Astrobiology Article Analysis and Review: Detecting Life in Icy Moons

This report provides an analysis and review of an astrobiology article focusing on the detection of life in icy moons. The article highlights the potential for subsurface oceans and habitable conditions on these celestial bodies, particularly Europa. Key evidence discussed includes the presence of plumes, young icy surfaces, and the detection of organic compounds such as hydrogen, methane, and ammonia. The research emphasizes the role of NASA's Europa Clipper mission and its scientific instruments, such as MASPEX, in identifying trace species in the atmosphere. The study explores sampling techniques to identify organic-rich materials and hydrocarbons, using shales and coal as benchmarks for assessing life-supporting compounds. The analysis further notes the importance of biochemical needs and demands in identifying living and organic matter. The report also mentions the instruments used to identify and detect microbes, organic matter, hydrocarbons, and other compounds that signal life in space.

Running head: ASTROBIOLOGY ARTICLE 1
Astrobiology Article Analysis and Review
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ASTROBIOLOGY ARTICLE 2
Presence of Life in the Icy Moons
Astrobiology Article Analysis
Mark, S., Jack, H, and Tim, B. (2017). How to Detect Life in the Icy Moons. The Imperial
College London.
The selected article notes that the presence of icy moons provides the possibility of exploring the
solar system. This is because the collected evidence suggests the possibility and probability of
sub-surface ocean waters. Scholars investigating the presence of the line in the solar system also
present evidence that sub-surface oceans are a key provision in determining the possibility of life
in the space (Mark, Jack, and Tim, 2017). A shred of major evidence presented in the article is
that Europa has a crater that suggests or points to a young icy surface. Further, the eruption of
plumes from the sub-surface indicates the possibility of hydrothermal reactions with evidence of
tested plumes showed traces of hydrogen, methane, water, carbon dioxide, and ammonia.
Stress fractions have further been observed which shows that the Jupiter smallest moon is the
greatest cause of major fractions on the Europa earth surface. Studies and scientific
investigations by the NASA Europa Clipper are underway to take the periodic Jupiter rotations
and to record measurements. This scientific investigation will kick off in the first quarter of 2020
and it will run in periodic intervals of 3-years (Bickford & Geological Society of America,
2013). Additionally, NASA released a list of nine scientific instruments responsible for this task.
One of these is the MASPEX which is a high-resolution and a high-detection instrument. The
MASPEX is programmed to identify trace species in Europe's atmosphere. As a result, it will
help to provide proof of life.

ASTROBIOLOGY ARTICLE 3
The article proceeds to conduct a study and research. In this realization, a sampling method to
identify organic-rich supplements that contain long-chain carbons were utilized, and the results
were compiled for habitation assessment and life detection. A key observation is that shales
contain a long chain of hydrocarbon dominated materials and organic matter. Further, coal
contains short-chain and aromatic hydrocarbons that can be utilized in the assessment of life-
supporting compounds both on the earth surface and the atmosphere. The article notes that the
sampling technique provided a benchmark for identifying possible materials that can be utilized
to detect life and to assess habitation (Everdell, 2007). This analysis observes that the use of the
strategic and systematic sampling technique made it possible to determine both the short and the
long-chain hydrocarbons, and their impact in detecting life and habitation.
It is crucial to note that the results of this study were evaluated based on the basis of the three
fundamental investigation materials. First, the unique contributions to the mass spectra were
identified by identifying patterns of responses, and how they correspond to fragmented pieces of
the compounds. This analysis notes that the fragmentation behavior of organic matter and
compounds was a characteristic feature that helped to identify both movement and presence of
life in the icy moons. The organic-rich shales are further characterized by the abundance of peaks
that directly corresponds to the alkaline levels as fragmentation generates units that vary in mass.
As part of evaluating the coals, the findings showed that the abundance of peaks that correspond
to Benzes was a clear indication of habitation. It is important to establish that the uniqueness and
distinctness of living and organic matter is determined by their biochemical needs and demands
that are provided during active synthesis (Goodfellow, Freeman, and Sisson, 2007). This analysis
notes that the detection of life and the presence of habitation in the icy moons can be flexibly
identified through the detection of the different minerals, compounds, elements, and chemicals in

ASTROBIOLOGY ARTICLE 4
the space. These substances provide a room to evaluate the reaction of microbes to different
environmental stimuli and chemicals.
The article brings to an insight that fact that plumes are responsible for ejecting materials from
the sub-surface to the outer space surface. The analysis identifies that NASA Europa Caliber is a
program by NASA to identify and detect the presence of life in the icy moons. Available
evidence shows that extracts of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and liquid hydrogen are
clear indications of the presence of organic matter (Baross and Waite, 2015). The research relies
on the active selection and sampling method and derived outcomes from the collected organic
matter including aromatic and short-chain hydrocarbons. As part of the study, a key observation
is that shales contain a long chain of hydrocarbon dominated materials and organic matter.
Further, coal contains short-chain and aromatic hydrocarbons that can be utilized in the
assessment of life-supporting compounds both on the earth surface and the atmosphere.
A unique observation from the article is that the uniqueness and distinctness of living and
organic matter are determined by their biochemical needs and demands that are provided during
active synthesis. This analysis notes that the detection of life and the presence of habitation in the
icy moons can be flexibly identified through the detection of the different minerals, compounds,
elements, and chemicals in the space (Schenk, Clark, Howett, Verbiscer, Waite, & Dotson,
2018). This means that the selected scientific instrument MASPEX is instrumental in the
detection and evaluation of microbes, organic matter, hydrocarbons, and other compounds that
signal life. The above analysis surmises the paper, adding knowledge and creating insight on
how to detect habitation and the presence of life in the icy moons.

ASTROBIOLOGY ARTICLE 5
References
Baross, J.A., and Waite, Jr., J.H. (2015) The pH of Enceladus’ ocean. Geochim Cosmochim Acta
162:202–219.
Bickford, M. E., & Geological Society of America. (2013). The web of geological sciences:
Advances, impacts, and interactions.
Everdell, M.H. (2007). Some remarks on the thermodynamics of the xylenes. J Chem Educ
44:538. Glein, C.R.
Goodfellow, M., Freeman, R., and Sisson, P.R. (2007) Curie-point pyrolysis mass spectrometry
as a tool in clinical microbiology. Zentralbl Bakteriol 285:133–156.
Gordon, P.R., and Sephton, M.A. (2016) Organic matter detection on Mars by pyrolysis-FTIR:
An analysis of sensitivity and mineral matrix effects. Astrobiology 16:831–845. DOI:
10.1089/ast.2016.1485
Mark, S., Jack, H, and Tim, B. (2017). How to Detect Life in the Icy Moons. The Imperial
College London.
Schenk, P. M., Clark, R. N., Howett, C. J. A., Verbiscer, A. J., Waite, J. H., & Dotson, R. (2018).
Enceladus and the icy moons of Saturn.