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The Search for Life on Titan

The Search for Life on Titan. By: Charlie Congleton. http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/outerp/titan.gif. What do we need for LIFE?. A fluid medium for transport of solutes A consistent energy source

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The Search for Life on Titan

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  1. The Search for Life on Titan By: Charlie Congleton http://www.lpi.usra.edu/resources/outerp/titan.gif

  2. What do we need for LIFE? • A fluid medium for transport of solutes • A consistent energy source • Environmental constituents and conditions compatible with polymeric chemistry on Titan’s surface {Irwin and Shilze-Makuch, 2001}

  3. Titan Overview • Largest moon of Saturn • Surface temperature ~95 K • Atmospheric pressure ~1.5 bars • Nitrogen rich atmosphere (90% N,~5% CH4) • “Dirty” water-ice surface (NH4, C2H2, silicates) • Ammonia-water oceans at depth? • Hydrocarbon haze and transient clouds • CH4 precipitation and fluvial processes • Cryovolcanism

  4. Shulze-Makuch and Grinspoon, 2005

  5. What do we need for LIFE? • A fluid medium for transport of solutes • CH4, NH4 + H2O • A consistent energy source • UV radiation, high energy molecules from photochemistry, endogenic geology, lightning • Environmental constituents and conditions compatible with polymeric chemistry on Titan’s surface • Likely due to photolysis of CH4 and N into tholins in atmosphere {Irwin and Shilze-Makuch, 2001}

  6. Tholins • Form from photolysis of N and CH4 in Titan’s upper atmosphere • Could fall and make their way into NH4-H2O • Breakdown into amino acids when they dissolve • Cause reddish brown tint in atmosphere http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=2057

  7. Cassini-Huygens Mission http://spacespin.org/article.php/landing-on-titan-movies

  8. Carbon Cycling • How is the CH4 getting back into the atmosphere? • Methanogens • [C2H2 + 3H2 → 2CH4] • Methane clathrates • Cryvolcanism • Atmosphere is enriched with heavy nitrogen relative to heavy methane isotopes • Why? Biological? Geological? http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/img/environment/methanogen230904.jpg Shulze-Makuch and Grinspoon, 2005

  9. Earth Analogue? • Trainer et al., 2004 suggest that Titan’s haze may be similar to the one that may have covered prebiotic Earth • Greenhouse (CH4 and CO2 on Earth) • Formation of organic molecules • Methanogenic organisms • Food? http://www.tivas.org.uk/solsys/images/titan_atmos-haze.jpg

  10. What To Look For? • Could be much larger than water-based life • Could metabolize slower • Could use different biomolecules • Might not use redox reactions • Could be something weird we’ve never seen before Everything!

  11. http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Face-of-an-Extraterrestrial-Alien-Posters_i1211975_.htmhttp://www.allposters.com/-sp/Face-of-an-Extraterrestrial-Alien-Posters_i1211975_.htm http://www2.truman.edu/~ramberg/teaching/jins362/jins362.html http://www.cumminghome2.com/moxie/ae/tvfilm/moonlight-movies-at-eagle.shtml

  12. http://www.greenfacts.org/glossary/abc/bacteria.htm

  13. http://www.imagequest3d.com/photos/deepseafish/index.htm

  14. References Atreya, S. K., E. Y. Adams, et al. (2006). "Titan's methane cycle." Planetary and Space Science54(12): 1177-1187. Collins, G. C. (2005). "Relative rates of fluvial bedrock incision on Titan and Earth." Geophys. Res. Lett.32(L22202). Fischer, G., T. Tokano, et al. (2004). "Energy dissipation of possible Titan lightning strokes." Planetary and Space Science52(5-6): 447-458. Hueso, R. and A. Sánchez-Lavega (2006). "Methane storms on Saturn's moon Titan." Nature442(7101): 428-431. Irwin, L. N. and D. Schulze-Makuch (2001). "Assessing the Plausibility of Life on Other Worlds." Astrobiology1(2): 143-160. Lunine, J. I., Y. L. Yung, et al. (1999). "On the volatile inventory of Titan from isotopic abundances in nitrogen and methane." Planetary and Space Science47(10-11): 1291-1303. Schulze-Makuch, D. and D. H. Grinspoon (2005). Biologically Enhanced Energy and Carbon Cycling on Titan? Astrobiology5: 560-567. Sotin, C., R. Jaumann, et al. (2005). "Release of volatiles from a possible cryovolcano from near-infrared imaging of Titan." Nature435(7043): 786-789. Stofan, E. R., J. I. Lunine, et al. "Mapping of Titan: Results from the first Titan radar passes." IcarusIn Press, Corrected Proof. Tobie, G., J. I. Lunine, et al. (2006). "Episodic outgassing as the origin of atmospheric methane on Titan." Nature440(7080): 61-64. Tokano, T., C. P. McKay, et al. (2006). "Methane drizzle on Titan." Nature442(7101): 432-435. Tomasko, M. G., B. Archinal, et al. (2005). "Rain, winds and haze during the Huygens probe's descent to Titan's surface." Nature438(7069): 765-778. Trainer, M. G., A. A. Pavlov, et al. (2004). Haze Aerosols in the Atmosphere of Early Earth: Manna from Heaven. Astrobiology4: 409-419.

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