In a latest mission that’s based mostly on the invention of oceans on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, Middle East Technical University (METU) Marine Sciences Institute’s Deputy Director affiliate professor Mustafa Yücel began analysis within the deep seas of the world to be able to discover clues to life.
Yücel will look at marine life at depths of two,500 meters (round 8,200 ft) within the Black Sea, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, in areas the place there is no such thing as a gentle. The mission has been supplied with a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant of two.4 million euros ($2.56 million).
Within the scope of the mission, which is deliberate to be accomplished in 2028, no less than 5 deep sea voyages will probably be carried out and a laboratory will probably be established within the METU Marine Sciences Institute, which would be the first on this planet for this subject.
Providing details about the mission to Anadolu Agency (AA), Yücel stated that within the final 10 years all through the photo voltaic system, oceans have been found within the ice-covered areas of a number of the moons of huge planets akin to Saturn and Jupiter.
“Institutions such as NASA and the European Space Agency explore the oceans, which benefit oceanographers to find answers to questions such as, ‘Can there be a chance for life there?’ ‘What are the conditions that support life in an oxygen-free deep sea environment? To begin with, we chose the Black Sea followed by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans with international collaborations,” Yücel stated.
Europa, Enceladus
According to the predictions of scientists who examine Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus, they’ve an ice crust and an ocean with a depth of 10-20 kilometers beneath them. Additionally, there are volcanic vents on the backside of those seas, identical to on Earth. At the identical time, these seas don’t naturally have oxygen, however Saturn and Jupiter emit a lot radiation that they separate the hydrogen and oxygen of the water within the ice, and that oxygen is then leaked into the ocean.
“We imagine an ocean like today’s Marmara and Black Sea, with an oxygen-rich surface, losing its oxygen as we go deeper, dark, with hydrothermal vents at the bottom. If we ever find life in space, it seems like we will find it in this type of ocean,” Yücel decided.
Explaining his mission, Yücel outlined how life leaves traces in oxygen-free and deep habitats. Stating that they are going to focus extra on chemical reactions of their analysis Yücel stated: “Many life forms, from single-celled to multicellular, have very basic metabolic functions; such as respiration, chemosynthesis, carbon dioxide fixation. Could there be enzymatic reactions that could support life in the new oceans? This study is prepared to answer these questions.”
Sharing details about the examine areas of the mission, Yücel stated: “We are planning a joint expedition with the Americans in the spring of 2024 to the Pacific Ocean. The working area there is at a depth of 2,500 meters. We will descend into the volcanic vents. The depth we aim for in the Black Sea starts from 150 meters, up to 2,200 meters.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com
