But it is going to be looking for carbon/organics.

Space/Science » in reply to Phoenix has never been about finding life.

Jacob — 5/20/2008 7:18:04 PM (archived)

And not just the common isotope of carbon, 12C,
it's Mass Spectrometer will be able to detect and isolate 13C, 14C and their ratios; as well as the isotopic ratios of other light elements.
i.e. H, Li [if it's found], O, N, Ne, etc.

The whole thread (18 posts)

Could the Phoenix spacecraft carry out a 'bonus' experiment/activity? - Jacob - 5/18/2008 12:22:58 AM
- re: Could the Phoenix spacecraft carry out a 'bonus' experiment/activity? - pb - 5/19/2008 9:31:03 AM
- re: Could the Phoenix spacecraft carry out a 'bonus' experiment/activity? - nick hoffman - 5/19/2008 8:12:45 AM
- re: Could the Phoenix spacecraft carry out a 'bonus' experiment/activity? - Doug Ellison - 5/18/2008 9:18:53 AM
  - vented nitrogen and ullage - JimO - 5/20/2008 5:02:21 PM
    - re: vented nitrogen and ullage - Doug Ellison - 5/20/2008 11:19:44 PM
      - frozen hydrazine - JimO - 5/21/2008 3:26:14 AM
        
        re: frozen hydrazine - Doug Ellison - 5/21/2008 9:58:14 AM
        
        will steal your citation... - JimO - 5/22/2008 4:44:08 AM
        
        re: frozen hydrazine - JimO - 5/22/2008 4:41:18 AM
        
        re: frozen hydrazine - Marcia - 5/21/2008 8:05:36 PM
- With deployed solar panels? (n/t) - Raoul - 5/18/2008 8:40:02 AM
  - Is NASA playing the Memory Hole game with the lander's main goal? - Socrates II - 5/19/2008 1:32:36 PM
    - Phoenix has never been about finding life. - Doug Ellison - 5/20/2008 2:53:49 PM
      - But it is going to be looking for carbon/organics. - Jacob - 5/20/2008 7:18:04 PM
    - The Fall and Rise (and Fall?) of Life on Mars - Socrates II - 5/20/2008 1:46:44 PM
      - re: The Fall, Rise and Fall of Life on Mars - Raoul - 5/20/2008 7:21:55 PM
        
        Thank you. That's what I would argue too. (n/t) - Jacob - 5/20/2008 7:28:23 PM

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