Biology
Scientific paper
Sep 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.5709p&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #57.09
Biology
Scientific paper
Mars receives an influx of carbonaceous material by fine-grained meteoritic impact of 2.4×105 kg carbon per year. Carbonaceous meteorites are known to contain amino acids, up to 249 ppm in primitive CR type meteorites, with glycine abundances as high as 58 ppm. These meteorite-bound amino acids arrive on Mars and may be distributed over the planet aeolian processes. Once on the surface, amino acids can be degraded rapidly by ultraviolet (UV) photolysis and reactions with oxidizing species such as H, OH, HO2, and H2O2. To test the influence of a water matrix on the stability of glycine on Mars, we have photolysed pure glycine and glycine-water ice mixtures (1:4) with a high-pressure xenon arc lamp that produces a spectrum similar to the solar spectrum on Mars. The ices were photolysed at temperatures relevant to Mars, especially at higher latitudes (100-150 K). For comparison, we repeated these experiments with acetic acid (CH3COOH) and formic acid (HCOOH). In addition, we also photolysed solid carbonic acid (H2CO3), which may be formed on Mars in mixed water and CO2 ices when initiated by solar wind particles. Our results show that carbonic acid is an order of magnitude more stable than formic and acetic acid. The glycine-water mixture did not show any degradation over the course of the photolysis experiment. This work is supported by NASA grant NNG05GL46G and the Goddard Center for Astrobiology.
Hudson Rachel
Moore Marilyn
Peeters Zan
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