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2009 Annual Science Report

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Icy Worlds Reporting  |  JUL 2008 – AUG 2009

Executive Summary

Our goal in the Astrobiology of the Icy Worlds Investigation is to advance our understanding of the role of ice in the broad context of astrobiology through a combined laboratory, numerical, analytical, and field investigations. Icy Worlds team will pursue this goal through four major investigations namely, the habitability, survivability, and detectability of life of icy worlds coupled with “Path to Flight“ Technology demonstrations. We will also use a wealth of existing age-appropriate educational resources to convey concepts of astrobiology, spectroscopy, and remote sensing, and especially how these area interplay for learning new information; develop standards-based, hands-on activities to extend the application of these resources to the search for life on icy worlds. Our classification of “icy world” extends to planets, dwarf planets and small solar system bodies composed of a significant fraction (≥10%) of H2O under conditions of pressure and ... Continue reading.

Field Sites
1 Institutions
1 Project Reports
21 Publications
2 Field Sites
Roadmap
Objectives

Project Reports

  • Astrobiology of Icy Worlds

    Icy worlds such as Titan, Europa, Enceladus, and others may harbor the greatest volume of habitable space in the Solar System. For at least five of these worlds, considerable evidence exists to support the conclusion that oceans or seas may lie beneath the icy surfaces. The total liquid water reservoir within these worlds may be some 30 to 40 times the volume of liquid water on Earth. This vast quantity of liquid water raises two questions: Can life emerge and thrive in such cold, lightless oceans beneath many kilometers of ice? And if so, do the icy shells hold clues to life in the subsurface? We will address these questions through four major investigations namely, the habitability, survivability, and detectability of life of icy worlds coupled with “Path to Flight” Technology demonstration. We will also use a wealth of existing age-appropriate educational resources to convey concepts of astrobiology, spectroscopy, and remote sensing; develop standards-based, hands-on activities to extend the application of these resources to the search for life on icy worlds.

    ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 4.1 5.1 5.3 6.1 6.2 7.1 7.2

Publications

  • Brunetto, R., Pino, T., Dartois, E., Cao, A-T., D’HenDecourt, L., Strazzulla, G., & Bréchignac, P. (2009). Comparison of the Raman spectra of ion irradiated soot and collected extraterrestrial carbon. Icarus, 200(1), 323–337. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2008.11.004

  • Choukroun, M., Grasset, O., Tobie, G., & Sotin, C. (2010). Stability of methane clathrate hydrates under pressure: Influence on outgassing processes of methane on Titan. Icarus, 205(2), 581–593. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.08.011

  • Ducluzeau, A-L., Van Lis, R., Duval, S., Schoepp-Cothenet, B., Russell, M. J., & Nitschke, W. (2009). Was nitric oxide the first deep electron sink?. Trends in Biochemical Sciences, 34(1), 9–15. doi:10.1016/j.tibs.2008.10.005

  • Hodyss, R., Parkinson, C. D., Johnson, P. V., Stern, J. V., Goguen, J. D., Yung, Y. L., & Kanik, I. (2009). Methanol on Enceladus. Geophysical Research Letters, 36(17), None. doi:10.1029/2009gl039336

  • Martin, W., Baross, J., Kelley, D., & Russell, M. J. (2008). Hydrothermal vents and the origin of life. Nat Rev Micro. doi:10.1038/nrmicro1991

  • Mielke, R. E., Russell, M. J., Wilson, P. R., McGlynn, S. E., Coleman, M., Kidd, R., & Kanik, I. (2010). Design, Fabrication, and Test of a Hydrothermal Reactor for Origin-of-Life Experiments. Astrobiology, 10(8), 799–810. doi:10.1089/ast.2009.0456

  • Nitschke, W., & Russell, M. J. (2009). Hydrothermal Focusing of Chemical and Chemiosmotic Energy, Supported by Delivery of Catalytic Fe, Ni, Mo/W, Co, S and Se, Forced Life to Emerge. Journal of Molecular Evolution, 69(5), 481–496. doi:10.1007/s00239-009-9289-3

  • Sokol, E., Noll, R. J., Cooks, R. G., Beegle, L. W., Kim, H. I., & Kanik, I. (2011). Miniature mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray and desorption electrospray ionization for direct analysis of organics from solids and solutions. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 306(2-3), 187–195. doi:10.1016/j.ijms.2010.10.019

  • Strazzulla, G., Garozzo, M., & Gomis, O. (2009). The origin of sulfur-bearing species on the surfaces of icy satellites. Advances in Space Research, 43(9), 1442–1445. doi:10.1016/j.asr.2009.01.007

  • Vance, S., & Michael Brown, J. (2010). Sound velocities and thermodynamic properties of water to 700 MPa and −10 to 100 °C. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 127(1), 174. doi:10.1121/1.3257223

  • Choukroun, M., Grasset, O., Tobie, G. & Sotin, C.  (Aug 2009).  Stability of methane clathrate hydrates under pressure: Influence on outgassing processes of methane on Titan.  Asia-Oceania Geosciences Society 6th Meeting.  Singapore.
  • Goff-Pochat, Vance, S.,.N. & Collins ., G.C.  (2009).  Thermal Weathering on Airless Planetary Surfaces.  Fall AGU Meeting.  San Francisco.
  • Goodman, J.C. & Lenferink, E.  (2009).  Large-eddy Simulations of Europa Hydrothermal Plumes.  American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.  San Francisco.
  • Gudipati, M.  (August 11-15, 2009).  Influence of Ice on the Evolution of Solar System Bodies.  AOGS International Conference.
  • Gudipati, M.  (August 11-15, 2009).  Radiation Processing of Organics in Solar System Ice Analogs.  AOGS International Conference.  Singapore.
  • Hodyss, R., Johnson, P.V. & Kanik, I.  (2010, To be submitted).  Photolytic lifetimes of hydrocarbons in water ice matrices.  J. Phys Chem.
  • Hodyss, R., Johnson, P.V., Boxe, C., Lane, A.L. & Kanik, I.  (2009, Submitted.).  Fluorescence spectra and quantum yields of aromatic compounds in water ice.  Astrobiology.
  • Kanik, I., Russell, M.J., Hodyss, R.P. & Johnson, P.V.  (14–18 December 2009).  Acetate: A better astrobiological indicator of life than methane?  AGU Fall Meeting.  San Francisco, California, USA.
  • Love, G.  (June, 2009.).  Molecular Fossils and Compound Specific Isotopes.  Goldschmidt 2009.  Davos, Switzerland.
  • Russell, M.J. & Hall, A.J.  (2009).  A hydrothermal source of energy and materials at the origin of life. In “Chemical Evolution II: From Origins of Life to Modern Society”.  American Chemical Society, in press.
  • Vance, S., Goff-Pochat, N. & Collins, G.C.  (Aug 2009).  Thermal Weathering and Erosion on Planetary Surfaces.  Asia Oceania Geosciences Symposium.  Singapore.

2009 Teams