Materials discovered in the rocks of Jezero Crater on Mars imply that
organic stuff may be present in large quantities there.
The Perseverance rover's spectroscopic analytical tools have identified
evidence of hydrocarbon molecules in a number of rock formations.
Additionally, the detections reveal various
molecular
kinds and abundances in various rocks.
The Curiosity rover also discovered organic molecules in the Gale Crater,
so this is not the first time organic molecules have been identified on our
neighboring planet. However, the finding shows that the necessary components
for life may be present throughout Mars and provided by various creation
methods.
According to astrobiologist Sunanda Sharma of Caltech, who oversaw the
study, "We have detected signals consistent with aromatic organic molecules
in multiple rocks in the Jezero crater floor."
"We see three forms of potentially organic Raman signals and at least four
different types of fluorescence signals. It appears that the
Máaz
unit has more fluorescence detections and a greater variety of fluorescence
signals than the Sétah unit. Such variances might indicate that the units
had distinct alterations histories, which was unexpected and
intriguing.
Finding evidence of Mars's habitability is one of Perseverance's
main goals. Of
However, there are many non-biological processes that may make compounds
based on carbon, thus carbon chemistry isn't a conclusive indicator of that.
However, since carbon is
necessary for life
as we know it, carbon-containing molecules are among the most important
things to check for when determining if an area is habitable.
It's also crucial that rocks retain the capacity to hold onto these
molecules. These site-specific traits would imply that life may have
developed or was maintained there at some point throughout Mars'
history.
Sharma and her team examined rocks from the Máaz and Sétah formations using
Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy to search for signs of
carbon chemistry
using Perseverance's
SHERLOC
device. They not only discovered the signals they were looking for, but also
significant variations in the chemistry of the rocks.
Sharma declares, "I'm primarily interested in the similarities between
units.
In terms of the quantity, variety, and mineral connections of the potential
organic signals, Maaz and Sétah did not appear to be same. How does this tie
into the account of Jezero crater? I'm now interested in what may have
happened to cause such variances.
Both formations exhibit
water modification, albeit the precise chemicals are still unknown. This implies that water,
another essential component for previously habitable circumstances, may have
contributed to the development of the compounds.
Since then, the rover has gone on, and a ton more data is on the way. The next stage
is to contrast various rock formation types at fresh sites. This could
facilitate the construction of a more thorough geological history of Mars
and its organic compounds.
The researchers is hopeful that since organic compounds seem to be present
in large quantities, samples being prepared for return to Earth by
Perseverance will also contain them. We will eventually have the chance to
examine them firsthand if this is the case.
This, according to Sharma, is a crucial element of the picture we are
piecing together regarding the existence, distribution, and kinds of
organics on Mars.
The team's research has been published in
Nature.
