Electronic Life-detection Instrument for Enceladus/Europa (ELIE)

ABSTRACT The coherent-dispersion spectrometer (CODES) is a new exoplanet detection instrument using the radial velocity (RV) method. This attempts mainly to improve environmental sensitivity and energy utilization by using an asymmetric, common-path Sagnac interferometer instead of a traditional Michelson interferometer. In order to verify its feasibility and to choose the appropriate key parameters to obtain the optimal performance, research on data processing for the design stage of the CODES is performed by systematic simulation and analysis. First, the instrument modelling is carried out for further data analysis according to the principle of the CODES, and the reliability of the model is verified by experiments. Second, the influence of key parameters on fringe visibility is analysed systematically, which provides a certain reference for the choice of the key parameters. Third, the RV inversion method for the CODES is proposed and optimized according to the related analysis results so as to promote RV inversion precision. Finally, the recommended values for the key parameters of the CODES are given. The experimental results show that the data processing error of RV inversion is less than 0.6 m s–1 within the recommended range of key parameters. This indicates that the scheme of the CODES is reasonable and feasible, and that the proposed data processing method is effective and well matched with the instrument design.

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Identifying molecules as biosignatures with assembly theory and mass spectrometry

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-23258-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Stuart M. Marshall ◽

Cole Mathis ◽

Emma Carrick ◽

Graham Keenan ◽

Geoffrey J. T. Cooper ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Spectrometry ◽

De Novo ◽

Outer Space ◽

Molecular Assembly ◽

Detection Experiment ◽

Complex Molecules ◽

The World ◽

Life Detection ◽

Molecular Complexity ◽

The Universe

AbstractThe search for alien life is hard because we do not know what signatures are unique to life. We show why complex molecules found in high abundance are universal biosignatures and demonstrate the first intrinsic experimentally tractable measure of molecular complexity, called the molecular assembly index (MA). To do this we calculate the complexity of several million molecules and validate that their complexity can be experimentally determined by mass spectrometry. This approach allows us to identify molecular biosignatures from a set of diverse samples from around the world, outer space, and the laboratory, demonstrating it is possible to build a life detection experiment based on MA that could be deployed to extraterrestrial locations, and used as a complexity scale to quantify constraints needed to direct prebiotically plausible processes in the laboratory. Such an approach is vital for finding life elsewhere in the universe or creating de-novo life in the lab.

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Detection of Quasi-Static Trapped Human Being Using Mono-Static UWB Life-Detection Radar

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11073129 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 3129

Author(s):

Kun Yan ◽

Shiyou Wu ◽

Guangyou Fang

Keyword(s):

Economic Cost ◽

Operating Mode ◽

Ultra Wideband ◽

Detection Methods ◽

Human Being ◽

Human Beings ◽

Detection Ability ◽

Radar Echo ◽

Life Detection ◽

Respiration Motion

In practical situations such as hostage rescue, earthquake and other similar events, the ultra-wideband (UWB) life-detection radar echo response from the respiration motion of the trapped person is always quasi-/non-periodic in respiration frequency or very weak in respiration amplitude, which can be called quasi-static vital sign. Although it is an extremely difficult task, considering the economic cost, the detection ability of the traditional UWB life-detection radars with only a pair of transceiver antennas is desired to be enhanced for locating the quasi-static trapped human being. This article proposes two different detection methods for quasi-static trapped human beings through the single/multiple observation points, which corresponds to the single-/multi-station radar operating mode, respectively. Proof-of-principle experiments were carried out by our designed radar prototypes, validating the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

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