NASA SBIR 02-1 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Los Gatos Research
67 East Evelyn Avenue, Suite 3
Mountain View , CA   94041 - 1518
(650 ) 965 - 7874

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Manish Gupta
mglgr@mindspring.com
67 East Evelyn Avenue, Suite 3
Mountain View , CA   94041 - 1518
(650 ) 965 - 7772

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project concerns the novel application of cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy to determine isotope ratios in carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor emitting from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. The NASA Ames Astrobiology Group is interested in studying these vents for the possible existence of a subsurface microbiological ecosystem, whose occurrence may be partially detected by measuring such isotope ratios. In Phase I, we will demonstrate the ability to make all three of these ratio measurements in a single, multiplexed instrument using both simulated and actual hydrothermal gas samples. Preliminary results suggest that our system can determine isotope ratios to better than 0.1%, which is sufficient to determine the presence of biological activity. The Phase II effort will consist primarily of packaging the instrument for deep-sea environments and subsequent testing in conjunction with NASA. The final Phase II prototype will be delivered to the NASA Ames Astrobiology Group. This instrument will be the first remotely operable sensor capable of measuring isotope ratios with sufficient precision to indicate the presence of biological activity in deep-sea environments.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
An accurate determination of isotope ratios in an inexpensive, portable device has significant commercial impact in medical diagnostics, the petroleum industry, and environmental monitoring. Projected sales of the ratiometer in the former two areas alone are expected to exceed $65M over the next five years. Moreover, the proposed prototype can be readily modified to monitor various industrial gases, further increasing its commercial impact. Los Gatos Research is actively pursuing such commercial ventures and support through the SBIR Program would greatly bolster our efforts.

POTENTIAL NASA APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The characterization of deep-sea hydrothermal vents is of primary importance to the NASA Ames Astrobiology Group, because they provide a mechanism to sample the contents of the subsurface biosphere. This biosphere represents one of the few anaerobic environments that is devoid of photosynthesis and may emulate the conditions beneath ice crusts on Europa, Callisto, and Mars. One of the key indicators of such a Subsurface Lithotrophic Microbiological Ecosystem (SLiME) is a change in the carbon dioxide and methane isotope ratios. Our instrument will permit in situ measurements of such ratios in deep-sea environments.