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Method for detecting and quantitating capture of organic molecules in hypervelocity impacts
Bahar Kazemi1, James S New2,3, Matin Golozar1
1Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, United States.
Methodsx
|August 26, 2021
Summary
A new fluorescence microscopy method quantifies organic capture and survival from ice impacts. This technique aids in developing instruments for detecting biosignatures on icy moons like Enceladus.
Area of Science:
- Astrobiology and Planetary Science
- Organic Chemistry and Spectroscopy
Background:
- Enceladus, with its subsurface ocean and organic content, is a key target for astrobiology.
- Ice plumes offer opportunities for remote sampling, but organic molecule survival during hypervelocity impacts is uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a fluorescence microscopic method for quantifying organic tracer dye survival after hypervelocity ice impacts.
- To assess the capture efficiency of organic materials embedded in ice impacting a metallic surface.
Main Methods:
- A fluorescence microscopic apparatus with substrate humidification and a CCD detector was used.
- Pacific Blue™ (PB) dye was used as a model organic tracer, deposited on metallic surfaces.
- Calibration curves were generated relating fluorescence intensity to the number of PB molecules.
Main Results:
- A method was established to parametrically determine the amount of Pacific Blue™ on a metallic surface.
- The method successfully quantified organic capture and survival following ice particle impacts at 1.7 km/s.
- Up to 11% capture efficiency of the organic tracer was observed in hypervelocity impact experiments.
Conclusions:
- The developed fluorescence microscopy method is effective for measuring organic capture and survival in simulated Enceladus plume conditions.
- This work supports the advancement of instruments, such as the Enceladus Organic Analyzer, for biosignature detection in space missions.
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