Related Experiment Videos
Survivability of bacteria ejected from icy surfaces after hypervelocity impact
Mark J Burchell1, James A Galloway, Alan W Bunch
1Centre for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Physics Laboratory, School of Physical Sciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK. M.J.Burchell@ukc.ac.uk
Summary
Life may transfer between icy moons via space, a concept known as Panspermia. Experiments show bacteria survive ejection from ice impacts, but transfer to new icy bodies remains unproven.
Area of Science:
- Astrobiology
- Planetary Science
- Microbiology
Background:
- Icy moons in the Saturnian and Jovian systems may harbor subsurface oceans.
- The concept of Panspermia suggests life can migrate naturally through space.
- A potential mechanism involves the transfer of microbial life between celestial bodies via impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of life transfer between icy bodies.
- To examine the ejection of ice-bearing bacteria during hypervelocity impacts.
- To assess the survival and transfer of bacteria impacting icy surfaces.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory experiments using a light gas gun to simulate hypervelocity impacts on ice.
- Analysis of icy ejecta for viable bacterial loads.
- Measurement of ejecta angular and size distribution.
- Testing the transfer of viable bacteria from impacting projectiles to icy surfaces.
Main Results:
- Obtaining icy ejecta with viable bacterial loads is straightforward.
- Bacterial viability in ejecta was demonstrated.
- Angular and size distributions of ejecta from hypervelocity impacts on ice were measured.
- Successful transfer of viable bacteria to icy surfaces from impacting projectiles was not achieved.
Conclusions:
- The ejection of viable bacteria from icy surfaces during impacts is feasible.
- Further research is needed to overcome challenges in transferring viable bacteria between icy bodies.