TY - JOUR
T1 - Raman analysis of a shocked planetary surface analogue
T2 - Implications for habitability on Mars
AU - McHugh, Melissa
AU - Parnell, John
AU - Hutchinson, Ian B.
AU - Lerman, Hannah N.
AU - Edwards, Howell G.M.
AU - Burchell, Mark J.
AU - Cole, Mike J.
AU - Moral, Andoni
AU - Lopez-Reyes, Guillermo
AU - Perez, Carlos
AU - Arranz, Aurelio
AU - Veneranda, Marco
AU - Manrique, José Antonio
AU - Rull, Fernando
N1 - Funding Information:
MM, IH, HNL, and HGME acknowledge the support of the STFC Research Council and the UK Space Agency in the UK ExoMars programme. JP acknowledges support from the STFC and the University of Aberdeen. The light gas gun facility at the University of Kent was supported by the STFC.
PY - 2021/12/1
Y1 - 2021/12/1
N2 - The scientific aims of the ExoMars Raman laser spectrometer (RLS) include identifying biological signatures and evidence of mineralogical processes associated with life. The RLS instrument was optimised to identify carbonaceous material, including reduced carbon. Previous studies suggest that reduced carbon on the Martian surface (perhaps originating from past meteoric bombardment) could provide a feedstock for microbial life. Therefore, its origin, form, and thermal history could greatly inform our understanding of Mars' past habitability. Here, we report on the Raman analysis of a Nakhla meteorite analogue (containing carbonaceous material) that was subjected to shock through projectile impact to simulate the effect of meteorite impact. The characterisation was performed using the RLS Simulator, in an equivalent manner to that planned for ExoMars operations. The spectra obtained verify that the flight-representative system can detect reduced carbon in the basaltic sample, discerning between materials that have experienced different levels of thermal processing due to impact shock levels. Furthermore, carbon signatures acquired from the cratered material show an increase in molecular disorder (and we note that this effect will be more evident at higher levels of thermal maturity). This is likely to result from intense shearing forces, suggesting that shock forces within basaltic material may produce more reactive carbon. This result has implications for potential (past) Martian habitability because impacted, reduced carbon may become more biologically accessible. The data presented suggest the RLS instrument will be able to characterise the contribution of impact shock within the landing site region, enhancing our ability to assess habitability.
AB - The scientific aims of the ExoMars Raman laser spectrometer (RLS) include identifying biological signatures and evidence of mineralogical processes associated with life. The RLS instrument was optimised to identify carbonaceous material, including reduced carbon. Previous studies suggest that reduced carbon on the Martian surface (perhaps originating from past meteoric bombardment) could provide a feedstock for microbial life. Therefore, its origin, form, and thermal history could greatly inform our understanding of Mars' past habitability. Here, we report on the Raman analysis of a Nakhla meteorite analogue (containing carbonaceous material) that was subjected to shock through projectile impact to simulate the effect of meteorite impact. The characterisation was performed using the RLS Simulator, in an equivalent manner to that planned for ExoMars operations. The spectra obtained verify that the flight-representative system can detect reduced carbon in the basaltic sample, discerning between materials that have experienced different levels of thermal processing due to impact shock levels. Furthermore, carbon signatures acquired from the cratered material show an increase in molecular disorder (and we note that this effect will be more evident at higher levels of thermal maturity). This is likely to result from intense shearing forces, suggesting that shock forces within basaltic material may produce more reactive carbon. This result has implications for potential (past) Martian habitability because impacted, reduced carbon may become more biologically accessible. The data presented suggest the RLS instrument will be able to characterise the contribution of impact shock within the landing site region, enhancing our ability to assess habitability.
KW - analytical instrumentation
KW - astrobiology
KW - carbon
KW - ExoMars
KW - Raman spectroscopy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119339948&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/jrs.6263
DO - 10.1002/jrs.6263
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85119339948
VL - 52
SP - 2166
EP - 2177
JO - Journal of Raman Spectroscopy
JF - Journal of Raman Spectroscopy
SN - 0377-0486
IS - 12
ER -