Wet Chemistry Experiment at Mars (wetchem)

Introduction: NASA is developing strategies for several in-situ missions to Mars in the next few decades to explore and quantitatively assess potential habitability on Mars. Some of these missions will be designed to specifically search for biosignatures on Mars. Much of the present practice in the development of new detection technologies and instrumentation for astrobiology follows the model of developing single instruments to measure single physical parameters which may represent potential simple biosignatures. This has led to the development of scores of measurement concepts and a vast array of potential instruments to choose from for future astrobiology missions: a variety of mass analyzers, gas and liquid chromatographs, spectroscopic techniques from radio-frequency through x-ray, to name just a few. Very little work has been done regarding the need for a multi-measurement approach toward identification of complex biomarkers. In addition, certain chemicals are produced by both biotic and abiotic processes alike. We need to be able to decisively differentiate the origin of these signatures (i.e. creation from biotic or abiotic processes). For example, amino acids are commonly found in meteriotic material and, therefore, do not necessarily have a biological origin. Definitive studies which test the range of expression of the characteristics life can impart to its environment are lacking yet such studies in Earthly Martian analogue environments are vital to developing appropriate strategies for Mars exploration. The measurement strategy must be anchored in a self-contained set of instruments that give concrete evidence for/or against the existence of a given mineral/chemical biomarker. ESI/IMS RCAL