Organic molecules in the Sheepbed Mudstone, Gale Crater, Mars
The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on board the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover is designed to conduct inorganic and organic chemical analyses of the atmosphere and the surface regolith and rocks to help evaluate the past and present habitability potential of Mars at Gale Crater. C...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Blackwell Publishing Ltd
2015
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2767 |
| _version_ | 1848744042804805632 |
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| author | Freissinet, C. Glavin, D. Mahaffy, P. Miller, K. Eigenbrode, J. Summons, Roger Brunner, A. Buch, A. Szopa, C. Archer, P. Franz, H. Atreya, S. Brinckerhoff, W. Cabane, M. Coll, P. Conrad, P. Des Marais, D. Dworkin, J. Fairén, A. François, P. Grotzinger, J. Kashyap, S. Ten Kate, I. Leshin, L. Malespin, C. Martin, M. Martin-Torres, F. Mcadam, A. Ming, D. Navarro-González, R. Pavlov, A. Prats, B. Squyres, S. Steele, A. Stern, J. Sumner, D. Sutter, B. Zorzano, M. |
| author_facet | Freissinet, C. Glavin, D. Mahaffy, P. Miller, K. Eigenbrode, J. Summons, Roger Brunner, A. Buch, A. Szopa, C. Archer, P. Franz, H. Atreya, S. Brinckerhoff, W. Cabane, M. Coll, P. Conrad, P. Des Marais, D. Dworkin, J. Fairén, A. François, P. Grotzinger, J. Kashyap, S. Ten Kate, I. Leshin, L. Malespin, C. Martin, M. Martin-Torres, F. Mcadam, A. Ming, D. Navarro-González, R. Pavlov, A. Prats, B. Squyres, S. Steele, A. Stern, J. Sumner, D. Sutter, B. Zorzano, M. |
| author_sort | Freissinet, C. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on board the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover is designed to conduct inorganic and organic chemical analyses of the atmosphere and the surface regolith and rocks to help evaluate the past and present habitability potential of Mars at Gale Crater. Central to this task is the development of an inventory of any organic molecules present to elucidate processes associated with their origin, diagenesis, concentration, and long-term preservation. This will guide the future search for biosignatures. Here we report the definitive identification of chlorobenzene (150–300 parts per billion by weight (ppbw)) and C2 to C4 dichloroalkanes (up to 70 ppbw) with the SAM gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) and detection of chlorobenzene in the direct evolved gas analysis (EGA) mode, in multiple portions of the fines from the Cumberland drill hole in the Sheepbed mudstone at Yellowknife Bay. When combined with GCMS and EGA data from multiple scooped and drilled samples, blank runs, and supporting laboratory analog studies, the elevated levels of chlorobenzene and the dichloroalkanes cannot be solely explained by instrument background sources known to be present in SAM. We conclude that these chlorinated hydrocarbons are the reaction products of Martian chlorine and organic carbon derived from Martian sources (e.g., igneous, hydrothermal, atmospheric, or biological) or exogenous sources such as meteorites, comets, or interplanetary dust particles. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T05:55:11Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-2767 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T05:55:11Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-27672018-06-13T00:28:51Z Organic molecules in the Sheepbed Mudstone, Gale Crater, Mars Freissinet, C. Glavin, D. Mahaffy, P. Miller, K. Eigenbrode, J. Summons, Roger Brunner, A. Buch, A. Szopa, C. Archer, P. Franz, H. Atreya, S. Brinckerhoff, W. Cabane, M. Coll, P. Conrad, P. Des Marais, D. Dworkin, J. Fairén, A. François, P. Grotzinger, J. Kashyap, S. Ten Kate, I. Leshin, L. Malespin, C. Martin, M. Martin-Torres, F. Mcadam, A. Ming, D. Navarro-González, R. Pavlov, A. Prats, B. Squyres, S. Steele, A. Stern, J. Sumner, D. Sutter, B. Zorzano, M. The Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on board the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover is designed to conduct inorganic and organic chemical analyses of the atmosphere and the surface regolith and rocks to help evaluate the past and present habitability potential of Mars at Gale Crater. Central to this task is the development of an inventory of any organic molecules present to elucidate processes associated with their origin, diagenesis, concentration, and long-term preservation. This will guide the future search for biosignatures. Here we report the definitive identification of chlorobenzene (150–300 parts per billion by weight (ppbw)) and C2 to C4 dichloroalkanes (up to 70 ppbw) with the SAM gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) and detection of chlorobenzene in the direct evolved gas analysis (EGA) mode, in multiple portions of the fines from the Cumberland drill hole in the Sheepbed mudstone at Yellowknife Bay. When combined with GCMS and EGA data from multiple scooped and drilled samples, blank runs, and supporting laboratory analog studies, the elevated levels of chlorobenzene and the dichloroalkanes cannot be solely explained by instrument background sources known to be present in SAM. We conclude that these chlorinated hydrocarbons are the reaction products of Martian chlorine and organic carbon derived from Martian sources (e.g., igneous, hydrothermal, atmospheric, or biological) or exogenous sources such as meteorites, comets, or interplanetary dust particles. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2767 10.1002/2014JE004737 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Blackwell Publishing Ltd fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Freissinet, C. Glavin, D. Mahaffy, P. Miller, K. Eigenbrode, J. Summons, Roger Brunner, A. Buch, A. Szopa, C. Archer, P. Franz, H. Atreya, S. Brinckerhoff, W. Cabane, M. Coll, P. Conrad, P. Des Marais, D. Dworkin, J. Fairén, A. François, P. Grotzinger, J. Kashyap, S. Ten Kate, I. Leshin, L. Malespin, C. Martin, M. Martin-Torres, F. Mcadam, A. Ming, D. Navarro-González, R. Pavlov, A. Prats, B. Squyres, S. Steele, A. Stern, J. Sumner, D. Sutter, B. Zorzano, M. Organic molecules in the Sheepbed Mudstone, Gale Crater, Mars |
| title | Organic molecules in the Sheepbed Mudstone, Gale Crater, Mars |
| title_full | Organic molecules in the Sheepbed Mudstone, Gale Crater, Mars |
| title_fullStr | Organic molecules in the Sheepbed Mudstone, Gale Crater, Mars |
| title_full_unstemmed | Organic molecules in the Sheepbed Mudstone, Gale Crater, Mars |
| title_short | Organic molecules in the Sheepbed Mudstone, Gale Crater, Mars |
| title_sort | organic molecules in the sheepbed mudstone, gale crater, mars |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2767 |