Back in 1976, The Dual Nasa Viking Landers Came to full stop on the Red Planet.
Their life detection Experimental Findings Still Reverberate Within The Scientific Community-Fueling the on-Going Discussion on a Key Question: Is Life on Mars?
Fast forward to today, a new paper tackles and reconsiders the results of the viking biology experiences.
Perchlorate Finding
The Most Significant Change Since Thos 1970's Experiments were conducted was the discovery of high levels of perchlorate on mars. Perchlorate, plus abiotic oxidants, explains the viking results and there is no requirement to postuate life on mars.
“The discovery of Perchlorate on Mars by the Phoenix Mission has provided a Basis for explaining the results of the viking landers,” The newly Issued paper notes. “Thermal decomposition of perchlorate in the ovens of the [Viking] Instrument can explain the Lack of Organics Detected. Accumulation of Hypochlorite in the SOIL from Cosmic Ray Decomposition of Perchlorate can explain the reactivity seen when solded solutions was added to the SOIL in the SOIL in the VILING BIOLOGY Experents. “
However, the paper adds, “a non-biological explanation for the viking results does not preclude life on mars.”
Revisit the results
The Just-Released Paper-“The VIKING Biology Experiences on Mars Revisited”-Has Been Authorized by Noted Mars Researchers Christopher McKay, Richard Quinn and Carol stoker. All three authors are from the space Science Division of Nasa's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California, Near San Francisco.
“With Mars Sample Return on the Horizon and the Prosepect of Future Missions to Mars, Perhaps even Including Life Detection Instructions Instruments, It may be timelie to revisit the results of the VIKING BIOLOGY Expers Research Team sugges. “Since viking landed on mars, many things have changed, and many things have not.
In a Communique with Christopher McKay, He Told Space.com: “It is important to note that we are not saying the viking results imply 'no life on mars.' Nor are we say the viking results imply there is life on mars. “
Mckay said that their core point is that the viking results are saying there is perchlorate and other oxidants on mars, “And that is what the viking biology experiments Responded to.”
What this means is that the results of the viking biology experiences can't be used to justify an approach to astronaut health and safety or a sample and or astronaut quarantine for policy for returning to Assumes no life on mars.
New data
In their paper for the scientific journey, ICARUS, The Research Trio explains that there have been done big changes resulting from missions to mars. “The most important new data, by far, was the surprising discovery from the phoenix mission that the soils of mars control about 0.5% perchlorate,” They observe. “This incredibly high concentration of perchlorate is still not adequately explained but the implications for the viking results are profound.”
The space scientists in their paper explain that the perchlorate model and the resultant conclusion that viking did not detect life in the surface soils of mars to face Return from Mars.
“The Outer space treatment prohibits' Adverse changes in the environment of the Earth Resulting from the Introduction of Extractorrestrial Matter.” Future Experiences are Needed to Better Understand The Chemistry of Martian Soils and the Possibility of Life Persisting There, “Mockay and Colleagues Add.
Good targets
In summing up their research paper, they conclude that the perchlorate model for the viking results “Does not prove that there is no life on mars, Nor does it imply that the continued search for evidence Mars, past or present, is pointless. “
Indeed, as the research team sugges, “We Strongly Argue for the search for evidence of extra life in future missions. Good targets are Salt Deposits and Polar Ground ice.”
This new research has been Published in icarus,
