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    Understanding the application of Raman spectroscopy to the detection of traces of life

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    Issue Date
    2010-03-01
    Author
    Marshall, Craig P.
    Edwards, Howell G. M.
    Jehlicka, Jan
    Publisher
    Mary Ann Liebert
    Type
    Article
    Article Version
    Scholarly/refereed, publisher version
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    Abstract
    Investigating carbonaceous microstructures and material in Earth's oldest sedimentary rocks is an essential part of tracing the origins of life on our planet; furthermore, it is important for developing techniques to search for traces of life on other planets, for example, Mars. NASA and ESA are considering the adoption of miniaturized Raman spectrometers for inclusion in suites of analytical instrumentation to be placed on robotic landers on Mars in the near future to search for fossil or extant biomolecules. Recently, Raman spectroscopy has been used to infer a biological origin of putative carbonaceous microfossils in Early Archean rocks. However, it has been demonstrated that the spectral signature obtained from kerogen (of known biological origin) is similar to spectra obtained from many poorly ordered carbonaceous materials that arise through abiotic processes. Yet there is still confusion in the literature as to whether the Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous materials can indeed delineate a signature of ancient life. Despite the similar nature in spectra, rigorous structural interrogation between the thermal alteration products of biological and nonbiological organic materials has not been undertaken. Therefore, we propose a new way forward by investigating the second derivative, deconvolution, and chemometrics of the carbon first-order spectra to build a database of structural parameters that may yield distinguishable characteristics between biogenic and abiogenic carbonaceous material. To place Raman spectroscopy as a technique to delineate a biological origin for samples in context, we will discuss what is currently accepted as a spectral signature for life; review Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material; and provide a historical overview of Raman spectroscopy applied to Archean carbonaceous materials, interpretations of the origin of the ancient carbonaceous material, and a future way forward for Raman spectroscopy.
    Description
    This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from "http://online.liebertpub.com".
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/1808/17372
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2009.0344
    ISSN
    1531-1076
    Collections
    • Geology Scholarly Works [213]
    Citation
    Craig P. Marshall, Howell G.M. Edwards, and Jan Jehlicka. Astrobiology. March 2010, 10(2): 229-243. http://www.dx.doi.org/10.1089/ast.2009.0344

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    Lawrence, KS 66045
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    Contact KU ScholarWorks
    785-864-8983
    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    785-864-8983

    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    Image Credits
     

     

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