky [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- ExoMars 2022: The Way Forward to Mars - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- NASA Looks to Use 3D Printing Construction for Future Infrastructure on Mars and the Moon - SpaceCoastDaily.com [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Buried lakes of salty water on Mars may provide conditions for life - The Conversation AU [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Venus May Have Phosphine, But Mars Has Lakes Of LIQUID Water - Astrobites [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- A better way to search for traces of life on Mars and beyond! (op-ed) - Space.com [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- You don't want to miss Mars shining bright this fall - Space.com [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Can We Still Go to Mars? - The Atlantic [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Don't miss Mars and the nearly full moon huddling together in tonight's sky - Space.com [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- You can track NASA's 2020 Mars rover Perseverance on its journey to the Red Planet - Space.com [Last Updated On: October 4th, 2020] [Originally Added On: October 4th, 2020]
- Mars reveals progress on its Cocoa For Generations billion-dollar cocoa sustainability plans - Confectionery Production [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- This Just In From The Mars News Channel... 10/30/2020 - MediaPost Communications [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Elon Musks SpaceX will make its own laws on Mars - The Independent [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Emirates Mars Mission kicks off 'Hope Generation' initiative to inspire a new generation of engineers - WAM EN [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- J-Pop Titans Arashi on Going Global, Working With Bruno Mars, and Upcoming Hiatus - Variety [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Astronomy: The Red Planet: Mars - RTL Today [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Scientists discover Mars-sized rogue planet aimlessly zooming through the Milky Way - CBS News [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Scientists discover evidence of water on Mars 4.4 billion years ago - Mirror Online [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Who can own property on the moon and mars? - The New Indian Express [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- A mission to 'Mars' at the HI-SEAS habitat: Live updates - Space.com [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Whats the bright star next to the moon tonight? Its Mars - Deseret News [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Water was formed 4.4 billion years ago on Mars - The Tribune [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Space.com is going to 'Mars' on a HI-SEAS habitat simulation - Space.com [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Life-hunting Perseverance rover is halfway to Mars - EarthSky [Last Updated On: November 2nd, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 2nd, 2020]
- Drive-In movie kicks of Hometown Christmas weekend in Le Mars, IA - KTIV [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- Fans Question Bruno Mars about Where He Had Been after He Trolls Artists over Grammy Snubs - AmoMama [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- Elusive Internal Structure of Mars Revealed by Ancient Zircon Minerals From the Red Planet - SciTechDaily [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- A Beaver Moon Eclipse Meets Mars And The Seven Sister Stars: What You Can See In The Night Sky This Week - Forbes [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]