Identification of chlorobenzene in the Viking gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer data sets: Reanalysis of Viking mission data consistent with aromatic organic compounds on Mars - INSU - Institut national des sciences de l'Univers Access content directly
Journal Articles Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets Year : 2018

Identification of chlorobenzene in the Viking gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer data sets: Reanalysis of Viking mission data consistent with aromatic organic compounds on Mars

Melissa Guzman
  • Function : Author
  • PersonId : 1033337
Cyril Szopa
Alfonso F. Davila
Caroline Freissinet

Abstract

Motivated by the recent detection of chlorobenzene by the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite on the Curiosity rover, and the identification of its carbon source as indigenous to the martian sample, we reexamined the original, microfilm preserved, Viking gas chromatograph‐mass spectrometer (GCMS) data sets. We found evidence for the presence of chlorobenzene in Viking Lander 2 (VL‐2) data at levels corresponding to 0.08‐1.0 ppb (relative to sample mass), in runs when the sample was heated to 350°C and 500°C. Additionally, we found a correlation between the temperature dependence of the chlorobenzene signal and the dichloromethane signal originally identified by the Viking GCMS team. We considered possible sources of carbon that may have produced the chlorobenzene signal, by reaction with perchlorate during pyrolysis, including organic carbon indigenous to the martian parent sample and instrument contamination. We conclude that the chlorobenzene signal measured by VL‐2 originated from martian chlorine sources. We show how the carbon source could originate from the martian parent sample, though a carbon source contributed from instrument background cannot yet be ruled out.
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insu-01820363 , version 1 (12-09-2020)

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Melissa Guzman, Christopher P. Mckay, Richard C. Quinn, Cyril Szopa, Alfonso F. Davila, et al.. Identification of chlorobenzene in the Viking gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer data sets: Reanalysis of Viking mission data consistent with aromatic organic compounds on Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets, 2018, 123 (7), pp.1674-1683. ⟨10.1029/2018JE005544⟩. ⟨insu-01820363⟩
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