Field trial of a dual-wavelength fluorescent emission (L.I.F.E.) instrument and the Magma White rover during the MARS2013 Mars analog mission.
Abstract We have developed a portable dual-wavelength laser fluorescence spectrometer as part of a multi-instrument optical probe to characterize mineral, organic, and microbial species in extreme environments. Operating at 405 and 532 nm, the instrument was originally designed for use by human explorers to produce a laser-induced fluorescence emission (L.I.F.E.) spectral database of the mineral and organic molecules found in the microbial communities of Earth's cryosphere. Recently, our team had the opportunity to explore the strengths and limitations of the instrument when it was deployed on a remote-controlled Mars analog rover. In February 2013, the instrument was deployed on board the Magma White rover platform during the MARS2013 Mars analog field mission in the Kess Kess formation near Erfoud, Morocco. During these tests, we followed tele-science work flows pertinent to Mars surface missions in a simulated spaceflight environment. We report on the L.I.F.E. instrument setup, data processing, and performance during field trials. A pilot postmission laboratory analysis determined that rock samples acquired during the field mission exhibited a fluorescence signal from the Sun-exposed side characteristic of chlorophyll a following excitation at 405 nm. A weak fluorescence response to excitation at 532 nm may have originated from another microbial photosynthetic pigment, phycoerythrin, but final assignment awaits development of a comprehensive database of mineral and organic fluorescence spectra. No chlorophyll fluorescence signal was detected from the shaded underside of the samples.
1 Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck , Innsbruck, Austria .
Gernot
G
Groemer
Birgit
B
Sattler
Klemens
K
Weisleitner
Lars
L
Hunger
Christoph
C
Kohstall
Albert
A
Frisch
Mateusz
M
Józefowicz
Sebastian
S
Meszyński
Michael
M
Storrie-Lombardi
Claudia
C
Bothe
Andrea
A
Boyd
Aline
A
Dinkelaker
Markus
M
Dissertori
David
D
Fasching
Monika
M
Fischer
Daniel
D
Föger
Luca
L
Foresta
Norbert
N
Frischauf
Lukas
L
Fritsch
Harald
H
Fuchs
Christoph
C
Gautsch
Stephan
S
Gerard
Linda
L
Goetzloff
Izabella
I
Gołebiowska
Paavan
P
Gorur
Gerhard
G
Groemer
Petra
P
Groll
Christian
C
Haider
Olivia
O
Haider
Eva
E
Hauth
Stefan
S
Hauth
Sebastian
S
Hettrich
Wolfgang
W
Jais
Natalie
N
Jones
Kamal
K
Taj-Eddine
Alexander
A
Karl
Tilo
T
Kauerhoff
Muhammad Shadab
MS
Khan
Andreas
A
Kjeldsen
Jan
J
Klauck
Anna
A
Losiak
Markus
M
Luger
Thomas
T
Luger
Ulrich
U
Luger
Jane
J
McArthur
Linda
L
Moser
Julia
J
Neuner
Csilla
C
Orgel
Gian Gabriele
GG
Ori
Roberta
R
Paternesi
Jarno
J
Peschier
Isabella
I
Pfeil
Silvia
S
Prock
Josef
J
Radinger
Christoph
C
Ragonig
Barbara
B
Ramirez
Wissam
W
Ramo
Mike
M
Rampey
Arnold
A
Sams
Elisabeth
E
Sams
Sebastian
S
Sams
Oana
O
Sandu
Alejandra
A
Sans
Petra
P
Sansone
Daniela
D
Scheer
Daniel
D
Schildhammer
Quentin
Q
Scornet
Nina
N
Sejkora
Alexander
A
Soucek
Andrea
A
Stadler
Florian
F
Stummer
Willibald
W
Stumptner
Michael
M
Taraba
Reinhard
R
Tlustos
Ernst
E
Toferer
Thomas
T
Turetschek
Egon
E
Winter
Katja
K
Zanella-Kux
D018535:Mars; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation; D018561:Space Simulation; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation*