Vorlesung im Kolleg: Untersuchung des Ozeans von Enceladus unter dem Oberflächeneismantel durch Massenspektrometrie

In the organizer's words:

The search for inorganic and organic biosignatures

Saturn's moon Enceladus harbors a global ocean beneath a thick icy crust, above a rocky core. This ocean feeds a cryovolcanic activity at the moon's south pole, where ice grains and vapor, rich in chemical substances from the underwater ocean, are emitted into space. Analysis, including by the CASSINI spacecraft, has identified mineral- and salt-rich ice grains and a slightly alkaline pH of the water, which also indicates hydrothermal processes inside the Moon. In addition to almost all CHNOPS elements, complex organic material with high molecular masses has recently been found in the ice grains, suggesting rich organic chemistry in the ocean. These organics could be involved in the formation of ice grains and open up new possibilities to study the organic components in the Enceladus ocean. The research also points to potential biosignatures and supports future missions to explore life beyond Earth, especially on the icy moons of our solar system.

The lecture by Prof. Dr. Bernd Abel will use Saturn's moon Enceladus to shed light on the search for (in)organic biosignatures and thus also shed light on the exploration of life in our solar system.

The lectures will take place as face-to-face and livestream events. With this booking option, you can decide individually for each date whether you want to follow the lectures with like-minded people in presence in the Audimax or the event conveniently from anywhere in the world via livestream.

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Tickets are also available at the Box Office in the Audimax.