The possibility of life in the venusian clouds was proposed in the 1960s, and recently this hypothesis has been revived with the potential detection of phosphine (PH3) in Venus' atmosphere. These observations may have detected ∼5-20 ppb phosphine on Venus (Greaves et al., 2020), which raises questions about venusian atmospheric/geochemical processes and suggests that this phosphine could possibly be generated by biological processes. In such a claim, it is essential to understand the abiotic phosphorus chemistry that may occur under Venus-relevant conditions, particularly those processes that may result in phosphine generation. Here, we discuss two related abiotic routes for phosphine generation within the atmosphere of Venus. Based on our assessment, corrosion of large impactors as they ablate near Venus' cloud layer, and the presence of reduced phosphorus compounds in the subcloud layer could result in production of phosphine and may explain the phosphine detected in Venus' atmosphere or on other rocky planets. We end on a cautionary note: although there may be life in the clouds of Venus, the detection of a simple, single gas, phosphine, is likely not a decisive indicator.

Arthur Omran

Christopher Oze

Brian Jackson

Chris Mehta

Laura M. Barge

Jeffrey Bada

Matthew A. Pasek

Astrobiology

ASTROBIOLOGY 是被引用次数最多的同行评审期刊，致力于了解生命的起源、进化和宇宙中的分布，重点关注行星际探索和实验室研究的新发现和发现。ASTROBIOLOGY 覆盖范围包括：天体物理学；天体古生物学; 行星; 生物天文学; 宇宙化学; 生态基因组学; 外星生物学; 极端微生物; 地球微生物学; 引力生物学; 生命探测技术; 陨石学; 行星地球科学; 行星保护; 益生元化学; 空间探索技术; 地球化

Astrobiology is the most cited peer-reviewed journal dedicated to understanding the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the universe. It focuses on new discoveries in planetary exploration and laboratory research. The scope of Astrobiology includes: astrophysics, astrobiology, planets, bioastronomy, astrochemistry, ecological genomics, exobiology, extremophiles, earth microbiology, gravitational biology, life detection technologies, meteoritics, planetary earth sciences, planetary protection, prebiotic chemistry, space exploration technologies, and geochemistry.

《Astrobiology》是引用次数最多的同行评审期刊，专注于生命的起源、进化及其在宇宙中的分布。期刊特别关注行星际探索和实验室研究中的新发现。其覆盖范围包括：天体物理学、天体古生物学、行星、生物天文学、宇宙化学、生态基因组学、外星生物学、极端微生物、地球微生物学、引力生物学、生命探测技术、陨石学、行星地球科学、行星保护、益生元化学、空间探索技术及地球化学。

Phosphine Generation Pathways on Rocky Planets

Corrosion of large impactors as they ablate near Venus' cloud layer, and the presence of reduced phosphorus compounds in the subcloud layer could result in production of phosphine and may explain the phosphine detected in Venus' atmosphere or on other rocky planets.

Category	Quartile
物理与天体物理	3
物理与天体物理, 天文与天体物理	2
物理与天体物理, 生物学	3
物理与天体物理, 地球科学综合	3

Phosphine Generation Pathways on Rocky Planets

ivySCI AI Smartly Parses PDF, Answers Researchers' Questions, and Helps You Understand Papers in Seconds

Journal Info

Category	Quartile
GEOSCIENCES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY	1