Hypothetical life on VENUS L.V. Ksanfomality, Space research institute of the RAS Moscow

1. New Frontiers in Physics August 28 – September 5, 2013 Hypothetical life on VENUS L.V. Ksanfomality, Space research institute of the RAS Moscow ICNFP 2013

2. The only existing data of close-in imaging of the Venus surface are results returned by series of the Soviet Venera landers. • New life of old experiments • There are 36 panoramas or their fragment returned by VENERA landers in 1975-82

3. The natural laboratory for search of a kind of life at high temperature may be the planet Venus. Venus is a hot (460°C), high surface pressure (9.2 MPa) planet with its dense oxygenless CO2 atmosphere. The search for "habitable zones" in extrasolar planetary systems is based on the premise of "normal" physical conditions in a habitable zone, i.e. pressure, temperature, and possibly atmospheric composition similar to those on the Earth. But should not this approach be considered as "terrestrial chauvinism"?

4. March 1, 1982 the «Венера-13» lander was returning images from the planet’s surface for more than 2 hours. A new analysis of Venusian surface panoramas’ details has been made. A few relatively large objects changing their shape were found with size ranging from decimeters to half meter and with unusual morphology.

6. ВЕНЕРА-13 панорама камеры 2

7. Atmosphere: CO2 96.5 %, N2 3.5%, O2 < 2 10-5. Temperature: 735 К (462 С). Preasure: 9.2 MPa. Day time illumination: 400 lxto 11 klx.

10. View of the surface at the Venera 13 landing site composed of color-separated images 1R, 1G, and 1BW, 0–38 minutes. Bottom: fragment 2RG (64–87 minutes). Center: detached semi-cylindrical lid of the TV camera.

11. HYPOTHETICAL FLORA AND FAUNA OF VENUS

12. STEMS

13. FRAGMENTS OF VENERA-14 PANORAMAS

14. “SCRATCH” AFTER PROCESSING

17. A MUSHROOM?

18. АMISADES

19. OTHER AMISADAS ON VENERA-14 PANORAMAS

23. PROCESSING PROGRESS «Гесперы»

24. HESPERAS

25. An object, nick-named "Scorpion" appeared around the 90th minute on the image V 13-1-6 BW, together with the adjacent "semi-ring" at it’s right side.

26. Apparently, the complex and regular shape of the “scorpion” cannot be a result of random combinations of light and dark points. The “scorpion’s” image consists of m = 940 pixels, the number of pixels in the panorama is n =2.08×105. The probability p of the formation of such images is 1/Cnm (when only combinations, Cnm are taken into account), where the number of combinations is Cnm = n! / [m!(n − m)!], and the probability p<< 10–100. In other words, the probability of a random occurrence of the object’s image is excluded. In addition, there is a physical indication of its reality: one can see a shadow under the object.

27. Dust and wind

30. Returning to 1975. New processing

32. The object has a strange, regularly organized morphology. It can be a real inhabitant of Venus. Like on Earth, Venus’ fauna should be based on its hypothetical flora, which, in turn, must rely on a special type of photosynthesis. The measured luminosity on Venus is estimated at 3-9 klx and is sufficient for photosynthesis of terrestrial flora. The photosynthesis at high temperatures should, apparently, be based on a completely different, unknown biophysical mechanisms.

33. From the landing buffer a dark trail reaches. A possible explanation is that it was left by a creature wounded by the lander’s body. If so, the first victim of the "Earth aggression" on Venus refers to the October 22, 1975. The object (having length 110 mm) was able to crawl away up to 35 cm during 6 min.

34. Фотоплан Apparently, the track is formed by a liquid substance of unknown nature (on Venus liquid water cannot exist). The temperature range 725-755 K near the planet's surface is incompatible with any Earth’ form of life, but thermodynamically it is not worse than terrestrial conditions. The environment and existing chemical agents are not known, but no one has looked for them at a laboratory. Chemical reactions at high temperatures are very active, and initial materials on Venus differ little from that on the Earth. Anaerobic mechanisms are well known, too. Photosynthesis in a number of prokaryotes is based on the reaction where the electrons donor is hydrogen sulfide, H2S, not water.

35. «There is a possibility that we find life based on a quite different chemical composition (without carbon and/or water)» - B.W. Jones. Life in the Solar system and beyond Perhaps the "slowness" of Venusian fauna is directly related to its limited energy reserves, as can be concluded in the case of the "scorpion," which spent 1.5 hours for a plain operation of its own recovery. It is very likely that the temporal characteristics of physical actions (movement speed) of the Venusian fauna is much longer than that of the Earth, and that their slow movement generally are characteristic and normal for them. Note that in comparison with Venus, the available energy for Earth's fauna is very high.

36. The End "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." the original version: „Jede Wahrheit durchläuft drei Phasen: In der ersten wird sie verlacht, in der zweiten wird sie wild bekämpft, und in der dritten wird sie als Selbstverständlichkeit akzeptiert.“ Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)