[en] Raman spectrometers will be utilized on two Mars rover missions, ExoMars and Mars 2020, in the near future, to search for evidence of life and habitable geological niches on Mars. Carotenoid pigments are recognized target biomarkers, and as they are highly active in Raman spectroscopy, they can be readily used to characterize the capabilities of space representative instrumentation. As part of the preparatory work being performed for the ExoMars mission, a gypsum crust colonized by microorganisms was interrogated with commercial portable Raman instruments and a flight representative Raman laser spectrometer. Four separate layers, each exhibiting different coloration resulting from specific halophilic microorganism activities within the gypsum crust, were studied by using two excitation wavelengths: 532 and 785 nm. Raman or fluorescence data were readily obtained during the present study. Gypsum, the main constituent of the crust, was detected with both excitation wavelengths, while the resonance Raman signal associated with carotenoid pigments was only detected with a 532 nm excitation wavelength. The fluorescence originating from bacteriochlorophyll a was found to overwhelm the Raman signal for the layer colonized by sulfur bacteria when interrogated with a 785 nm excitation wavelength. Finally, it was demonstrated that portable instruments and the prototype were capable of detecting a statistically significant difference in band positions of carotenoid signals between the sample layers.
Disciplines :
Chemistry
Author, co-author :
Malherbe, Cédric ; Université de Liège > Département de chimie (sciences) > Chimie analytique inorganique
Hutchinson, I. B.; University of Leicester > Physics and Astronomy
McHugh, M.; University of Leicester > Physics and Astronomy
Ingley, R.; University of Leicester > Physics and Astronomy
Jehlicka, J; Charles University in Prague > Geology
Edwards, H.G.M; University of Leicester > Physics and Astronomy
Language :
English
Title :
Accurate Differentiation of Carotenoid Pigments Using Flight Representative Raman Spectrometers
Publication date :
April 2017
Journal title :
Astrobiology
ISSN :
1531-1074
eISSN :
1557-8070
Publisher :
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., New Rochelle, United States - New York
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