Raman spectroscopy on Mars: identification of geological and bio-geological signatures in Martian analogues using miniaturized Raman spectrometers

Hutchinson, Ian; Ingley, Richard; Edwards, Howell G. M.; Harris, Lorraine; McHugh, Melissa; Malherbe, Cédric; Parnell, John

doi:10.1098/rsta.2014.0204

Cited by 29 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…The martian surface is covered with iron oxide dust, so the iron-based mineralogy of desert varnish is highly relevant for the characterization of instruments designed for the geological exploration of Mars. The results reported and discussed are in line with previous studies aiming to assess the capability of miniaturized Raman spectrometers to in- Hutchinson et al, 2014). Even though the desert varnish samples were challenging to interrogate with Raman spectroscopy (because of the low amount of material available on the rock substrata and the dark coloration), their general geology was successfully identified by using portable Raman spectrometers.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…The instrument operating parameters were similar to the flight operating modes of instruments under development for Mars exploration missions (Hutchinson et al, 2014). The first was a Raman Advantage 532 spectrometer with a laser excitation wavelength of 532 nm (able to irradiate the sample with a maximum power of 100 mW and a spot size of 50 lm as measured on silicon) and a thermoelectrically cooled CCD detector.…”

Section: Raman Spectroscopy Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biogeological Analysis of Desert Varnish Using Portable Raman Spectrometers

et al. 2015

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Desert varnishes are thin, dark mineral coatings found on some rocks in arid or semi-arid environments on Earth. Microorganisms may play an active role in their formation, which takes many hundreds of years. Their mineral matrix may facilitate the preservation of organic matter and is therefore of great relevance to martian exploration. Miniaturized Raman spectrometers (which allow nondestructive analysis of the molecular composition of a specimen) will equip rovers in forthcoming planetary exploration missions. In that context, and for the first time, portable Raman spectrometers operating in the green visible (532 nm as currently baselined for flight) and in the near-infrared (785 nm) were used in this study to investigate the composition (and substrate) of several samples of desert varnish. Rock samples that were suspected (and later confirmed) to be coated with desert varnish were recovered from two sites in the Mojave Desert, USA. The portable spectrometers were operated in flight-representative acquisition modes to identify the key molecular components of the varnish. The results demonstrate that the coatings typically comprise silicate minerals such as quartz, plagioclase feldspars, clays, ferric oxides, and hydroxides and that successful characterization of the samples can be achieved by using flightlike portable spectrometers for both the 532 and 785 nm excitation sources. In the context of searching for spectral signatures and identifying molecules that indicate the presence of extant and/or extinct life, we also report the detection of β-carotene in some of the samples. Analysis complications caused by the presence of rare earth element photoluminescence (which overlaps with and overwhelms the organic Raman signal when a 785 nm laser is employed) are also discussed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Raman Spectroscopy Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeological Analysis of Desert Varnish Using Portable Raman Spectrometers

et al. 2015

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“…A Raman spectrometer can be used to clearly differentiate between ice and liquid brine . One such instrument, the Raman Laser Spectrometer (RLS) will fly on the 2020 ExoMars Rover (Hutchinson et al 2014) and another one in the same year in SHERLOC on Mars 2020 (Beegle et al 2015). Although their main goal is to look for geological biosignatures, both have the capability to detect liquid brine.…”

Section: Liquid Water and The H 2 O Cyclementioning

confidence: 99%

The Modern Near-Surface Martian Climate: A Review of In-situ Meteorological Data from Viking to Curiosity

et al. 2017

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We analyze the complete set of in-situ meteorological data obtained from the Viking landers in the 1970s to today's Curiosity rover to review our understanding of the modern near-surface climate of Mars, with focus on the dust, CO 2 and H 2 O cycles and their impact on the radiative and thermodynamic conditions near the surface. In particular, we provide values of the highest confidence possible for atmospheric opacity, atmospheric pressure, near-surface air temperature, ground temperature, near-surface wind speed and direction, and near-surface air relative humidity and water vapor content. Then, we study the diurnal, seasonal and interannual variability of these quantities over a span of more thanThe original version of this article was revised because due to an unfortunate turn of events a wrong value was published in Table 1. The resolution of the PHX pressure sensor was published as "0.1 mbar" whereas this value has now been corrected to "0.1 Pa" which is the correct value and should be regarded as the final version by the reader. B G.M. Martínez

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“…Since Si readily enters the 2-3 Sp structure, this result should have important application in identifying the Sp phase, particularly for the circumstances where direct petrographic observation cannot be made. A Raman spectrometer will be launched shortly as part of the ExoMars analytical laboratory and deployed on the Martian surface to investigate the mineralogical and biological aspects of the Mars [100,101]. Considering the wide spreading of the 2-3 Sp on the Earth, the Moon, and the extraterrestrial planets, asteroids and meteorites, it will have high chance to encounter some Sp and collect in-situ Raman spectra.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Si-Disordering in MgAl2O4-Spinel under High P-T Conditions, with Implications for Si-Mg Disorder in Mg2SiO4-Ringwoodite

Liu

Bao

et al. 2018

Minerals

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A series of Si-bearing MgAl 2 O 4 -spinels were synthesized at 1500-1650 • C and 3-6 GPa. These spinels had SiO 2 contents of up to~1.03 wt % and showed a substitution mechanism of Si 4+ + Mg 2+ = 2Al 3+ . Unpolarized Raman spectra were collected from polished single grains, and displayed a set of well-defined Raman peaks at~610, 823, 856 and 968 cm −1 that had not been observed before. Aided by the Raman features of natural Si-free MgAl 2 O 4 -spinel, synthetic Si-free MgAl 2 O 4 -spinel, natural low quartz, synthetic coesite, synthetic stishovite and synthetic forsterite, we infer that these Raman peaks should belong to the SiO 4 groups. The relations between the Raman intensities and SiO 2 contents of the Si-bearing MgAl 2 O 4 -spinels suggest that under some P-T conditions, some Si must adopt the M-site. Unlike the SiO 4 groups with very intense Raman signals, the SiO 6 groups are largely Raman-inactive. We further found that the Si cations primarily appear on the T-site at P-T conditions ≤~3-4 GPa and 1500 • C, but attain a random distribution between the T-site and M-site at P-T conditions ≥~5-6 GPa and 1630-1650 • C. This Si-disordering process observed for the Si-bearing MgAl 2 O 4 -spinels suggests that similar Si-disordering might happen to the (Mg,Fe) 2 SiO 4 -spinels (ringwoodite), the major phase in the lower part of the mantle transition zone of the Earth and the benchmark mineral for the very strong shock stage experienced by extraterrestrial materials. The likely consequences have been explored.

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Raman spectroscopy on Mars: identification of geological and bio-geological signatures in Martian analogues using miniaturized Raman spectrometers

Cited by 29 publications

References 67 publications

Biogeological Analysis of Desert Varnish Using Portable Raman Spectrometers

Biogeological Analysis of Desert Varnish Using Portable Raman Spectrometers

The Modern Near-Surface Martian Climate: A Review of In-situ Meteorological Data from Viking to Curiosity

Si-Disordering in MgAl2O4-Spinel under High P-T Conditions, with Implications for Si-Mg Disorder in Mg2SiO4-Ringwoodite

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