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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
chemistry
Circular polarization in scattered light as a possible biomarker
Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer, Volume 110, No. 14-16, Year 2009
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Description
Biological molecules exhibit homochirality and are optically active. Therefore, it is possible that the scattering of light by biological molecules might result in a macroscopic signature in the form of circular polarization. If this is the case, then circular polarization spectroscopy, which may be utilized in remote sensing, can offer a powerful indicator of the presence of a universal biosignature, namely homochirality. Here, we describe laboratory experiments designed to investigate this idea. We focus on photosynthetic microorganisms, and also show results from macroscopic vegetation and control minerals. In the microorganisms, we find unambiguous circular polarization associated with electronic absorption bands of the photosynthetic apparatus. Macroscopic vegetation yields a stronger and more complex signature while the control minerals produce low-levels of circular polarization unrelated to their spectra. We propose a heuristic explanation of our results, which is that the polarization is produced by circular dichroism in the material after the light has undergone its last scattering event. The results are encouraging for the use of circular polarization spectroscopy in remote sensing of a generic biomarker from space or the ground. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Sparks, William B.
United States, Baltimore
Space Telescope Science Institute
Hough, James H.
United Kingdom, Hatfield
University of Hertfordshire
Germer, Thomas A.
United States, Gaithersburg
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Chen, Feng
United States, Rockville
Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research
DasSarma, Shiladitya
United States, Rockville
Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research
Robb, Frank T.
United States, Rockville
Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research
Manset, Nadine
United States, Kamuela
Télescope Canada-france-hawaii
Reid, Iain Neill
United States, Baltimore
Space Telescope Science Institute
Statistics
Citations: 59
Authors: 8
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.jqsrt.2009.02.028
ISSN:
00224073