High resolution mass spectrometry laboratory experiments for the analysis of past and future space data

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Bernd Abel
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy ; Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 452069549

Enceladus is known to eject material into space from a subsurface global salty water ocean. Therefore, the Cassini mission targeting the Enceladus plume could easily collect plume material in a flyby over the south polar terrain at a suitable altitude. Due to the big success of the Cassini space mission, follow up missions are planned for the future. However, for these missions much more compact instruments with a much higher mass resolution are necessary. Because much of the success in analyzing the space data came from laboratory experiments the current proposal targets at developing instruments for laboratory experiments, which on the one hand may have the potential to be even implemented on board of future space missions (e.g., Orbitrap mass spectrometer). On the other hand, the developed instruments will have the potential to support these missions through laboratory experiments that provide data for understanding particle interactions and atmospheric compositions of planets and their moons, as well as in the quest for searching life on planets and their moons in our solar system. One focus of the project is therefore to combine a laser impact desorption (LID) source with powerful mass analyzers to have a good analog experiment for the interpretation of spectra recorded within the Cassini space mission that ended in 2018. It also has the goal to record libraries of spectra for future space missions, with a focus on molecules being indicators for extraterrestrial life. Beyond our focus on the study of the water-organic ejecta of the Saturn's moon Enceladus we will also investigate the possible chemical interplay between Enceladus and Titan. It is known that Enceladus releases the substances present in the subsurface water ocean into the space through its surface emissions. These substances are ionized and dragged by the magnetic field of Saturn towards the Titan, where they interact with molecules and ions present in its ionosphere. By the subsequent ion-molecule reactions, high-molecular compounds could be generated, which were observed by Cassini-Huygens mission. This will be investigated in the present study. A combination of several experimental approaches will be used for this. Within the present collaborative effort, the teams in Leipzig and Prag join forces for the investigation of the nature of the aqueous molecules of Enceladus by combining Laser-Impact-Desorption-MS (LID-MS) and a novel mass analyzer instrument, termed CIARA. Finally, the interaction of fast “water ions” will be studied using the modified sector-type mass spectrometer. Possible mechanisms for the formation of high-molecular compounds will be studied using tandem mass spectrometry.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Czech Republic
• Partner Organisation: Czech Science Foundation
• Cooperation Partner: Dr. Jan Zabka