Diverse organic molecules on Mars revealed by the first SAM TMAH experiment
Abstract
Abstract The search for organic matter on Mars has rapidly evolved in the past decade with simple aromatic, S-heterocycles, and aliphatic organic molecules detected in Gale crater. We report the in situ detection of >20 organic molecules from clay-bearing sandstones in the ~3.5-billion-year-old Knockfarrill Hill member of Glen Torridon, Gale crater, by the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite onboard the Curiosity rover. These molecules were liberated by the onboard tetramethylammonium hydroxide wet chemistry experiment. Diverse thermochemolysis products, including benzothiophene, methyl benzoate, and single and dicyclic aromatic molecules were released and detected by evolved gas analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results indicate the experiment successfully released molecules preserved in ancient macromolecular or free organic matter within Martian bedrock despite ~3.5 billion years of diagenesis and radiation exposure.
Article Details
Authors (30)
Amy J. Williams
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida
Jennifer L. Eigenbrode
Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Maëva Millan
Laboratoire Atmosphères et Observations Spatiales, Université Versailles St Quentin Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS
Ross H. Williams
Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Ophélie M. Mcintosh
Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University
Samuel Teinturier
Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Janelle Roach
Charles Malespin
Amy C. McAdam
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Paul Mahaffy
Alexander B. Bryk
Department of Earth & Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Arnaud Buch
Laboratoire de Génie des Procédés et Matériaux, CentraleSupelec
David Boulesteix
Luoth Chou
Jason P. Dworkin
Solar System Exploration Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Goddard Space Flight Center
Valerie Fox
Heather B. Franz
Caroline Freissinet
Laboratoire Atmosphères et Observations Spatiales, Université Versailles St Quentin Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS
Daniel P. Glavin
Solar System Exploration Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Goddard Space Flight Center
Christopher H. House
Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
Sarah Stewart Johnson
James M. T. Lewis
Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Angel Mojarro
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Postdoctoral Program, Oak Ridge Associated Universities
Rafael Navarro-Gonzalez
Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
Chad Pozarycki
Andrew Steele
Roger E. Summons
Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cyril Szopa
Laboratoire Atmosphères et Observations Spatiales, Université Versailles St Quentin Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS
Michael T. Thorpe
University of Maryland/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/ Center for Research and Exploration in Space and Science Technology (CRESST II)
Ashwin R. Vasavada
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.