Methane Isotopes Analyzer for Enceladus Plume Flythrough

We propose a low SWaP Capillary Absorption Spectrometer (CAS) to analyze Methane during an Enceladus plume flythrough. The system will contain a Plume Capture and Delivery System (PCDS) which transports plume molecules to the CAS to be analyzed for 13C/12C carbon and D/H hydrogen isotope ratios. Although Enceladus’s plume is thought to have created Saturn’s E-ring, the plume particles are expected to be sparse at flythrough altitudes. With a very small sample, the CAS produces high-precision measurements, making it ideal for a plume flythrough. This proposed effort will design a PCDS and develop the CAS further to strengthen the D/H analysis with the constraints of relatively low-abundance of deuterated methane, along with the need to also measure 13C/12C isotopes jointly. The proposed measurements in an Enceladus plume flythrough would answer crucial questions about Enceladus’s methane origin, giving insight into the possibility of life on Enceladus.

Ocean worlds discovered pose an exciting possibility of finding habitable regions, and more information must be learned. The CAS is a novel technology that analyzes small sample amounts to produce high precision data. This is imperative when traveling to a new planet/moon, where the flythrough environment is uncertain. The CAS can take measurements to guide future knowledge and missions with insight into the possibility of life on Enceladus. This technology is being proposed for Enceladus, however, could be extended for other worlds as well.

By expanding the CAS capability to measure D/H ratios in methane, the technology will be attractive for a range of greenhouse gas and environmental sensing applications. In addition, there are energy related applications for the technology, specifically by enabling the improved analysis and characterization of underground geothermal sources and undersea hydrothermal seeps.

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