New Evidence of Phosphine in Clouds of Venus | 15 Jul 2023
Why in News?
Scientists detected phosphine at deeper level in Venus' atmosphere than before using the James Clark Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) at Mauna Kea Observatory, Hawaii.
- Scientists in 2020 detected the presence of phosphine gas in the clouds of Venus.
- That discovery led to much debate and excitement about the presence of life on Venus given that phosphine is a molecule associated with biological activity on Earth.
Does life exist on Venus?
- Phosphine on Earth is known to be synthesized by bacteria thriving in environments with extremely low levels of oxygen.
- Phosphine has been detected in the deeper layers of Venus' clouds.
- Scientists have acknowledged that while the detection of phosphine could potentially serve as a biosignature, it could also be attributed to other mechanisms that are currently not completely comprehended.
- A prevalent perspective suggests that phosphine could potentially be produced by introducing phosphorus-containing rocks into the upper atmosphere, subjecting them to erosion through processes involving water, acid, and other factors, resulting in the formation of phosphine gas.
What is Phosphine (PH3)?
- It is a phosphorus atom with three hydrogen atoms attached and is highly toxic to people.
- On rocky planets such as Venus and Earth, phosphine can only be made by life whether human or microbe.
- Phosphine is made naturally by some species of anaerobic bacteria, organisms that live in the oxygen-starved environments of landfills, marshlands, and even animal guts.
- To produce phosphine, Earth bacteria take up phosphate from minerals or biological material and add hydrogen.
- Phosphine also arises non-biologically in certain industrial settings.
- Used as a chemical weapon during World War I.
- Phosphine is still manufactured as an agricultural fumigant, is used in the semiconductor industry, and is a by-product of meth labs.
What are the Key Facts About Venus?
- Venus is Earth’s closest planetary neighbor. It is also known as earth's twin.
- Similar in structure but slightly smaller than Earth, it is the second planet from the Sun.
- Venus is wrapped in a thick and toxic atmosphere that traps in heat.
- Surface temperatures reach a scorching 880 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt lead. It is the hottest planet in the solar system.
- Highly dense, 65 miles of cloud and haze, puts atmospheric pressure more than 90 times what’s felt on Earth’s surface.
- Also, the planet’s atmosphere is primarily suffocating carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid clouds.