Scientists have found elements such as phosphine and ammonia, which could be signs of life, in the clouds deep in the atmosphere of Venus, the second hottest planet in the Solar System.
According to IFLScience, astronomers examined data obtained from the Venus project of the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) in Hawaii and the “Pioneer Venus 2” atmospheric probes launched by the US Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1978.
The research yielded clues about the existence of phosphine gas and ammonia molecules produced by microbes living in oxygen-free environments in the clouds of Venus at an altitude of approximately 55 kilometers.
Dr Dave Clements from Imperial College London and his team used data from the JCMT-Venus project to detect a variety of other molecules, including phosphine, sulphur dioxide and water.
Clements noted that they detected phosphine at parts per million levels at altitudes of about 55, 56 and 57 kilometers, consistent with the Pioneer Venus probe data.
“There are some oddities in Venus’s atmosphere. Phosphine is a newly formed substance. In addition, the amount of water and sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere changes over time. The reason is unknown. The changes are not observed on a very large scale, but it is known that they vary over various time periods, from days to years,” Clements said.
THERE ARE CLAIMS THAT MICROBES MAY PRODUCE AMMONIA IN THE VENUS ATMOSPHERE
The team also detected the presence of ammonia in the clouds, confirming information obtained from the Pioneer Venus 2 probes.
The presence of ammonia on a rocky planet is considered a strong biosignature. The finding does not prove life exists on Venus, but scientists are trying to understand how ammonia forms there.
Prof. Dr. Jane Greaves from Cardiff University in England stated that they were inspired by the possibility of life on Venus and noted the following:
“If there are any microbes in the Venusian clouds, they might also produce some unexpected gases. They might also use ammonia as a way to neutralize the acid. We detected it just above the region where we think it’s hot enough for life. Either it has nothing to do with life, or the gas is being produced by something living and is drifting upwards to where it’s a little easier to detect.”
PHOSPHINE GAS IN VENUS CLOUDS WAS FIRST DETECTED IN 2020
Phosphine molecules, made up of hydrogen and phosphorus atoms, were first detected in the clouds surrounding Venus by the JCMT in September 2020, and the finding was confirmed by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile.
The results of the research were presented at a special session of the National Astronomy Meeting held this week at the University of Hull in England.
