日本地球惑星科学連合2016年大会

講演情報

インターナショナルセッション(ポスター発表)

セッション記号 P (宇宙惑星科学) » P-PS 惑星科学

[P-PS02] Mars

2016年5月23日(月) 17:15 〜 18:30 ポスター会場 (国際展示場 6ホール)

コンビーナ:*佐藤 毅彦(宇宙航空研究開発機構・宇宙科学研究本部)、石渡 正樹(北海道大学大学院理学院宇宙理学専攻)、佐々木 晶(大阪大学大学院理学研究科宇宙地球科学専攻)、高橋 芳幸(神戸大学大学院理学研究科)、松岡 彩子(宇宙航空研究開発機構 宇宙科学研究所 太陽系科学研究系)、宮本 英昭(東京大学総合研究博物館)、Atreya Sushil(University of Michigan Ann Arbor)

17:15 〜 18:30

[PPS02-P04] Fluorescence Life-Time (FLiT) instrument for space missions

*佐藤 毅彦1山岸 明彦2宮川 厚夫2佐々木 聰3薮田 ひかる4癸生川 陽子5小林 憲正5 (1.宇宙航空研究開発機構・宇宙科学研究所、2.東京薬科大学、3.東京工科大学、4.大阪大学、5.横浜国立大学)

キーワード:Fluorescence life-time, Martian life, Life-detection microscope

While we detail the design of the Life-Detection Microscope (LDM), a high spatial resolution fluorescence microscope, alternative ways of detecting extraterrestrial life have been under consideration. One of such is the "fluorescence lief-time (FLT)" measurement. FLT has been widely used in biophysical studies of proteins as FLT by its nature is one of the most robust fluorescence parameters. To examine the possibility of applying the FLT measurement to the space missions, we have developed a Bread Board Model (BBM), called FLiT. The method we use is the "time-domain" method in which the sample is illuminated with a short pulse laser and the decay time of the fluorescence is measured.
The pulse laser of FLiT is a 488-nm laser diode (Nichia NDS4116) to which pulses of 1-ns full width at half maximum is fed by the driver electronics. One pulse may excite just one fluorophore and the photon from it will be detected by an avalanche photo diode (APD) in the photon-counting mode (MPPC C13001-01 from Hamamatsu Photonics). The time delay from the start trigger (1-ns pulse) to the stop trigger (photon detection in MPPC) is measured by the time-to-digital converter (TDC7200 from TI). Such measurement will be repeated and a histogram of delays is obtained from which the fluorescence life-time of the sample material is inferred. This potentially allows us to distinguish organisms from minerals in the Martian soil. The FLiT BBM is now under the characterization phase, to evaluate possible delays in the electronics (including cables) and their stability. Details of the FLiT BBM as well as results of initial tests will be presented.