Margaret Estapa, an Assistant Professor of Chemical Oceanography at the University of Maine, has been awarded a grant from the Hypothesis Fund to conduct research that could potentially lead to the discovery of life on other planets. Over the next 18 months, Estapa will collaborate with research associate Sean O’Neill and postdoctoral researcher Patrick Gray to design specifications for sensors that could be used to detect signs of life in oceans on moons and other celestial bodies.
The primary focus of Estapa’s research is to investigate whether the same tools used to study oceanic particles on Earth can be adapted for use in studying those in ice-covered waters on Europa and Enceladus, the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. These sensors will be designed to analyze seafloor hydrothermal vents, water just below the ice sheets, and solid particles suspended in water, with the potential to identify various types of microbial cells through high-resolution imaging that measures light signatures.
To accomplish this, Estapa will need to approximate the properties of seawater on Europa and Enceladus and the particulate matter in it. This will involve an extensive literature review to determine the best possible estimates for pH, salinity, salt composition, and other chemical and physical properties. Additionally, she will conduct modeling and lab experiments using similar particles found on Earth to assess how these ocean particles would likely interact with light. By comparing Earth’s ocean environments with those of Europa and Enceladus, particularly with their extensive ice cover and underwater vents, Estapa hopes to identify the best-suited testing grounds for the sensors.
The Hypothesis Fund, which supports early-stage research with innovative and groundbreaking ideas, has provided Dr. Estapa with the opportunity to pursue this exciting and innovative project. Angelicque White, a Scientist Scout for the Hypothesis Fund, believes that Estapa’s bold project has the potential to create a new discipline at the intersection of optical oceanography and planetary science.
This interdisciplinary research is one of the few that aims to bridge planetary science and oceanography, and it holds promise for offering insights into the existence of life beyond Earth. While the full extent of the impact of this research may unfold in the years to come, Estapa’s work represents an important step forward in humanity’s quest to understand the mysteries of the universe.