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In Situ Detection of Organic Molecules on the Martian Surface With the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) on Exomars 2018The Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) investigation on the 2018 ExoMars rover will examine the chemical composition of samples acquired from depths of up to two meters below the martian surface, where organics may be protected from radiative and oxidative degradation. The MOMA instrument is centered around a miniaturized linear ion trap (LIT) that facilitates two modes of operation: i) pyrolysisgas chromatography mass spectrometry (pyrGC-MS); and, ii) laser desorptionionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) at ambient Mars pressures. The LIT also enables the structural characterization of complex molecules via complementary analytical capabilities, such as multi-frequency waveforms (i.e., SWIFT) and tandem mass spectrometry (MSMS). When combined with the complement of instruments in the rovers Pasteur Payload, MOMA has the potential to reveal the presence of a wide range of organics preserved in a variety of mineralogical environments, and to begin to understand the structural character and potential origin of those compounds.
Document ID
20160007923
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Li, Xiang
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Baltimore, MD, United States)
Brinckerhoff, William B.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Pinnick, Veronica T
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Baltimore, MD, United States)
van Amerom, Friso H. W.
(MiniMass Consulting St. Petersberg, FL, United States)
Danell, Ryan M.
(SGT, Inc. Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Arevalo, Ricardo D., Jr.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Getty, Stephanie
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Mahaffy, Paul R.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Date Acquired
June 27, 2016
Publication Date
June 15, 2015
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN22724
Meeting Information
Meeting: Astrobiology Science Conference
Location: Chicago, IL
Country: United States
Start Date: June 15, 2015
End Date: June 19, 2015
Sponsors: Universities Space Research Association
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG12CR29C
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG06EO90A
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
ExoMars2018
organic detection
MOMA
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