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Biosignature detection by Mars rover equivalent instruments in samples from the CanMars Mars Sample Return Analogue Deployment

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Stromberg_2019_PSS_Biosignaturedetection_AAM.pdf (4.204Mb)
Date
15/10/2019
Author
Stromberg, Jessica M.
Parkinson, Alexis
Morison, Matthew
Cloutis, Edward
Casson, Nora
Applin, Daniel
Poitras, Jordan
Marti, Arola Moreras
Maggiori, Catherine
Cousins, Claire
Whyte, Lyle
Kruzelecky, Roman
Das, Debarati
Leveille, Richard
Berlo, Kim
Sharma, Shiv K.
Acosta-Maeda, Tayro
Daly, Michael
Lalla, Emmanuel
Keywords
Mars analogue
Fluvial channel
Rover instrumentation
Spectroscopy
Mineralogy
Astrobiology
G Geography (General)
QH301 Biology
QC Physics
DAS
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Abstract
This work details the laboratory analysis of a suite of 10 samples collected from an inverted fluvial channel near Hanksville, Utah, USA as a part of the CanMars Mars Sample Return Analogue Deployment (MSRAD). The samples were acquired along the rover traverse for detailed off-site analysis to evaluate the TOC and astrobiological significance of the samples selected based on site observations, and to address one of the science goals of the CanMars mission: to evaluate the ability of different analytical techniques being employed by the Mars2020 mission to detect and characterize any present biosignatures. Analytical techniques analogous to those on the ExoMars, MSL and the MER rovers were also applied to the samples. The total organic carbon content of the samples was <0.02% for all but 4 samples, and organic biosignatures were detected in multiple samples by UV–Vis–NIR reflectance spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy (532 nm, time-resolved, and UV), which was the most effective of the techniques. The total carbon content of the samples is < 0.3 wt% for all but one calcite rich sample, and organic C was not detectable by FTIR. Carotene and chlorophyll were detected in two samples which also contained gypsum and mineral phases of astrobiological importance for paleoenvironment/habitability and biomarker preservation (clays, gypsum, calcite) were detected and characterized by multiple techniques, of which passive reflectance was most effective. The sample selected in the field (S2) as having the highest potential for TOC did not have the highest TOC values, however, when considering the sample mineralogy in conjunction with the detection of organic carbon, it is the most astrobiologically relevant. These results highlight importance of applying multiple techniques for sample characterization and provide insights into their strengths and limitations.
Citation
Stromberg , J M , Parkinson , A , Morison , M , Cloutis , E , Casson , N , Applin , D , Poitras , J , Marti , A M , Maggiori , C , Cousins , C , Whyte , L , Kruzelecky , R , Das , D , Leveille , R , Berlo , K , Sharma , S K , Acosta-Maeda , T , Daly , M & Lalla , E 2019 , ' Biosignature detection by Mars rover equivalent instruments in samples from the CanMars Mars Sample Return Analogue Deployment ' , Planetary and Space Science , vol. 176 , 104683 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2019.06.007
Publication
Planetary and Space Science
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2019.06.007
ISSN
0032-0633
Type
Journal article
Rights
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This work has been made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2019.06.007
Description
The University of Winnipeg's HOSERLab was established with funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Manitoba Research Innovations Fund and the Canadian Space Agency, whose support is gratefully acknowledged. This study was supported with grants from the Canadian Space Agency through their FAST program, NSERC, and UWinnipeg.
Collections
  • University of St Andrews Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/20081

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