BIOMAT Database Logo BIOMAT Database Logo

Detecting Kerogen as a Biosignature Using Colocated UV Time-Gated Raman and Fluorescence Spectroscopy. 2018

Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
1 School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University , Tempe, Arizona.

The Mars 2020 mission will analyze samples in situ and identify any that could have preserved biosignatures in ancient habitable environments for later return to Earth. Highest priority targeted samples include aqueously formed sedimentary lithologies. On Earth, such lithologies can contain fossil biosignatures as aromatic carbon (kerogen). In this study, we analyzed nonextracted kerogen in a diverse suite of natural, complex samples using colocated UV excitation (266 nm) time-gated (UV-TG) Raman and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopies. We interrogated kerogen and its host matrix in samples to (1) explore the capabilities of UV-TG Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies for detecting kerogen in high-priority targets in the search for possible biosignatures on Mars; (2) assess the effectiveness of time gating and UV laser wavelength in reducing fluorescence in Raman spectra; and (3) identify sample-specific issues that could challenge rover-based identifications of kerogen using UV-TG Raman spectroscopy. We found that ungated UV Raman spectroscopy is suited to identify diagnostic kerogen Raman bands without interfering fluorescence and that UV fluorescence spectroscopy is suited to identify kerogen. These results highlight the value of combining colocated Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies, similar to those obtainable by SHERLOC on Mars 2020, to strengthen the confidence of kerogen detection as a potential biosignature in complex natural samples. Key Words: Raman spectroscopy-Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy-Mars Sample Return-Mars 2020 mission-Kerogen-Biosignatures. Astrobiology 18, 431-453.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D004777 Environment The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population. Environmental Impact,Environmental Impacts,Impact, Environmental,Impacts, Environmental,Environments
D005118 Extraterrestrial Environment The environment outside the earth or its atmosphere. The environment may refer to a closed cabin (such as a space shuttle or space station) or to space itself, the moon, or other planets. Space (Astronomy),Environment, Extraterrestrial,Environments, Extraterrestrial,Extraterrestrial Environments,Spaces (Astronomy)
D013050 Spectrometry, Fluorescence Measurement of the intensity and quality of fluorescence. Fluorescence Spectrophotometry,Fluorescence Spectroscopy,Spectrofluorometry,Fluorescence Spectrometry,Spectrophotometry, Fluorescence,Spectroscopy, Fluorescence
D013059 Spectrum Analysis, Raman Analysis of the intensity of Raman scattering of monochromatic light as a function of frequency of the scattered light. Raman Spectroscopy,Analysis, Raman Spectrum,Raman Optical Activity Spectroscopy,Raman Scattering,Raman Spectrum Analysis,Scattering, Raman,Spectroscopy, Raman
D014466 Ultraviolet Rays That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum immediately below the visible range and extending into the x-ray frequencies. The longer wavelengths (near-UV or biotic or vital rays) are necessary for the endogenous synthesis of vitamin D and are also called antirachitic rays; the shorter, ionizing wavelengths (far-UV or abiotic or extravital rays) are viricidal, bactericidal, mutagenic, and carcinogenic and are used as disinfectants. Actinic Rays,Black Light, Ultraviolet,UV Light,UV Radiation,Ultra-Violet Rays,Ultraviolet Light,Ultraviolet Radiation,Actinic Ray,Light, UV,Light, Ultraviolet,Radiation, UV,Radiation, Ultraviolet,Ray, Actinic,Ray, Ultra-Violet,Ray, Ultraviolet,Ultra Violet Rays,Ultra-Violet Ray,Ultraviolet Black Light,Ultraviolet Black Lights,Ultraviolet Radiations,Ultraviolet Ray
D018534 Earth, Planet Planet that is the third in order from the sun. It is one of the four inner or terrestrial planets of the SOLAR SYSTEM. Earth (Planet),Planet Earth
D018535 Mars The fourth planet in order from the sun. Its two natural satellites are Deimos and Phobos. It is one of the four inner or terrestrial planets of the solar system. Deimos,Phobos
D018559 Exobiology The interdisciplinary science that studies evolutionary biology, including the origin and evolution of the major elements required for life, their processing in the interstellar medium and in protostellar systems. This field also includes the study of chemical evolution and the subsequent interactions between evolving biota and planetary evolution as well as the field of biology that deals with the study of extraterrestrial life. Astrobiology,Extraterrestrial Life,Space Biology,Biologies, Space,Biology, Space,Life, Extraterrestrial,Space Biologies

Related Publications

Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Fluorescence suppression in Raman spectroscopy using a time-gated CMOS SPAD.
December 2013, Optics express,
Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Kerogen Detection in Neoarchean and Eocene Microbialites via Deep UV Raman and Fluorescence Spectroscopy Using a Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals Analog Instrument.
November 2025, Astrobiology,
Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Detecting Marine Kerogen from Western Canada Basin Using Terahertz Spectroscopy.
July 2018, ACS omega,
Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Time-gated Raman spectroscopy of recovered plastics.
August 2022, Marine pollution bulletin,
Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Enhancing analytical sensitivity in upstream bioprocess using time-gated Raman spectroscopy.
December 2025, Bioprocess and biosystems engineering,
Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Raman spectroscopy of street samples of cocaine obtained using Kerr gated fluorescence rejection.
June 2004, The Analyst,
Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Operando time-gated Raman spectroscopy of solid catalysts.
November 2023, Catalysis science & technology,
Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Time gated fluorescence spectroscopy in Barrett's oesophagus.
January 2003, Gut,
Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Fluorescence rejection in resonance Raman spectroscopy using a picosecond-gated intensified charge-coupled device camera.
June 2007, Applied spectroscopy,
Svetlana Shkolyar, and Evan J Eshelman, and Jack D Farmer, and David Hamilton, and Michael G Daly, and Cody Youngbull
Time-gated Raman spectroscopy using a 3D-stacked back-side illuminated CMOS SPAD array.
December 2025, Optics letters,
Copied contents to your clipboard!