Campaign at Jungfraujoch
Space agencies and scientific groups worldwide are in preparation for the detection and identification of signatures of life on the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, namely Europa and Enceladus. The University of Bern designed and developed a laser-based mass spectrometer that allows the detection of organic molecules related to life at ultra trace abundance levels (femtomole mm-2). Applying the identical measurement protocol various groups of organic molecules can be identified, ranging from amino acids to nucleobases, highlighting the agnostic capabilities of the system. Through the project named EOMAS (Europa Organics Mass Spectrometer) and with the support of the research station at the Jungfraujoch, a novel ice sample handling system could be tested and validated successfully the first time in an icy environment, the Aletsch Glacier. Snow samples from 1 m ice pits and ice samples from Glacier crevasses were collected, transferred and chemically analysed using the laser-based mass spectrometer. The successful operation of both the mass spectrometer and the ice sample handling system in an icy environment represents the next step in mission preparation for the exploration of the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Text and pictures: Space Research & Planetary Sciences, University of Bern.
