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Amino acid analysis intended on the Martian surface
U.J. Meierhenrich, G.M. Muñoz Caro, J. H. Bredehöft,
W. H.-P. Thiemann,
F. Goesmann, R. Roll, M. Hilchenbach, H. Rosenbauer
Abstract The simultaneous laboratory simulation experiments of the photo- and thermal processing of inter-stellar and circumstellar ices (Fgure1) and analyses of carbonaceous chondrites indicate the presence of organic molecules like amino acid structures in (micro-) meteorites, interstellar dust particles, and comets. From these new data we derive the transport of organic molecules to the Martian surface via impact scenarios. After calculation of their photochemical decay, there is clear evidence that relicts of the organic material should be present in the surface and subsurface of Mars. The prime goal of the MORE instrumentation proposed for the ESA Mission Pasteur is the detection of organics, including refractory organics, on Mars. In case of positive identification, the question of biotic or abiotic source is addressed by molecular identification in terms of chirality and isotopic composition of the organic molecules.
In: Perez-Mercader J. (ed.) Exo-Astrobiology, European Space Agency, ESA SP-545; Noordwijk, the Netherlands (2004), 239-240.
Last updated April 2004