The identification of extraterrestrial life is one the most exciting and challenging endeavors in space research. The existence of extinct or extant life can be inferred from biogenic elements, isotopes, and molecules, but accurate and sensitive instruments are needed. In this whitepaper we show that Laser-based Mass Spectrometers are promising instrument for the in situ identification of atomic, isotopic, and molecular biosignatures. An overview of Laser ablation/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (LIMS) and Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (LD-MS) instruments developed for space exploration is given. Their uses are discussed in the context of a Mars scenario and a Europa scenario. We show that Laser-based Mass Spectrometers are versatile and technologically mature instruments with many beneficial characteristics for the detection of life. Future planetary lander and rover missions should be encouraged to make use of Laser-based Mass Spectrometry instruments in their scientific payload.
@article{arxiv.2009.02521,
title = {Detecting the elemental and molecular signatures of life: Laser-based mass spectrometry technologies},
author = {Niels F. W. Ligterink and Andreas Riedo and Marek Tulej and Rustam Lukmanov and Valentine Grimaudo and Coenraad de Koning and Peter Wurz and Christelle Briois and Nathalie Carrasco and Ricardo Arevalo and William B. Brinckerhoff},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2009.02521},
year = {2020}
}
Comments
10 pages, 1 figure. Submitted as a whitepaper for the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032