Design and demonstration of the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) on the ExoMars 2018 rover

Arévalo, Ricardo; Brinckerhoff, W. B.; Amerom, Friso van; Danell, Ryan M.; Pinnick, V.; Li, Xiang; Getty, Stéphanie; Hovmand, L.; Grubisic, Andrej; Mahaffy, P. R.; Goesmann, Fred; Steininger, Harald

doi:10.1109/aero.2015.7119073

Cited by 24 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…MOMA is the largest instrument in the rover, and the one that directly targets chemical biosignatures. MOMA is able to identify a broad range of organic molecules with high analytical specificity, even if present at very low concentrations (Arevalo et al , 2015 ; Goetz et al , 2016 ; Goesmann et al , 2017 [this issue]).…”

Section: The Exomars Rover and Its Pasteur Payloadmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Vago¹,

Westall²,

Coates³

et al. 2017

Astrobiology

Self Cite

400

253

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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.

show abstract

Section: The Exomars Rover and Its Pasteur Payloadmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Vago¹,

Westall²,

Coates³

et al. 2017

Astrobiology

Self Cite

400

253

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…At the same time, depending on the nature of encrusting minerals and diagenetic (T, P) conditions, Fe minerals may promote the thermal maturation of organic matter and partly erase organic biosignatures ( Miot et al, 2017 ). It may be possible for the Mars Organics Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) mass spectrometer and Raman laser spectrometer (RLS), aboard the ESA ExoMars 2020 rover, to detect biogenic organic molecules in association with Fe 3+ in iron-rich drill samples and laser targets, respectively ( Lopez-Reyes et al, 2013 ; Arevalo et al, 2015 ). However, these instruments are not specific enough to distinguish evidence of NDFO microbes from any other potentially biological material encrusted in Fe minerals (e.g., Kish et al, 2016 ; Mirvaux et al, 2016 ).…”

Section: Biomineralization and Preservation In The Rock Recordmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrate-Dependent Iron Oxidation: A Potential Mars Metabolism

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This work considers the hypothetical viability of microbial nitrate-dependent Fe2+ oxidation (NDFO) for supporting simple life in the context of the early Mars environment. This draws on knowledge built up over several decades of remote and in situ observation, as well as recent discoveries that have shaped current understanding of early Mars. Our current understanding is that certain early martian environments fulfill several of the key requirements for microbes with NDFO metabolism. First, abundant Fe2+ has been identified on Mars and provides evidence of an accessible electron donor; evidence of anoxia suggests that abiotic Fe2+ oxidation by molecular oxygen would not have interfered and competed with microbial iron metabolism in these environments. Second, nitrate, which can be used by some iron oxidizing microorganisms as an electron acceptor, has also been confirmed in modern aeolian and ancient sediment deposits on Mars. In addition to redox substrates, reservoirs of both organic and inorganic carbon are available for biosynthesis, and geochemical evidence suggests that lacustrine systems during the hydrologically active Noachian period (4.1–3.7 Ga) match the circumneutral pH requirements of nitrate-dependent iron-oxidizing microorganisms. As well as potentially acting as a primary producer in early martian lakes and fluvial systems, the light-independent nature of NDFO suggests that such microbes could have persisted in sub-surface aquifers long after the desiccation of the surface, provided that adequate carbon and nitrates sources were prevalent. Traces of NDFO microorganisms may be preserved in the rock record by biomineralization and cellular encrustation in zones of high Fe2+ concentrations. These processes could produce morphological biosignatures, preserve distinctive Fe-isotope variation patterns, and enhance preservation of biological organic compounds. Such biosignatures could be detectable by future missions to Mars with appropriate instrumentation.

show abstract

“…The MOMA instrument consists of three complementary operational modes: pyrolysis-GC-MS, derivatization-GC-MS, and LD-MS (laser desorption– mass spectrometry). Volatile organic compounds can be detected directly by GC-MS after pyrolysis, the derivatization process makes accessible other less volatile ones for GC-MS, and the LD-MS mode will detect larger and heat-resistant materials (Arevalo et al , 2015 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Critical Assessment of Analytical Techniques in the Search for Biomarkers on Mars: A Mummified Microbial Mat from Antarctica as a Best-Case Scenario

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The search for biomarkers of present or past life is one of the major challenges for in situ planetary exploration. Multiple constraints limit the performance and sensitivity of remote in situ instrumentation. In addition, the structure, chemical, and mineralogical composition of the sample may complicate the analysis and interpretation of the results. The aim of this work is to highlight the main constraints, performance, and complementarity of several techniques that have already been implemented or are planned to be implemented on Mars for detection of organic and molecular biomarkers on a best-case sample scenario. We analyzed a 1000-year-old desiccated and mummified microbial mat from Antarctica by Raman and IR (infrared) spectroscopies (near- and mid-IR), thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis, mass spectrometry (MS), and immunological detection with a life detector chip. In spite of the high organic content (ca. 20% wt/wt) of the sample, the Raman spectra only showed the characteristic spectral peaks of the remaining beta-carotene biomarker and faint peaks of phyllosilicates over a strong fluorescence background. IR spectra complemented the mineralogical information from Raman spectra and showed the main molecular vibrations of the humic acid functional groups. The TG-MS system showed the release of several volatile compounds attributed to biopolymers. An antibody microarray for detecting cyanobacteria (CYANOCHIP) detected biomarkers from Chroococcales, Nostocales, and Oscillatoriales orders. The results highlight limitations of each technique and suggest the necessity of complementary approaches in the search for biomarkers because some analytical techniques might be impaired by sample composition, presentation, or processing. Key Words: Planetary exploration—Life detection—Microbial mat—Life detector chip—Thermogravimetry—Raman spectroscopy—NIR—DRIFTS. Astrobiology 17, 984–996.

show abstract

Design and demonstration of the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) on the ExoMars 2018 rover

Cited by 24 publications

References 8 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

Nitrate-Dependent Iron Oxidation: A Potential Mars Metabolism

Critical Assessment of Analytical Techniques in the Search for Biomarkers on Mars: A Mummified Microbial Mat from Antarctica as a Best-Case Scenario

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About