"I am curious about what effect an asteroid impact, like the one that killed the dinosaurs, would have on the orbit of the earth."
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Comprehensive Two Dimensional Gas Chromatography (GCxGC) Using Micro-Fabricated Columns (2)
PI: Stefan Scherer
The objective of this proposal is the design and development of a comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatograph (GCxGC) using micro-fabricated columns on chips using Micro Electro Mechanical System (MEMS) technology and a miniaturized thermal modulator. The thermal modulator will employ a solid state coolant system eliminating the need for consumables. The main goal is to develop a GCxGC system in micro-scale technology for the detection and characterization of organic compounds. The GCxGC system will be tested with a Flame Ionization Detector (FID) and a laboratory Time-of- Flight Mass Spectrometer (TOFMS). The method and the enormous capabilities of comprehensive two-dimensional Gas Chromatography (GCxGC) for the analysis of organic carbon compounds are based on successfully proven techniques in the Mars Analytical Chemistry Experiment (MACE). MACE has been proposed for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and is currently under evaluation by NASA. The technology has a wide spectrum of applications from the petrochemical industry on Earth to the study of the origin of life in planetary missions. The miniaturized design will allow a rugged and low-resource GCxGC system, which will be suitable for detecting in-situ organic compounds that might be germane to the study of the origin of life in future lander missions to Mars, Titan, Europa, and comets.
May 16, 2012
