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Cited by 151Planetary Science and ExplorationAstro and Planetary ScienceSpace Science and Extraterrestrial Life

Amino acid photostability on the Martian surface

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KATE, Inge Loes, GARRY, James R. C., PEETERS, Zan, QUINN, Richard, FOING, Bernard, EHRENFREUND, Pascale·2005·Meteoritics & Planetary Science
DOI 10.1111/j.1945-5100.2005.tb00183.x
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Abstract

Abstract— In the framework of international planetary exploration programs, several space missions are planned to search for organics and bio-signatures on Mars. Previous attempts have not detected any organic compounds in the Martian regolith. It is therefore critical to investigate the processes that may affect organic molecules on and below the planet's surface. Laboratory simulations can provide useful data about the reaction pathways of organic material at Mars' surface. We have studied the stability of amino acid thin films against ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and use those data to predict the survival time of these compounds on and in the Martian regolith. We show that thin films of glycine and D-alanine are expected to have half-lives of 22 ± 5 hr and of 3 ± 1 hr, respectively, when irradiated with Mars-like UV flux levels. Modelling shows that the half-lives of the amino acids are extended to the order of 107 years when embedded in regolith. These data suggest that subsurface sampling must be a key component of future missions to Mars dedicated to organic detection.

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  • The persistence of possible biosignatures on Mars, both exposed on the surface and within the top few meters of near-subsurface accessible with drills, is likely limited by current hostile environmental conditions: UV photodegrades organics, oxidizing dust attacks molecular biosignatures, and cosmic rays penetrate several meters.

    “For example, the persistence of possible biosignatures on Mars, both exposed on the surface and within the top few meters of the near-subsurface that are accessible with drills, is likely to be limited by the current hostile environmental conditions.”

    From The Astrobiology Primer v2.0 (2016) · cites this paper as ten Kate et al., 2005

Cites

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

  • The Astrobiology Primer v2.0

    Domagal-Goldman, S. D., Wright, K. E., Domagal-Goldman, S. D., Wright, K. E., Adamala, K., Arina de la Rubia, L., Bond, J., Dartnell, L. R., Goldman, A. D., Lynch, K., et al. (2016) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2015.1460 · Cited by 136 · see citing works

    “On the martian surface, the unshielded flux of solar UV light rapidly photodegrades exposed organic molecules (ten Kate et al., 2005; Shkrob et al., 2010; Dartnell et al., 2012), the strongly oxidizing conditions of the wind-blown dust layer would chemically attack molecular biosignatures (Benner…”

  • Simulating Martian Regolith in the Laboratory

    Seiferlin, K., Ehrenfreund, P., Garry, J., Gunderson, K., Hütter, E., Kargl, G., Maturilli, A., & Merrison, J. P. (2008) · Planetary and Space Science · doi:10.1016/j.pss.2008.09.017 · Cited by 77 · see citing works

    Self-citation

Authors
KATE, I. L., GARRY, J. R. C., PEETERS, Z., QUINN, R., FOING, B., & EHRENFREUND, P.
Affiliations
  • Leiden University (NL)
  • European Space Research and Technology Centre (NL)
ORCID
Venue
Meteoritics & Planetary Science
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2005-08
Volume
40
Issue
8
Pages
1185-1193
ISSN
  • 1086-9379 (ISSN-L)
  • 1945-5100
DOI
10.1111/j.1945-5100.2005.tb00183.x
OpenAlex
W1971726793
Cited by
151
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 10
FWCI
2.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
doi.wiley.com/10.1002/tdm_license_1.1 (tdm, 3683 d)
Locations
  • Meteoritics and Planetary Science (publishedVersion)
  • UA Campus Repository (The University of Arizona) (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • Universiteit Leiden
  • Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (016.023.003)
  • Ames Research Center
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Space and Planetary Science › Planetary Science and Exploration
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Space and Planetary Science › Astro and Planetary Science
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
Keywords
glycine, D-alanine, UV irradiation, Martian regolith, organic preservation, half-life, subsurface sampling, biosignatures, thin films

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