Thermodynamics, Disequilibrium and Evolution focus group
12-16 Oct 2015 Nice (France)
Life based on Methane on Saturn's moon Titan?
Eduardo Pacheco  1@  , Claudia Lage  2, *@  
1 : Departamento de Astronomia, Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil  (IAG-USP - Brazil)  -  Website
Rua do Matao, 1226 - 05508-090 São Paulo -  Brazil
2 : Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  (IBCCF - UFRJ)
Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373 Cidade Universitaria 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro RJ -  Brazil
* : Corresponding author

ABSTRACT. We aim to check the conditions for the possible existence of microbial life on Saturn's moon Titan, in the light of the results obtained by the Cassini space mission. In spite of the fact that Cassini-Huygens mission is not equipped to provide evidence of biosignatures or complex organic compounds, it has already produced hints suggesting that the Titan environment is similar in some aspects to that proposed for the early Earth with the important exception of the lack of water vapor and the presence of hydrocarbons. Although all living beings on Earth (including methanogenic archaeas) use liquid water as a solvent, it is speculated that life on Titan could use a liquid hydrocarbon such as methane or ethane. McKay and Smith (2005) argued that if there is methanogenic life on Titan's surface, it would likely have a measurable effect on the troposphere of the moon satellite: hydrogen levels and acetic acid or its derivatives would be lower than expected. Although to date methane-based forms of life are just hypothetical, we can imagine the possibility of this kind of life be formed somewhere. Chemical signatures found on the surface and atmosphere of Titan reinforce the argument for the existence of a primitive, exotic form of life, which could have also been a precursor of life on Earth. In this poster we will discuss this issue in several aspects.



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