Possibility of Life Supported by Cosmic Rays Below the Surface of Mars Investigation

The subsurface of Mars has traces of water in the form of water-ice and brines, and undergoes radiation-driven redox chemistry. Using a combination of numerical models, space mission data, and studies of deep-cave ecosystems on Earth for his research, Atri proposes mechanisms through which life, if it ever existed on Mars, could survive and be detected with the upcoming ExoMars mission (2022) by the European Space Agency and Roscosmos. He hypothesizes that galactic cosmic radiation, which can penetrate several meters below the surface, will induce chemical reactions that can be used for metabolic energy by extant life, and host organisms using mechanisms seen in similar chemical and radiation environments on Earth.

“It is exciting to contemplate that life could survive in such a harsh environment, as few as two meters below the surface of Mars. When the Rosalind Franklin rover on board the ExoMars mission (ESA and Roscosmos), equipped with a subsurface drill, is launched in 2022, it will be well-suited to detect extant microbial life and hopefully provide some important insights.” says research Scientist Dimitra Atri

Credit: NYU

Is there life on Mars?

Can we live on the red planet?

“Studying detailed physical processes on Mars and Martian atmospheres will greatly inform our understanding of potential habitability for terrestrial planets throughout other solar systems,” said Dimitra Atri, a research scientist at the NYUAD Center for Space Science.

The Hope Probe, set to reach the red planet’s orbit in 2021, will be the first probe to provide a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere and its layers. NYUAD researchers at the Center will begin to study the data in spring.

Scientists from NYUAD will build models demonstrating atmospheric losses at Mars and researching how it lost a thicker atmosphere in the past and how its present atmosphere might evolve in the future.

“One of the main objectives of the UAE Space Agency and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre is to carry out scientific research from mission data in the UAE, train the local population and engage the general public. We have made plans to be involved in all of the above,” said Atri.

As part of its efforts to support the Emirates Mars Mission, the NYU Abu Dhabi Center for Space Science will be utilizing its expertise and research capabilities to carry out scientific research based on observations and data collected from this mission. The Center, aligned with the UAE’s National Space Strategy 2030, will continue to work in close coordination with the relevant government organizations.