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PRODID:-//Columba Systems Ltd//NONSGML CPNG/SpringViewer/ICal Output/3.3-
 M3//EN
VERSION:2.0
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20200324T183753Z
DTSTART:20200415T120000Z
DTEND:20200415T130000Z
SUMMARY:Cancelled - Organic/Inorganic interactions during analysis: Impli
 cations for life detection missions to Mars
UID:{http://www.columbasystems.com/customers/uom/gpp/eventid/}odl-k5zi7y7
 w-2ffwo
DESCRIPTION:Unfortunately this event has been cancelled. \n\nDr Samuel Ro
 yle\, Imperial College London\, joins us for a Department of Earth and E
 nvironmental Sciences seminar. Abstract below. \n\nAttempts by both curr
 ent (Mars Sample Laboratory/Curiosity) and imminent (ExoMars) Mars missi
 ons to find evidence of past or present life revolve around the detectio
 n of organic molecules in Martian surface and near surface sediments. Or
 ganic molecules should be relatively widespread on Mars. They will at le
 ast have been delivered to the planetary surface from exogenous sources 
 (via meteorites\, comets\, or interplanetary dust particles)\, but also 
 may have formed from indigenous martian igneous\, hydrothermal\, atmosph
 eric or even biological processes. Most attempts to detect organic molec
 ules in situ at Mars\, first by Viking and then by Curiosity/Mars Sample
  Laboratory\, have failed to detect anything other than simple chlorinat
 ed hydrocarbons. Current organic matter detection protocols (also planne
 d for use on ExoMars) involve heating samples to break down large organi
 c molecules into smaller detectable fragments\, thermal decomposition. T
 he simple organic molecules detected so far have been suggested to be th
 e reaction products of more complex martian organic molecules being tran
 sformed on being heated in the presence of oxidising minerals. It theref
 ore necessary to explore how organic matter/inorganic mineral mixtures m
 ay evolve during this process to maximise chances of a conclusive answer
  to the question of whether there is\, or ever was\, life on Mars?
STATUS:TENTATIVE
TRANSP:TRANSPARENT
CLASS:PUBLIC
LOCATION:G.03\, Williamson Building\, Manchester
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