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Ramkissoon NK, Macey MC, Kucukkilic-Stephens E, Barton T, Steele A, Johnson DN, Stephens BP, Schwenzer SP, Pearson VK, Olsson-Francis K. Experimental Identification of Potential Martian Biosignatures in Open and Closed Systems. ASTROBIOLOGY 2024; 24:538-558. [PMID: 38648554 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2023.0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
NASA's Perseverance and ESA's Rosalind Franklin rovers have the scientific goal of searching for evidence of ancient life on Mars. Geochemical biosignatures that form because of microbe-mineral interactions could play a key role in achieving this, as they can be preserved for millions of years on Earth, and the same could be true for Mars. Previous laboratory experiments have explored the formation of biosignatures under closed systems, but these do not represent the open systems that are found in natural martian environments, such as channels and lakes. In this study, we have conducted environmental simulation experiments using a global regolith simulant (OUCM-1), a thermochemically modelled groundwater, and an anaerobic microbial community to explore the formation of geochemical biosignatures within plausible open and closed systems on Mars. This initial investigation showed differences in the diversity of the microbial community developed after 28 days. In an open-system simulation (flow-through experiment), the acetogenic Acetobacterium (49% relative abundance) and the sulfate reducer Desulfosporomusa (43% relative abundance) were the dominant genera. Whereas in the batch experiment, the sulfate reducers Desulfovibrio, Desulfomicrobium, and Desulfuromonas (95% relative abundance in total) were dominant. We also found evidence of enhanced mineral dissolution within the flow-through experiment, but there was little evidence of secondary deposits in the presence of biota. In contrast, SiO2 and Fe deposits formed within the batch experiment with biota but not under abiotic conditions. The results from these initial experiments indicate that different geochemical biosignatures can be generated between open and closed systems, and therefore, biosignature formation in open systems warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael C Macey
- AstrobiologyOU, STEM Faculty, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | | | - Timothy Barton
- AstrobiologyOU, STEM Faculty, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Andrew Steele
- Earth and Planetary Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC, USA
| | - David N Johnson
- AstrobiologyOU, STEM Faculty, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Ben P Stephens
- AstrobiologyOU, STEM Faculty, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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2
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Concept and Design of Martian Far-IR ORE Spectrometer (MIRORES). REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14122799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sulfide ores are a major source of noble (Au, Ag, and Pt) and base (Cu, Pb, Zn, Sn, Co, Ni, etc.) metals and will, therefore, be vital for the self-sustainment of future Mars colonies. Martian meteorites are rich in sulfides, which is reflected in recent findings for surface Martian rocks analyzed by the Spirit and Curiosity rovers. However, the only high-resolution (18 m/pixel) infrared (IR) spectrometer orbiting Mars, the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM), onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), is not well-suited for detecting sulfides on the Martian surface. Spectral interference with silicates impedes sulfide detection in the 0.4–3.9 μm CRISM range. In contrast, at least three common hydrothermal sulfides on Earth and Mars (pyrite, chalcopyrite, marcasite) have prominent absorption peaks in a narrow far-IR (FIR) wavelength range of 23–28 μm. Identifying the global distribution and chemical composition of sulfide ore deposits would help in choosing useful targets for future Mars exploration missions. Therefore, we have designed a new instrument suitable for measuring sulfides in the FIR range called the Martian far-IR Ore Spectrometer (MIRORES). MIRORES will measure radiation in six narrow bands (~0.3 µm in width), including three bands centered on the sulfide absorption bands (23.2, 24.3 and 27.6 µm), two reference bands (21.5 and 26.1) and one band for clinopyroxene interference (29.0 µm). Focusing on sulfides only will make it possible to adapt the instrument size (32 × 32 × 42 cm) and mass (<10 kg) to common microsatellite requirements. The biggest challenges related to this design are: (1) the small field of view conditioned by the high resolution required for such a study (<20 m/pixel), which, in limited space, can only be achieved by the use of the Cassegrain optical system; and (2) a relatively stable measurement temperature to maintain radiometric accuracy and enable precise calibration.
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3
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Rivera-Valentín EG, Filiberto J, Lynch KL, Mamajanov I, Lyons TW, Schulte M, Méndez A. Introduction-First Billion Years: Habitability. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:893-905. [PMID: 34406807 PMCID: PMC8403211 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The physical processes active during the first billion years (FBY) of Earth's history, such as accretion, differentiation, and impact cratering, provide constraints on the initial conditions that were conducive to the formation and establishment of life on Earth. This motivated the Lunar and Planetary Institute's FBY topical initiative, which was a four-part conference series intended to look at each of these physical processes to study the basic structure and composition of our Solar System that was set during the FBY. The FBY Habitability conference, held in September 2019, was the last in this series and was intended to synthesize the initiative; specifically, to further our understanding of the origins of life, planetary and environmental habitability, and the search for life beyond Earth. The conference included discussions of planetary habitability and the potential emergence of life on bodies within our Solar System, as well as extrasolar systems by applying our knowledge of the Solar System's FBY, and in particular Earth's early history. To introduce this Special Collection, which resulted from work discussed at the conference, we provide a review of the main themes and a synopsis of the FBY Habitability conference.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Justin Filiberto
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kennda L. Lynch
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Irena Mamajanov
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Timothy W. Lyons
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Mitch Schulte
- Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Abel Méndez
- Planetary Habitability Laboratory, University of Puerto Rico Arecibo, Arecibo, Puerto Rico
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4
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Clark BC, Kolb VM, Steele A, House CH, Lanza NL, Gasda PJ, VanBommel SJ, Newsom HE, Martínez-Frías J. Origin of Life on Mars: Suitability and Opportunities. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:539. [PMID: 34207658 PMCID: PMC8227854 DOI: 10.3390/life11060539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the habitability of early Mars is now well established, its suitability for conditions favorable to an independent origin of life (OoL) has been less certain. With continued exploration, evidence has mounted for a widespread diversity of physical and chemical conditions on Mars that mimic those variously hypothesized as settings in which life first arose on Earth. Mars has also provided water, energy sources, CHNOPS elements, critical catalytic transition metal elements, as well as B, Mg, Ca, Na and K, all of which are elements associated with life as we know it. With its highly favorable sulfur abundance and land/ocean ratio, early wet Mars remains a prime candidate for its own OoL, in many respects superior to Earth. The relatively well-preserved ancient surface of planet Mars helps inform the range of possible analogous conditions during the now-obliterated history of early Earth. Continued exploration of Mars also contributes to the understanding of the opportunities for settings enabling an OoL on exoplanets. Favoring geochemical sediment samples for eventual return to Earth will enhance assessments of the likelihood of a Martian OoL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vera M. Kolb
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin—Parkside, Kenosha, WI 53141, USA;
| | - Andrew Steele
- Earth and Planetary Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC 20015, USA;
| | - Christopher H. House
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16807, USA;
| | - Nina L. Lanza
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA; (N.L.L.); (P.J.G.)
| | - Patrick J. Gasda
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA; (N.L.L.); (P.J.G.)
| | - Scott J. VanBommel
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA;
| | - Horton E. Newsom
- Institute of Meteoritics, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 88033, USA;
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5
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Mojarro A, Jin L, Szostak JW, Head JW, Zuber MT. In search of the RNA world on Mars. GEOBIOLOGY 2021; 19:307-321. [PMID: 33565260 PMCID: PMC8248371 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Advances in origins of life research and prebiotic chemistry suggest that life as we know it may have emerged from an earlier RNA World. However, it has been difficult to reconcile the conditions used in laboratory experiments with real-world geochemical environments that may have existed on the early Earth and hosted the origin(s) of life. This challenge is due to geologic resurfacing and recycling that have erased the overwhelming majority of the Earth's prebiotic history. We therefore propose that Mars, a planet frozen in time, comprised of many surfaces that have remained relatively unchanged since their formation > 4 Gya, is the best alternative to search for environments consistent with geochemical requirements imposed by the RNA world. In this study, we synthesize in situ and orbital observations of Mars and modeling of its early atmosphere into solutions containing a range of pHs and concentrations of prebiotically relevant metals (Fe2+ , Mg2+ , and Mn2+ ) spanning various candidate aqueous environments. We then experimentally determine RNA degradation kinetics due to metal-catalyzed hydrolysis (cleavage) and evaluate whether early Mars could have been permissive toward the accumulation of long-lived RNA polymers. Our results indicate that a Mg2+ -rich basalt sourcing metals to a slightly acidic (pH 5.4) environment mediates the slowest rates of RNA cleavage, though geologic evidence and basalt weathering models suggest aquifers on Mars would be near neutral (pH ~ 7). Moreover, the early onset of oxidizing conditions on Mars has major consequences regarding the availability of oxygen-sensitive metals (i.e., Fe2+ and Mn2+ ) due to increased RNA degradation rates and precipitation. Overall, (a) low pH decreases RNA cleavage at high metal concentrations; (b) acidic to neutral pH environments with Fe2+ or Mn2+ cleave more RNA than Mg2+ ; and (c) alkaline environments with Mg2+ dramatically cleaves more RNA while precipitates were observed for Fe2+ and Mn2+ .
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Mojarro
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary SciencesMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
| | - Lin Jin
- Department of Molecular Biology, and Center for Computational and Integrative BiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMAUSA
| | - Jack W. Szostak
- Department of Molecular Biology, and Center for Computational and Integrative BiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMAUSA
| | - James W. Head
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary SciencesBrown UniversityProvidenceRIUSA
| | - Maria T. Zuber
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary SciencesMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeMAUSA
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6
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Bishop JL, Yeşilbaş M, Hinman NW, Burton ZFM, Englert PAJ, Toner JD, McEwen AS, Gulick VC, Gibson EK, Koeberl C. Martian subsurface cryosalt expansion and collapse as trigger for landslides. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabe4459. [PMID: 33536216 PMCID: PMC7857681 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe4459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
On Mars, seasonal martian flow features known as recurring slope lineae (RSL) are prevalent on sun-facing slopes and are associated with salts. On Earth, subsurface interactions of gypsum with chlorides and oxychlorine salts wreak havoc: instigating sinkholes, cave collapse, debris flows, and upheave. Here, we illustrate (i) the disruptive potential of sulfate-chloride reactions in laboratory soil crust experiments, (ii) the formation of thin films of mixed ice-liquid water "slush" at -40° to -20°C on salty Mars analog grains, (iii) how mixtures of sulfates and chlorine salts affect their solubilities in low-temperature environments, and (iv) how these salt brines could be contributing to RSL formation on Mars. Our results demonstrate that interactions of sulfates and chlorine salts in fine-grained soils on Mars could absorb water, expand, deliquesce, cause subsidence, form crusts, disrupt surfaces, and ultimately produce landslides after dust loading on these unstable surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Bishop
- Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.
- Space Science and Astrobiology, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - M Yeşilbaş
- Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - N W Hinman
- Department of Geosciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | - Z F M Burton
- Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - P A J Englert
- Hawai'i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - J D Toner
- Department of Earth & Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - A S McEwen
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - V C Gulick
- Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
- Space Science and Astrobiology, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - E K Gibson
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - C Koeberl
- Department of Lithospheric Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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7
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Sánchez-García L, Carrizo D, Molina A, Muñoz-Iglesias V, Lezcano MÁ, Fernández-Sampedro M, Parro V, Prieto-Ballesteros O. Fingerprinting molecular and isotopic biosignatures on different hydrothermal scenarios of Iceland, an acidic and sulfur-rich Mars analog. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21196. [PMID: 33273669 PMCID: PMC7712778 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78240-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Detecting signs of potential extant/extinct life on Mars is challenging because the presence of organics on that planet is expected to be very low and most likely linked to radiation-protected refugia and/or preservative strategies (e.g., organo-mineral complexes). With scarcity of organics, accounting for biomineralization and potential relationships between biomarkers, mineralogy, and geochemistry is key in the search for extraterrestrial life. Here we explored microbial fingerprints and their associated mineralogy in Icelandic hydrothermal systems analog to Mars (i.e., high sulfur content, or amorphous silica), to identify potentially habitable locations on that planet. The mineralogical assemblage of four hydrothermal substrates (hot springs biofilms, mud pots, and steaming and inactive fumaroles) was analyzed concerning the distribution of biomarkers. Molecular and isotopic composition of lipids revealed quantitative and compositional differences apparently impacted by surface geothermal alteration and environmental factors. pH and water showed an influence (i.e., greatest biomass in circumneutral settings with highest supply and turnover of water), whereas temperature conditioned the mineralogy that supported specific microbial metabolisms related with sulfur. Raman spectra suggested the possible coexistence of abiotic and biomediated sources of minerals (i.e., sulfur or hematite). These findings may help to interpret future Raman or GC-MS signals in forthcoming Martian missions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Carrizo
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Molina
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Victor Parro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, Madrid, Spain
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8
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Costello LJ, Filiberto J, Crandall JR, Potter-McIntyre SL, Schwenzer SP, Miller MA, Hummer DR, Olsson-Francis K, Perl S. Habitability of Hydrothermal Systems at Jezero and Gusev Craters as Constrained by Hydrothermal Alteration of a Terrestrial Mafic Dike. CHEMIE DER ERDE : BEITRAGE ZUR CHEMISCHEN MINERALOGIE, PETROGRAPHIE UND GEOLOGIE 2020; 80:125613. [PMID: 33299255 PMCID: PMC7720477 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemer.2020.125613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
NASA's search for habitable environments has focused on alteration mineralogy of the Martian crust and the formation of hydrous minerals, because they reveal information about the fluid and environmental conditions from which they precipitated. Extensive work has focused on the formation of alteration minerals at low temperatures, with limited work investigating metamorphic or high-temperature alteration. We have investigated such a site as an analog for Mars: a mafic dike on the Colorado Plateau that was hydrothermally altered from contact with groundwater as it was emplaced in the porous and permeable Jurassic Entrada sandstone. Our results show evidence for fluid mobility removing Si and K but adding S, Fe, Ca, and possibly Mg to the system as alteration progresses. Mineralogically, all samples contain calcite, hematite, and kaolinite; with most samples containing minor anatase, barite, halite, and dolomite. The number of alteration minerals increase with alteration. The hydrothermal system that formed during interaction of the magma (heat source) and groundwater would have been a habitable environment once the system cooled below ~120° C. The mineral assemblage is similar to alteration minerals seen within the Martian crust from orbit, including those at Gusev and Jezero Craters. Therefore, based on our findings, and extrapolating them to the Martian crust, these sites may represent habitable environments which would call for further exploration and sample return of such hydrothermally altered igneous materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lacey J. Costello
- Southern Illinois University, Department of Geology, 1259 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Justin Filiberto
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, USRA, 3600 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - Jake R. Crandall
- Eastern Illinois University, Department of Geology and Geography, Physical Science Building, 600 Lincoln Ave., Charleston, IL 61920, USA
| | - Sally L. Potter-McIntyre
- Southern Illinois University, Department of Geology, 1259 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Susanne P. Schwenzer
- School of Environment, Earth, and Ecosystems Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Michael A. Miller
- Materials Engineering Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA
| | - Daniel R. Hummer
- Southern Illinois University, Department of Geology, 1259 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| | - Karen Olsson-Francis
- School of Environment, Earth, and Ecosystems Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Scott Perl
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr, Pasadena, CA 91109-8001, USA
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9
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Ruff SW, Campbell KA, Van Kranendonk MJ, Rice MS, Farmer JD. The Case for Ancient Hot Springs in Gusev Crater, Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:475-499. [PMID: 31621375 PMCID: PMC7133449 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The origin and age of opaline silica deposits discovered by the Spirit rover adjacent to the Home Plate feature in the Columbia Hills of Gusev crater remains debated, in part because of their proximity to sulfur-rich soils. Processes related to fumarolic activity and to hot springs and/or geysers are the leading candidates. Both processes are known to produce opaline silica on Earth, but with differences in composition, morphology, texture, and stratigraphy. Here, we incorporate new and existing observations of the Home Plate region with observations from field and laboratory work to address the competing hypotheses. The results, which include new evidence for a hot spring vent mound, demonstrate that a volcanic hydrothermal system manifesting both hot spring/geyser and fumarolic activity best explains the opaline silica rocks and proximal S-rich materials, respectively. The opaline silica rocks most likely are sinter deposits derived from hot spring activity. Stratigraphic evidence indicates that their deposition occurred before the emplacement of the volcaniclastic deposits comprising Home Plate and nearby ridges. Because sinter deposits throughout geologic history on Earth preserve evidence for microbial life, they are a key target in the search for ancient life on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven W. Ruff
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Address correspondence to: Steven W. Ruff, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Mars Space Flight Facility, Moeur Building Room 131, Tempe, AZ 85287-6305
| | - Kathleen A. Campbell
- School of Environment and Te Ao Mārama—Centre for Fundamental Inquiry, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Martin J. Van Kranendonk
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Melissa S. Rice
- Department of Geology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington
| | - Jack D. Farmer
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
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10
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Preston LJ, Barcenilla R, Dartnell LR, Kucukkilic-Stephens E, Olsson-Francis K. Infrared Spectroscopic Detection of Biosignatures at Lake Tírez, Spain: Implications for Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:15-25. [PMID: 31592682 PMCID: PMC6987737 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The detection of potential biosignatures with mineral matrices is part of a multifaceted approach in the search for life on other planetary bodies. The 2020 ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover includes within its payload three IR spectrometers in the form of ISEM (Infrared Spectrometer for ExoMars), MicrOmega, and Ma-MISS (Mars Multispectral Imager for Subsurface Studies). The use of this technique in the detection and characterization of biosignatures is of great value. Organic materials are often co-deposited in terrestrial evaporites and as such have been proposed as relevant analogs in the search for life on Mars. This study focuses on Ca-sulfates collected from the hypersaline Tírez Lake in Spain. Mid infrared and visible near infrared analysis of soils, salt crusts, and crystals with green and red layering indicative of microbial colonization of the samples was acquired from across the lake and identified the main mineral to be gypsum with inputs of carbonate and silica. Organic functional groups that could be attributed to amides and carboxylic acids were identified as well as chlorophyll; however, due to the strong mineralogical absorptions observed, these were hard to unambiguously discern. Taxonomical assignment demonstrated that the archaeal community within the samples was dominated by the halophilic extremophile Halobacteriaceae while the bacterial community was dominated by the class Nocardiaceae. The results of this research highlight that sulfates on Mars are a mixed blessing, acting as an effective host for organic matter preservation but also a material that masks the presence of organic functional groups when analyzed with spectroscopic tools similar to those due to fly on the 2020 ExoMars rover. A suite of complementary analytical techniques therefore should be used to support the spectral identification of any candidate extraterrestrial biosignatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa J. Preston
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK
| | - Rebeca Barcenilla
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK
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11
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Hughes SS, Haberle CW, Kobs Nawotniak SE, Sehlke A, Garry WB, Elphic RC, Payler SJ, Stevens AH, Cockell CS, Brady AL, Heldmann JL, Lim DS. Basaltic Terrains in Idaho and Hawai'i as Planetary Analogs for Mars Geology and Astrobiology. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:260-283. [PMID: 30339033 PMCID: PMC6442300 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Field research target regions within two basaltic geologic provinces are described as Earth analogs to Mars. Regions within the eastern Snake River Plain of Idaho and the Big Island of Hawai'i, the United States, provinces that represent analogs of present-day and early Mars, respectively, were evaluated on the basis of geologic settings, rock lithology and geochemistry, rock alteration, and climate. Each of these factors provides rationale for the selection of specific targets for field research in five analog target regions: (1) Big Craters and (2) Highway lava flows at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho, and (3) Mauna Ulu low shield, (4) Kīlauea Iki lava lake, and (5) Kīlauea caldera in the Kīlauea Volcano summit region and the East Rift Zone of Hawai'i. Our evaluation of compositional and textural attributes, as well as the effects of syn- and posteruptive rock alteration, shows that basaltic terrains in Idaho and Hawai'i provide a way to characterize the geology and major geologic substrates that host biological activity of relevance to Mars exploration. This work provides the foundation to better understand the scientific questions related to the habitability of basaltic terrains, the rationale behind selecting analog field targets, and their applicability as analogs to Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott S. Hughes
- Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho
| | - Christopher W. Haberle
- Mars Space Flight Facility, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | | | | | | | | | - Samuel J. Payler
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Adam H. Stevens
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Charles S. Cockell
- UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Allyson L. Brady
- School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer L. Heldmann
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
- NASA Headquarters, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Darlene S.S. Lim
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
- BAER Institute, Moffett Field, California
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12
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Wang A, Sobron P, Kong F, Zheng M, Zhao YYS. Dalangtan Saline Playa in a Hyperarid Region on Tibet Plateau: II. Preservation of Salts with High Hydration Degrees in Subsurface. ASTROBIOLOGY 2018; 18:1254-1276. [PMID: 30152704 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Based on a field expedition to the Dalangtan (DLT) saline playa located in a hyperarid region (Qaidam Basin) on the Tibet Plateau and follow-up investigations, we report the mineralogy and geochemistry of the salt layers in two vertical stratigraphic cross sections in the DLT playa. Na-, Ca-, Mg-, KCaMg-sulfates; Na-, K-, KMg-chlorides; mixed (K, Mg)-chloride-sulfate; and chlorate and perchlorate were identified in the collected samples. This mineral assemblage represents the last-stage precipitation products from Na-K-Mg-Ca-Cl-SO4 brine and the oxychlorine formation from photochemistry reaction similar to other hyperarid regions on Earth. The spatial distributions of these salts in both stratigraphic cross sections suggest very limited brine volumes during the precipitation episodes in the Holocene era. More importantly, sulfates and chlorides with a high degree of hydrations were found preserved within the subsurface salt-rich layers of DLT saline playa, where the environmental conditions at the surface are controlled by the hyperaridity in the Qaidam Basin on the Tibet Plateau. Our findings suggest a very different temperature and relative humidity environment maintained by the hydrous salts in a subsurface salty layer, where the climatic conditions at surface have very little or no influence. This observation bears some similarities with four observations on Mars, which implies not only a large humidity reservoir in midlatitude and equatorial regions on Mars but also habitability potential that warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alian Wang
- 1 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, McDonnell Center for Space Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Pablo Sobron
- 2 SETI Institute , Mountain View, California
- 3 Impossible Sensing , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Fanjing Kong
- 4 MLR Key Laboratory of Saline Lake Environments and Resources, Institute of Mineral Resources , Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mianping Zheng
- 4 MLR Key Laboratory of Saline Lake Environments and Resources, Institute of Mineral Resources , Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Yan Sara Zhao
- 5 Institute of Geochemistry , Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, China
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Hynek BM, Rogers KL, Antunovich M, Avard G, Alvarado GE. Lack of Microbial Diversity in an Extreme Mars Analog Setting: Poás Volcano, Costa Rica. ASTROBIOLOGY 2018; 18:923-933. [PMID: 29688767 PMCID: PMC6067093 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The Poás volcano in Costa Rica has been studied as a Mars geochemical analog environment, since both the style of hydrothermal alteration present and the alteration mineralogy are consistent with Mars' relict hydrothermal systems. The site hosts an active volcano, with high-temperature fumaroles (up to 980°C) and an ultra-acidic lake. This lake, Laguna Caliente, is one of the most dynamic environments on Earth, with frequent phreatic eruptions, temperatures ranging from near-ambient to almost boiling, a pH range of -1 to 1.5, and a wide range of chemistries and redox potential. Martian acid-sulfate hydrothermal systems were likely similarly dynamic and equally challenging to life. The microbiology existing within Laguna Caliente was characterized for the first time, with sampling taking place in November, 2013. The diversity of the microbial community was surveyed via extraction of environmental DNA from fluid and sediment samples followed by Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The microbial diversity was limited to a single species of the bacterial genus Acidiphilium. This organism likely gets its energy from oxidation of reduced sulfur in the lake, including elemental sulfur. Given Mars' propensity for sulfur and acid-sulfate environments, this type of organism is of significant interest to the search for past or present life on the Red Planet. Key Words: Mars astrobiology-Acid-sulfate hydrothermal systems-Extremophiles-Acidic-High temperature-Acidiphilium bacteria. Astrobiology 18, 923-933.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M. Hynek
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Address correspondence to:Brian M. HynekLaboratory for Atmospheric and Space PhysicsUniversity of Colorado3665 Discovery Dr.Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Karyn L. Rogers
- Earth and Environmental Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
| | - Monique Antunovich
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Geoffroy Avard
- OVSICORI, National University of Costa Rica, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Guillermo E. Alvarado
- Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas, Red Sismológica Nacional, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica
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Adcock CT, Hausrath EM. Weathering Profiles in Phosphorus-Rich Rocks at Gusev Crater, Mars, Suggest Dissolution of Phosphate Minerals into Potentially Habitable Near-Neutral Waters. ASTROBIOLOGY 2015; 15:1060-1075. [PMID: 26684505 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2015.1291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Abundant evidence indicates that significant surface and near-surface liquid water has existed on Mars in the past. Evaluating the potential for habitable environments on Mars requires an understanding of the chemical and physical conditions that prevailed in such aqueous environments. Among the geological features that may hold evidence of past environmental conditions on Mars are weathering profiles, such as those in the phosphorus-rich Wishstone-class rocks in Gusev Crater. The weathering profiles in these rocks indicate that a Ca-phosphate mineral has been lost during past aqueous interactions. The high phosphorus content of these rocks and potential release of phosphorus during aqueous interactions also make them of astrobiological interest, as phosphorus is among the elements required for all known life. In this work, we used Mars mission data, laboratory-derived kinetic and thermodynamic data, and data from terrestrial analogues, including phosphorus-rich basalts from Idaho, to model a conceptualized Wishstone-class rock using the reactive transport code CrunchFlow. Modeling results most consistent with the weathering profiles in Wishstone-class rocks suggest a combination of chemical and physical erosion and past aqueous interactions with near-neutral waters. The modeling results also indicate that multiple Ca-phosphate minerals are likely in Wishstone-class rocks, consistent with observations of martian meteorites. These findings suggest that Gusev Crater experienced a near-neutral phosphate-bearing aqueous environment that may have been conducive to life on Mars in the past. KEY WORDS Mars-Gusev Crater-Wishstone-Reactive transport modeling-CrunchFlow-Aqueous interactions-Neutral pH-Habitability.
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Marcucci EC, Hynek BM. Laboratory simulations of acid-sulfate weathering under volcanic hydrothermal conditions: Implications for early Mars. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2014; 119:679-703. [PMID: 26213665 PMCID: PMC4508920 DOI: 10.1002/2013je004439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2013] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
We have completed laboratory experiments and thermochemical equilibrium models to investigate secondary mineral formation under conditions akin to volcanic, hydrothermal acid-sulfate weathering systems. Our research used the basaltic mineralogy at Cerro Negro Volcano, Nicaragua, characterized by plagioclase, pyroxene, olivine, and volcanic glass. These individual minerals and whole-rock field samples were reacted in the laboratory with 1 molal sulfuric acid at varying temperatures (65, 150, and 200°C), fluid:rock weight ratios (1:1, 4:1, and 10:1), and durations (1-60 days). Thermochemical equilibrium models were developed using Geochemist's Workbench. To understand the reaction products and fluids, we employed scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. The results of our experiments and models yielded major alteration minerals that include anhydrite, natroalunite, minor iron oxide, and amorphous Al-Si gel. We found that variations in experimental parameters did not drastically change the suite of minerals produced; instead, abundance, size, and crystallographic shape changed. Our results also suggest that it is essential to separate phases formed during experiments from those formed during fluid evaporation to fully understand the reaction processes. Our laboratory reacted and model predicted products are consistent with the mineralogy observed at places on Mars. However, our results indicate that determination of the formation conditions requires microscopic imagery and regional context, as well as a thorough understanding of contributions from both experiment precipitation and fluid evaporation minerals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Marcucci
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado, USA
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado, USA
- Now at Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, Alaska, USA
- Correspondence to: E. C. Marcucci,
| | - Brian M Hynek
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado, USA
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado BoulderBoulder, Colorado, USA
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Hausrath EM, Tschauner O. Natural fumarolic alteration of fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass, and implications for habitable environments on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2013; 13:1049-64. [PMID: 24283927 PMCID: PMC3865726 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.0985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/14/2013] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Fumaroles represent a very important potential habitat on Mars because they contain water and nutrients. Global deposition of volcanic sulfate aerosols may also have been an important soil-forming process affecting large areas of Mars. Here we identify alteration from the Senator fumarole, northwest Nevada, USA, and in low-temperature environments near the fumarole to help interpret fumarolic and acid vapor alteration of rocks and soils on Mars. We analyzed soil samples and fluorapatite, olivine, and basaltic glass placed at and near the fumarole in in situ mineral alteration experiments designed to measure weathering under natural field conditions. Using synchrotron X-ray diffraction, we clearly observe hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing fluorapatite as a fumarolic alteration product of the original material, fluorapatite. The composition of apatites as well as secondary phosphates has been previously used to infer magmatic conditions as well as fumarolic conditions on Mars. To our knowledge, the observations reported here represent the first documented instance of formation of hydroxyl-carbonate-bearing apatite from fluorapatite in a field experiment. Retreat of olivine surfaces, as well as abundant NH4-containing minerals, was also characteristic of fumarolic alteration. In contrast, alteration in the nearby low-temperature environment resulted in formation of large pits on olivine surfaces, which were clearly distinguishable from the fumarolic alteration. Raman signatures of some fumarolically impacted surfaces are consistent with detection of the biological molecules chlorophyll and scytenomin, potentially useful biosignatures. Observations of altered minerals on Mars may therefore help identify the environment of formation and understand the aqueous history and potential habitability of that planet.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oliver Tschauner
- Department of Geoscience, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
- HiPSEC, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
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Planning for Mars returned sample science: final report of the MSR End-to-End International Science Analysis Group (E2E-iSAG). ASTROBIOLOGY 2012; 12:175-230. [PMID: 22468886 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2011.0805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
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McGlynn IO, Fedo CM, McSween HY. Soil mineralogy at the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites: An assessment of the competing roles of physical sorting and chemical weathering. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1029/2011je003861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Ruff SW, Farmer JD, Calvin WM, Herkenhoff KE, Johnson JR, Morris RV, Rice MS, Arvidson RE, Bell JF, Christensen PR, Squyres SW. Characteristics, distribution, origin, and significance of opaline silica observed by the Spirit rover in Gusev crater, Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Wang A, Ling ZC. Ferric sulfates on Mars: A combined mission data analysis of salty soils at Gusev crater and laboratory experimental investigations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Sullivan R, Anderson R, Biesiadecki J, Bond T, Stewart H. Cohesions, friction angles, and other physical properties of Martian regolith from Mars Exploration Rover wheel trenches and wheel scuffs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Wray JJ, Milliken RE, Dundas CM, Swayze GA, Andrews-Hanna JC, Baldridge AM, Chojnacki M, Bishop JL, Ehlmann BL, Murchie SL, Clark RN, Seelos FP, Tornabene LL, Squyres SW. Columbus crater and other possible groundwater-fed paleolakes of Terra Sirenum, Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Arvidson RE, Bell JF, Bellutta P, Cabrol NA, Catalano JG, Cohen J, Crumpler LS, Des Marais DJ, Estlin TA, Farrand WH, Gellert R, Grant JA, Greenberger RN, Guinness EA, Herkenhoff KE, Herman JA, Iagnemma KD, Johnson JR, Klingelhöfer G, Li R, Lichtenberg KA, Maxwell SA, Ming DW, Morris RV, Rice MS, Ruff SW, Shaw A, Siebach KL, de Souza PA, Stroupe AW, Squyres SW, Sullivan RJ, Talley KP, Townsend JA, Wang A, Wright JR, Yen AS. Spirit Mars Rover Mission: Overview and selected results from the northern Home Plate Winter Haven to the side of Scamander crater. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Morris RV, Ruff SW, Gellert R, Ming DW, Arvidson RE, Clark BC, Golden DC, Siebach K, Klingelhöfer G, Schröder C, Fleischer I, Yen AS, Squyres SW. Identification of carbonate-rich outcrops on Mars by the Spirit rover. Science 2010; 329:421-4. [PMID: 20522738 DOI: 10.1126/science.1189667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Decades of speculation about a warmer, wetter Mars climate in the planet's first billion years postulate a denser CO2-rich atmosphere than at present. Such an atmosphere should have led to the formation of outcrops rich in carbonate minerals, for which evidence has been sparse. Using the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, we have now identified outcrops rich in magnesium-iron carbonate (16 to 34 weight percent) in the Columbia Hills of Gusev crater. Its composition approximates the average composition of the carbonate globules in martian meteorite ALH 84001. The Gusev carbonate probably precipitated from carbonate-bearing solutions under hydrothermal conditions at near-neutral pH in association with volcanic activity during the Noachian era.
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Wang A, Freeman JJ, Jolliff BL. Phase transition pathways of the hydrates of magnesium sulfate in the temperature range 50°C to 5°C: Implication for sulfates on Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Kounaves SP, Hecht MH, West SJ, Morookian JM, Young SMM, Quinn R, Grunthaner P, Wen X, Weilert M, Cable CA, Fisher A, Gospodinova K, Kapit J, Stroble S, Hsu PC, Clark BC, Ming DW, Smith PH. The MECA Wet Chemistry Laboratory on the 2007 Phoenix Mars Scout Lander. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Morris RV, Klingelhöfer G, Schröder C, Fleischer I, Ming DW, Yen AS, Gellert R, Arvidson RE, Rodionov DS, Crumpler LS, Clark BC, Cohen BA, McCoy TJ, Mittlefehldt DW, Schmidt ME, de Souza PA, Squyres SW. Iron mineralogy and aqueous alteration from Husband Hill through Home Plate at Gusev Crater, Mars: Results from the Mössbauer instrument on the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Ming DW, Gellert R, Morris RV, Arvidson RE, Brückner J, Clark BC, Cohen BA, d'Uston C, Economou T, Fleischer I, Klingelhöfer G, McCoy TJ, Mittlefehldt DW, Schmidt ME, Schröder C, Squyres SW, Tréguier E, Yen AS, Zipfel J. Geochemical properties of rocks and soils in Gusev Crater, Mars: Results of the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer from Cumberland Ridge to Home Plate. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Wang A, Bell JF, Li R, Johnson JR, Farrand WH, Cloutis EA, Arvidson RE, Crumpler L, Squyres SW, McLennan SM, Herkenhoff KE, Ruff SW, Knudson AT, Chen W, Greenberger R. Light-toned salty soils and coexisting Si-rich species discovered by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit in Columbia Hills. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Arvidson RE, Ruff SW, Morris RV, Ming DW, Crumpler LS, Yen AS, Squyres SW, Sullivan RJ, Bell JF, Cabrol NA, Clark BC, Farrand WH, Gellert R, Greenberger R, Grant JA, Guinness EA, Herkenhoff KE, Hurowitz JA, Johnson JR, Klingelhöfer G, Lewis KW, Li R, McCoy TJ, Moersch J, McSween HY, Murchie SL, Schmidt M, Schröder C, Wang A, Wiseman S, Madsen MB, Goetz W, McLennan SM. Spirit Mars Rover Mission to the Columbia Hills, Gusev Crater: Mission overview and selected results from the Cumberland Ridge to Home Plate. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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McAdam AC, Zolotov MY, Mironenko MV, Sharp TG. Formation of silica by low-temperature acid alteration of Martian rocks: Physical-chemical constraints. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je003056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Schmidt ME, Ruff SW, McCoy TJ, Farrand WH, Johnson JR, Gellert R, Ming DW, Morris RV, Cabrol N, Lewis KW, Schroeder C. Hydrothermal origin of halogens at Home Plate, Gusev Crater. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je003027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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McCoy TJ, Sims M, Schmidt ME, Edwards L, Tornabene LL, Crumpler LS, Cohen BA, Soderblom LA, Blaney DL, Squyres SW, Arvidson RE, Rice JW, Tréguier E, d'Uston C, Grant JA, McSween HY, Golombek MP, Haldemann AFC, de Souza PA. Structure, stratigraphy, and origin of Husband Hill, Columbia Hills, Gusev Crater, Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je003041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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