The mystery of the origin of hydrocarbons found in extraterrestrial environment may finally be resolved, thanks to a technique developed by researchers at Tokyo Tech based on a 13C-13C abundance analysis. By measuring the abundance of clumped 13C-13C isotope in the hydrocarbons, it can be inferred if a hydrocarbon was produced via biological processes. This could open doors to distinguishing such hydrocarbons from abiotic ones, aiding our search for extra-terrestrial life.
Using carbon-carbon clumping to detect the signature of biotic hydrocarbons
Phys.org - 24 Oct 2022 18:19
The mystery of the origin of hydrocarbons found in extraterrestrial environment may finally be resolved, thanks to a technique developed by researchers at Tokyo Tech based on a 13C-13C abundance analysis. By measuring the abundance of clumped 13C-13C isotope in the hydrocarbons, it can be inferred if a hydrocarbon was produced via biological processes. This could open doors to distinguishing such hydrocarbons from abiotic ones, aiding our search for extra-terrestrial life.
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