Raman Spectroscopy: A concise review from Applied Physics and its use in Astrobiology research

The main idea here is to highlight the importance of Raman spectroscopy for astrobiology research. That said, our main objective is to demonstrate how this technique came to be used in space missions because it can obtain results non-destructively. From a teaching perspective, spectroscopy can be seen as an example that paves the way for illustrating the interdisciplinarity that exists between the concepts of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Engineering. After all, it is through the relationships that exist between these different fields of knowledge that scientific instruments based on the Raman effect are developed for research activities. The methodology used to prepare this review consists of concatenating information from secondary sources. The results and discussions cover a brief historical context of astrobiology, as well as the first applications of Raman spectroscopy; the protocol and advantages of using this technique in space missions to Mars focused on astrobiology research; the importance of biomarkers; and the process of identification through Raman spectroscopy. Finally, we present a contextualized overview of the expectations and use of Raman spectroscopy equipment developed for space exploration missions to Mars. Concluding remarks discuss some arguments for and against the commitment and investment of resources in space missions, as well as the application of Raman spectroscopy in the search for life on Mars.

Keywords:
Mars; Analytical technique; Microbiology; Extremophiles; Space exploration