The effects of Martian near surface conditions on the photochemistry of amino acids

In order to understand the complex multi-parameter system of destruction of organic material on the surface of Mars, step-by-step laboratory simulations of processes occurring on the surface of Mars are necessary. This paper describes the measured effects of two parameters, a CO2 atmosphere and low temperature, on the destruction rate of amino acids when irradiated with Mars-like ultraviolet light (UV). The results show that the presence of a 7 mbar CO2 atmosphere does not affect the destruction rate of glycine, and that cooling the sample to 210 K (average Mars temperature) lowers the destruction rate by a factor of 7. The decrease in the destruction rate of glycine by cooling the sample is thought to be predominantly caused by the slower reaction kinetics. When these results are scaled to Martian lighting conditions, cold thin films of glycine are assumed to have half-lives of 250 h under noontime peak illumination. It has been hypothesised that the absence of detectable native organic material in the Martian regolith points to the presence of oxidising agents. Some of these agents might form via the interaction of UV with compounds in the atmosphere. Water, although a trace component of Mars’ atmosphere, is suggested to be a significant source of oxidising species. However, gaseous CO2 or adsorbed H2O layers do not influence the photodestruction of amino acids significantly in the absence of reactive soil. Other mechanisms such as chemical processes in the Martian regolith need to be effective for rapid organic destruction.