Radiolytic Degradation of Soil Carbon from the Mojave Desert by 60Co Gamma Rays: Implications for the Survival of Martian Organic Compounds Due to Cosmic Radiation

The martian surface has been continuously exposed to galactic cosmic radiation. Since organic compounds are degraded by ionizing radiation, knowledge of their decay constants is fundamental to predicting their stability on the martian surface. In this study, we report the radiolysis constant for the destruction of soil organic compounds at a starting concentration of similar to 2011 mu g C/g(soil) from the Mojave Desert. The soils were exposed to gamma irradiation with absorbed doses of up to 19 MGy at room temperature, representing similar to 250 million years of exposure to galactic cosmic rays. The destruction of total soil organic carbon and the formation of gases were investigated by a sequential on-line analytical array coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Soil inorganic and organic carbon were degraded exponentially with a radiolysis constant 0.3 MGy(-1)(30%) producing mostly carbon dioxide (93.2%), carbon monoxide (6.2%), and methane (0.6%). Using the dose rate measured by the Radiation Assessment Detector on board the Curiosity rover, we make predictions on the survival of organic compounds in the cold martian subsurface. It is estimated that soil organic compounds with initial concentrations as those found today at the Mojave Desert would have been destroyed to levels <1 ppb at 0.1 m in depth in similar to 2000 Myr. Pristine organic compounds are expected to be present at a depth of similar to 1.5 m. These results are relevant for the search of organic compounds in past, present, and future missions to Mars. In particular, we predict that the upcoming ExoMars will encounter pristine organic compounds at this depth.