Provided by Will Dunham
Washington (Reuters) -A new gaze on data collected by NASA Cassini spacecraft, revealed more evidence that Saturn lunar encelades can support life with additional complex organic molecules identified from gyzer -like ice -cream nozzles.
Researchers re -examined the data obtained when Cassini Conducted the nearest Encelades flight, including when he ran directly through the bursts of the ice grain and gas erupting from the ice -loaded lunar surface through the fractures near his southern pole. In doing so, they were able to acquire a clearer picture of the lunar underground chemistry.
In addition to confirming the precursors of certain organic molecules, including the precursors of the amino acids – protein building blocks, large and complex molecules essential for life, previously found in plumage, they have found new classes of organic molecules that have not been observed before.
“We have identified several organic categories – these are primarily carbon -containing molecules that include many structures and chemical properties,” said Nosair Khawaja, Freie Universität Berlin planets and main study author published this week in Nature Astronomy.
It is a species of molecules that may be related to the right circumstances in the processes that result in more complex organic compounds that are necessary for life.
“It is believed that such compounds are intermediate products, synthesizing more complex molecules, which can be biologically important. However, it is important to note that these molecules can also be formed abothically, without any interaction with life on Earth,” said Khawaja.
Enceladus is considered one of the most intriguing places in our solar system to seek a possible life outside the Earth. Named in ancient Greek mythology as a giant, it is one of the internal ring giant Saturn, the second largest of our solar system planet. Its diameter is 313 miles (504 km) and the Orbits Saturnu is approximately 148,000 miles (238,000 km).
Scientists believe that Enceladus has a life -threatening chemical ingredient and has hydrothermal openings releasing hot, mineral rich water into its ocean, the same type of environment that could have caught the first living organisms. Its ocean is about 12-19 miles (20-30 km) in the thickness of the ice crust.
“First of all, we did not find the encelades of life and found no biosicles,” said Khawaja, pointing to anything showing life, past or present.
“Even if such things exist, I doubt if we find it in the data of Cassini instruments that were in decades -old technology. But we have convincing evidence that all three fittings – liquid water, energy source and essential elements and organic materials – are enceladus,” Khawaja said.
Researchers performed a comprehensive chemical analysis of ice grain, selected directly from the feather in Cassini flight at about 40,250 miles (64,800 km) per hour. These grains are small pieces of frozen water from the underground ocean, which were thrown only in minutes earlier, so over time they have not been replaced by intensive space radiation, such as ice grains from the encelades, which forms a ring around Saturn, which trace the moon orbit.
Thus, the chemical properties of the feather grain reflect the complex chemical reactions that occur in the ocean.
The European Space Agency plans to return the future mission to Enclades.
“Enceladus is and should be appreciated as the main goal of exploring suitability and seeking whether life is or not,” Khawaja said.
(Will Dunham’s message, edited by Rosalba O’Brien)