MOMA: the challenge to search for organics and biosignatures on Mars

Goetz, W.; Brinckerhoff, W. B.; Arévalo, Ricardo; Freissinet, Caroline; Getty, Stéphanie; Glavin, Daniel P.; Siljeström, Sandra; Buch, Arnaud; Stalport, Fabien; Grubisic, Andrej; Li, Xiaojian; Pinnick, V.; Danell, Ryan M.; Amerom, F. H. W. van; Goesmann, Fred; Steininger, Harald; Grand, N.; Raulin, F.; Szopa, Cyril; Meierhenrich, Uwe J.; Brucato, J. R.

doi:10.1017/s1473550416000227

Cited by 53 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…In fact, some simple chlorinated organic molecules (chloromethane and dichloromethane) had been detected by the Viking experiments (Biemann et al , 1977 ), but these compounds were interpreted to have resulted from a reaction between adsorbed residual methanol (a cleaning agent used to prepare the spacecraft) and HCl. Today, the general suspicion is that they were the outcome of heat-activated perchlorate dissociation and reaction with indigenous organic compounds (Steininger et al , 2012 ; Glavin et al , 2013 ; Quinn et al , 2013 ; Sephton et al , 2014 ; Goetz et al , 2016 ; Lasne et al , 2016 ).…”

Section: The Martian Environment and The Need For Subsurface Explomentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitability on Early Mars and the Search for Biosignatures with the ExoMars Rover

Vago¹,

Westall²,

Coates³

et al. 2017

Astrobiology

408

253

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The second ExoMars mission will be launched in 2020 to target an ancient location interpreted to have strong potential for past habitability and for preserving physical and chemical biosignatures (as well as abiotic/prebiotic organics). The mission will deliver a lander with instruments for atmospheric and geophysical investigations and a rover tasked with searching for signs of extinct life. The ExoMars rover will be equipped with a drill to collect material from outcrops and at depth down to 2 m. This subsurface sampling capability will provide the best chance yet to gain access to chemical biosignatures. Using the powerful Pasteur payload instruments, the ExoMars science team will conduct a holistic search for traces of life and seek corroborating geological context information. Key Words: Biosignatures—ExoMars—Landing sites—Mars rover—Search for life. Astrobiology 17, 471–510.

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Section: The Martian Environment and The Need For Subsurface Explomentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitability on Early Mars and the Search for Biosignatures with the ExoMars Rover

Vago¹,

Westall²,

Coates³

et al. 2017

Astrobiology

408

253

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“…Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is a spaceflight-ready technology that has been implemented on a variety of previous missions (Biemann et al, 1976;Goesmann et al, 2015;Goetz et al, 2016;Mahaffy et al, 2012;Soderblom et al, 2009). This technique is highly efficient in the detection of volatile species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Subcritical Water Extractor Prototype for Potential Astrobiology Spaceflight Missions

Kehl

Kovarik

Creamer

et al. 2019

Earth and Space Science

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A top-level NASA exploration goal is the search for signs of life beyond Earth. Molecular biosignatures can be sought via in situ organic chemical analyses of samples collected from planetary bodies. Current spaceflight-ready technologies lack the required sensitivity to perform these analyses on key polar organic species primarily due to the low efficiency of transferring these molecules from natural samples into chemical instrumentation. One promising approach to improve the liberation of these molecules from sample matrices prior to analysis is through the use of liquid extraction, in which organic molecules are dissolved in heated, pressurized water. This process has never been performed on a spaceflight mission. As part of instrument maturation efforts, we describe the development of the first spaceflight prototype of a fully automated subcritical water extractor designed to provide this essential functionality on a potential future planetary mission. The prototype extractor was mounted on a Mars test rover platform and successfully operated remotely in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Samples acquired by the rover's drill and sample acquisition/delivery system were remotely transferred to the extractor inlet funnel, and all subsequent extractor operations were performed automatically. To validate the instrument and demonstrate its suitability as a front-end unit for an organic analyzer, we tested low-bioload Atacama Desert soil extracts for amino acid content using capillary electrophoresis coupled to laser-induced fluorescence. We show that hot extraction under subcritical conditions is required to liberate amino acids from the sample, as no amino acids were found in the extract produced at room temperature. Plain Language SummaryThe search for signs of life beyond Earth is one of NASA's highest priorities. One powerful way to look for extraterrestrial life is to perform chemical analyses on planetary samples in order to characterize any organic molecules present. Past and current spaceflight instruments analyze various components in gases collected or gases produced from solid samples; however, the instruments either lack the sensitivity to detect organic molecules or the instruments destroy many of the organic molecules during the preparation required to perform a gas-phase-based measurement. This work presents an automated pressurized hot water extractor that can be used to release organic molecules from a solid sample. Pressurized hot water is a powerful and easy-to-handle solvent for a wide range of different compounds. The extractor acts as a front-end instrument and prepares the sample for highly sensitive, liquid-based analysis. This automated and remotely controlled prototype has been successfully tested on a simulated Mars rover mission in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Extracts of the Atacama soil samples were then analyzed by capillary electrophoresis coupled to laser-induced fluorescence to determine the extracts' amino acid content, as amino acids are an auspicious class of molecules in the search fo...

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“…A fter four decades of Mars exploration, beginning with the Viking Landers in 1976 (Biemann et al, 1977;ten Kate, 2010;Goetz et al, 2016;Levin and Straat, 2016), the search for biosignatures indicating past or present life is still a key objective for future robotic missions to the martian surface (Westall et al, 2015;. One of the next missions is ESA's ExoMars rover Rosalind Franklin that will be launched in 2020.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ExoMars rover's capability to collect samples from 2 m depth allows obtaining martian sediments that were protected from radiation and thus, potentially, preserved organic matter (Westall et al, 2015;Goetz et al, 2016;. However, analysis of these potential organics can be further complicated by the presence of oxychlorine compounds (e.g., Ca-and Mg-perchlorates and chlorates, hereafter focusing mainly on perchlorates) in martian sediments whose presence was revealed by the Phoenix Mars lander and the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover (Hecht et al, 2009;Kounaves et al, 2010Kounaves et al, , 2014Glavin et al, 2013;Sutter et al, 2017a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating the Effect of Perchlorate on Flight-like Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry as Performed by MOMA on board the ExoMars 2020 Rover

et al. 2019

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The Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) instrument on board ESA's ExoMars 2020 rover will be essential in the search for organic matter. MOMA applies gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques that rely on thermal volatilization. Problematically, perchlorates and chlorates in martian soils and rocks become highly reactive during heating (>200°C) and can lead to oxidation and chlorination of organic compounds, potentially rendering them unidentifiable. Here, we analyzed a synthetic sample (alkanols and alkanoic acids on silica gel) and a Silurian chert with and without Mg-perchlorate to evaluate the applicability of MOMA-like GC-MS techniques to different sample types and assess the impact of perchlorate. We used a MOMA flight analog system coupled to a commercial GC-MS to perform MOMA-like pyrolysis, in situ derivatization, and in situ thermochemolysis. We show that pyrolysis can provide a sufficient overview of the organic inventory but is strongly affected by the presence of perchlorates. In situ derivatization facilitates the identification of functionalized organics but showed low efficiency for n-alkanoic acids. Thermochemolysis is shown to be an effective technique for the identification of both refractory and functional compounds. Most importantly, this technique was barely affected by perchlorates. Therefore, MOMA GC-MS analyses of martian surface/subsurface material may be less affected by perchlorates than commonly thought, in particular when applying the full range of available MOMA GC-MS techniques.

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MOMA: the challenge to search for organics and biosignatures on Mars

Cited by 53 publications

References 53 publications

Habitability on Early Mars and the Search for Biosignatures with the ExoMars Rover

Habitability on Early Mars and the Search for Biosignatures with the ExoMars Rover

A Subcritical Water Extractor Prototype for Potential Astrobiology Spaceflight Missions

Investigating the Effect of Perchlorate on Flight-like Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry as Performed by MOMA on board the ExoMars 2020 Rover

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