{"id":11321,"date":"2020-09-14T05:00:51","date_gmt":"2020-09-14T15:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eaobservatory.org\/jcmt\/?p=11321"},"modified":"2020-12-23T14:44:49","modified_gmt":"2020-12-24T00:44:49","slug":"jcmt-venus-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eaobservatory.org\/jcmt\/2020\/09\/jcmt-venus-news\/","title":{"rendered":"JCMT finds hints of life on Venus"},"content":{"rendered":"

An international team of astronomers, led by Professor Jane Greaves of Cardiff University, UK, today announced the discovery of a rare molecule \u2013 phosphine \u2013 in the clouds of Venus. On Earth, this gas is only made industrially, or by microbes that thrive in oxygen-free environments. The detection of phosphine could point to such extra-terrestrial \u201caerial\u201d life. \u201cWhen we got the first hints of phosphine in Venus\u2019s spectrum, it was a shock!<\/em>\u201d, said Jane, who first spotted signs of phosphine in observations from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) in Hawai`i<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Astronomers have speculated for decades that high clouds on Venus could offer a home for microbes \u2013 floating free of the scorching surface, with access to water and sunlight, but needing to tolerate very high acidity. The detection of phosphine, which consists of hydrogen and phosphorus, could point to this extra-terrestrial \u2018aerial\u2019 life.<\/strong> The new discovery is described in a paper published today in Nature Astronomy<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Artistic impression of Venus depicting a representation of phosphine molecule shown in the inset. The molecules were detected in the Venusian high clouds in data from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter\/submillimeter Array. Astronomers have speculated for decades that life could exist in Venus\u2019s high clouds. The detection of phosphine could point to such extra-terrestrial \u201caerial\u201d life. Image credit: ESO\/M. Kornmesser\/L. Cal\u00e7ada & NASA\/JPL\/Caltech.<\/p><\/div>\n

The first detection of phosphine in the clouds of Venus was made using the JCMT in Hawai`i<\/strong>. The team were then awarded time to follow up their discovery with 45 telescopes of the Atacama Large Millimeter\/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile. Both facilities observed Venus at a wavelength of about 1 millimetre, much longer than the human eye can see \u2013 only telescopes at high altitude can detect it effectively. \u201cIn the end, we found that both observatories had seen the same thing \u2014 faint absorption at the right wavelength to be phosphine gas, where the molecules are backlit by the warmer clouds below<\/em>\u201d said Jane.<\/p>\n

The astronomers then ran calculations to see if the phosphine could come from natural processes on Venus. Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientist Dr William Bains led the work on assessing natural ways to make phosphine. Some ideas included sunlight, minerals blown upwards from the surface, volcanoes, or lightning, but none of these could make anywhere near enough of it. Natural sources were found to make at most one ten thousandth of the amount of phosphine that the telescopes saw. In contrast the team found that in order to create the observed quantity of phosphine on Venus, terrestrial organisms would only need to work at about 10% of their maximum productivity. Any microbes on Venus will though likely be very different to their Earth cousins. Earth bacteria can absorb phosphate minerals, add hydrogen, and ultimately expel phosphine gas.<\/p>\n

Team member and MIT researcher, Dr Clara Sousa Silva, had thought about searching for phosphine as a \u2018biosignature\u2019 gas of non-oxygen-using life on planets around other stars, because normal chemistry makes so little of it. She comments \u201cFinding phosphine on Venus was an unexpected bonus! The discovery raises many questions, such as how any organisms could survive. On Earth, some microbes can cope with up to about 5% of acid in their environment \u2013 but the clouds of Venus are almost entirely made of acid.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

The team believes this discovery is significant because they can rule out many alternative ways to make phosphine, but they acknowledge that confirming the presence of \u201clife\u201d needs a lot more work. Although the high clouds of Venus have temperatures up to a pleasant 30 degrees centigrade, they are incredibly acidic \u2013 around 90% sulphuric acid \u2013 posing major issues for microbes to survive there. Prof Sara Seager and Dr Janusz Petkowski, both at MIT, are investigating how microbes could shield themselves inside scarce water droplets.<\/p>\n

The team are now eagerly awaiting more telescope time to establish whether the phosphine is in a relatively temperate part of the clouds, and to look for other gases associated with life. This result also has implications in the search for life outside our Solar system.<\/p>\n

On hearing the results of the JCMT study, the JCMT\u2019s Deputy Director Dr Jessica Dempsey said \u201cThese results are incredible<\/em>\u201d and went on to say \u201cthis discovery made in Hawai`i, by the JCMT, was made with a single pixel instrument. This is the very same instrument that also took part in capturing the first image of a Black Hole, P\u014dwehi. The discovery of phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus really showcases the breadth of cutting-edge research undertaken by astronomers using the JCMT. I am so pleased of the efforts from all our staff here in Hawai`i<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

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JCMT, seen with its white iconic Gore-Tex membrane, open for morning observing. The shadow of Maunakea rises over Hual\u0101lai in the distance. JCMT is able to observe during the daytime as it operates at sub-millimeter wavelengths. Image credit: Tom Kerr, UKIRT.<\/p><\/div>\n

Former UH Hilo astronomy student, E\u2019Lisa Lee who took some of the JCMT data during her time working as a part-time JCMT telescope operator summed up her feelings \u201cAn observed biochemical process occurring on anything other than Earth has the greatest and most profound implications for our understanding of life on Earth, and life as a concept.<\/em>\u201d Adding \u201cBeing able to participate in the scientific process, as an operator at JCMT was an incredible and humbling experience. It is my sincerest hope that further observations will allow for greater exploration of Venusian clouds and everything beyond.<\/em>\u201d E\u2019Lisa currently studying for her Master\u2019s degree in physics at Fresno\u00a0State University.<\/p>\n

The JCMT instrument that captured this phosphine discovery has since retired and been replaced by a new and more sensitive instrument known as N\u0101makanui. On the potential of this new instrument, Jessica commented \u201cLike it\u2019s namesake, the big-eyed fish hunting food in the dark waters, we will turn the far more sensitive N\u0101makanui back to Venus in this hunt for life in our universe.\u00a0 This is just the beginning, and I\u2019ve never been more excited to be a part of our boundary-pushing JCMT team.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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JCMT Deputy Director, Jessica Dempsey stands beside the now retired instrument, RxA3m, that made this first detection of phosphine on Venus. The instrument has since been replaced by a more powerful instrument called N\u0101makanui. Image Credit: Harriet Parsons.<\/p><\/div>\n

Supplemental Information<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This research was presented in the paper \u201cPhosphine Gas in the Cloud Decks of Venus\u201d published in Nature Astronomy. A copy of the paper will be available with free access from www.nature.com\/articles\/s41550-020-1174-4<\/a>. Further information and resources can be found at: maunakeaobservatories.org\/venusnews\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Video assets and additional information available on the Maunakea Observatories website<\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Previous papers discussing the nature of phosphine and life on Venus:<\/p>\n