Cosmic radiation and the persistence of biosignatures of life on Mars

UK Centre for Astrobiology seminar

Cosmic radiation and the persistence of biosignatures of life on Mars

  • Event time: 1:30pm until 3:00pm
  • Event date: 19th April 2016
  • Speaker: Prof. Lewis Dartnell (University of Kent)
  • Location: Higgs Centre Seminar Room, Room 4305,

Event details

Lewis Dartnell is an astrobiology research fellow, funded by the UK Space Agency. He studies how microbial life, and signs of its existence, could be detected on Mars, and how well they would persist with the continual bombardment of cosmic radiation onto the unshielded martian surface. He uses a combination of computer modelling of the radiation environment on Mars, collecting samples of hardy 'extremophile' life from Mars analogue sites around the world, and various biosignature detection techniques such as Raman, FTIR, and fluorescence spectroscopy.

About UK Centre for Astrobiology seminars

The astrobiology seminar series is run by the UK Centre for Astrobiology based in the School of Physics & Astronomy. Astrobiology is a multi-disciplinary subject and the seminar series actively encourages attendance by undergraduates, postgraduates and academic staff from other departments..

Find out more about UK Centre for Astrobiology seminars.