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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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Azua-Bustos A, Fairén AG, González-Silva C, Prieto-Ballesteros O, Carrizo D, Sánchez-García L, Parro V, Fernández-Martínez MÁ, Escudero C, Muñoz-Iglesias V, Fernández-Sampedro M, Molina A, Villadangos MG, Moreno-Paz M, Wierzchos J, Ascaso C, Fornaro T, Brucato JR, Poggiali G, Manrique JA, Veneranda M, López-Reyes G, Sanz-Arranz A, Rull F, Ollila AM, Wiens RC, Reyes-Newell A, Clegg SM, Millan M, Johnson SS, McIntosh O, Szopa C, Freissinet C, Sekine Y, Fukushi K, Morida K, Inoue K, Sakuma H, Rampe E. Dark microbiome and extremely low organics in Atacama fossil delta unveil Mars life detection limits. Nat Commun 2023; 14:808. [PMID: 36810853 PMCID: PMC9944251 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36172-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying unequivocal signs of life on Mars is one of the most important objectives for sending missions to the red planet. Here we report Red Stone, a 163-100 My alluvial fan-fan delta that formed under arid conditions in the Atacama Desert, rich in hematite and mudstones containing clays such as vermiculite and smectites, and therefore geologically analogous to Mars. We show that Red Stone samples display an important number of microorganisms with an unusual high rate of phylogenetic indeterminacy, what we refer to as "dark microbiome", and a mix of biosignatures from extant and ancient microorganisms that can be barely detected with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. Our analyses by testbed instruments that are on or will be sent to Mars unveil that although the mineralogy of Red Stone matches that detected by ground-based instruments on the red planet, similarly low levels of organics will be hard, if not impossible to detect in Martian rocks depending on the instrument and technique used. Our results stress the importance in returning samples to Earth for conclusively addressing whether life ever existed on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Azua-Bustos
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain. .,Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Alberto G Fairén
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Astronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel Carrizo
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Victor Parro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Antonio Molina
- Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) (CSIC-INTA), 28850, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Jacek Wierzchos
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Ascaso
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa Fornaro
- INAF-Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Florence, Italy
| | | | | | - Jose Antonio Manrique
- Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (IRAP), Toulouse, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Ann M Ollila
- Purdue University, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, West Lafayette, USA
| | - Roger C Wiens
- Purdue University, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, West Lafayette, USA
| | | | - Samuel M Clegg
- Purdue University, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, West Lafayette, USA
| | - Maëva Millan
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA.,NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Solar System Exploration Division, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, USA.,LATMOS/IPSL, UVSQ Université Paris-Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, 11 Bd d'Alembert, 78280, Guyancourt, France
| | - Sarah Stewart Johnson
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA.,Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Ophélie McIntosh
- INAF-Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, Florence, Italy.,Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Cyril Szopa
- Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Caroline Freissinet
- Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Yasuhito Sekine
- Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.,Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Keisuke Fukushi
- Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Koki Morida
- Division of Natural System, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Kosuke Inoue
- Division of Natural System, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sakuma
- National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Elizabeth Rampe
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
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3
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Bennett KA, Fox VK, Bryk A, Dietrich W, Fedo C, Edgar L, Thorpe MT, Williams AJ, Wong GM, Dehouck E, McAdam A, Sutter B, Millan M, Banham SG, Bedford CC, Bristow T, Fraeman A, Vasavada AR, Grotzinger J, Thompson L, O’Connell‐Cooper C, Gasda P, Rudolph A, Sullivan R, Arvidson R, Cousin A, Horgan B, Stack KM, Treiman A, Eigenbrode J, Caravaca G. The Curiosity Rover's Exploration of Glen Torridon, Gale Crater, Mars: An Overview of the Campaign and Scientific Results. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2023; 128:e2022JE007185. [PMID: 37034460 PMCID: PMC10078523 DOI: 10.1029/2022je007185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, explored the clay mineral-bearing Glen Torridon region for 1 Martian year between January 2019 and January 2021, including a short campaign onto the Greenheugh pediment. The Glen Torridon campaign sought to characterize the geology of the area, seek evidence of habitable environments, and document the onset of a potentially global climatic transition during the Hesperian era. Curiosity roved 5 km in total throughout Glen Torridon, from the Vera Rubin ridge to the northern margin of the Greenheugh pediment. Curiosity acquired samples from 11 drill holes during this campaign and conducted the first Martian thermochemolytic-based organics detection experiment with the Sample Analysis at Mars instrument suite. The lowest elevations within Glen Torridon represent a continuation of lacustrine Murray formation deposits, but overlying widespread cross bedded sandstones indicate an interval of more energetic fluvial environments and prompted the definition of a new stratigraphic formation in the Mount Sharp group called the Carolyn Shoemaker formation. Glen Torridon hosts abundant phyllosilicates yet remains compositionally and mineralogically comparable to the rest of the Mount Sharp group. Glen Torridon samples have a great diversity and abundance of sulfur-bearing organic molecules, which are consistent with the presence of ancient refractory organic matter. The Glen Torridon region experienced heterogeneous diagenesis, with the most striking alteration occurring just below the Siccar Point unconformity at the Greenheugh pediment. Results from the pediment campaign show that the capping sandstone formed within the Stimson Hesperian aeolian sand sea that experienced seasonal variations in wind direction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valerie K. Fox
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMNUSA
- Division of Geologic and Planetary SciencesCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Alex Bryk
- Department of Earth and Planetary ScienceUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - William Dietrich
- Department of Earth and Planetary ScienceUniversity of California, BerkeleyBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Christopher Fedo
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTNUSA
| | - Lauren Edgar
- Astrogeology Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyFlagstaffAZUSA
| | | | - Amy J. Williams
- Department of Geological SciencesUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFLUSA
| | - Gregory M. Wong
- Department of GeosciencesThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
| | - Erwin Dehouck
- Université de LyonUCBLENSLUJMCNRSLGL‐TPEVilleurbanneFrance
| | - Amy McAdam
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - Brad Sutter
- Jacobs TechnologyHoustonTXUSA
- NASA Johnson Space CenterHoustonTXUSA
| | - Maëva Millan
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
- Department of BiologyGeorgetown UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
- Laboratoire Atmosphère, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), LATMOS/IPSLUVSQ Université Paris‐Saclay, Sorbonne Université, CNRSGuyancourtFrance
| | - Steven G. Banham
- Department of Earth Sciences and EngineeringImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Candice C. Bedford
- NASA Johnson Space CenterHoustonTXUSA
- Lunar and Planetary InstituteHoustonTXUSA
| | | | - Abigail Fraeman
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Ashwin R. Vasavada
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - John Grotzinger
- Division of Geologic and Planetary SciencesCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - Lucy Thompson
- Planetary and Space Science CentreUniversity of New BrunswickFrederictonNBCanada
| | | | | | - Amanda Rudolph
- Earth Atmosphere and Planetary SciencePurdue UniversityWest LafayetteINUSA
| | | | - Ray Arvidson
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Agnes Cousin
- IRAPUniversité de ToulouseCNRSCNESToulouseFrance
| | - Briony Horgan
- Earth Atmosphere and Planetary SciencePurdue UniversityWest LafayetteINUSA
| | - Kathryn M. Stack
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
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4
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Vasavada AR. Mission Overview and Scientific Contributions from the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover After Eight Years of Surface Operations. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2022; 218:14. [PMID: 35399614 PMCID: PMC8981195 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-022-00882-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission, with its Curiosity rover, has been exploring Gale crater (5.4° S, 137.8° E) since 2012 with the goal of assessing the potential of Mars to support life. The mission has compiled compelling evidence that the crater basin accumulated sediment transported by marginal rivers into lakes that likely persisted for millions of years approximately 3.6 Ga ago in the early Hesperian. Geochemical and mineralogical assessments indicate that environmental conditions within this timeframe would have been suitable for sustaining life, if it ever were present. Fluids simultaneously circulated in the subsurface and likely existed through the dry phases of lake bed exposure and aeolian deposition, conceivably creating a continuously habitable subsurface environment that persisted to less than 3 Ga in the early Amazonian. A diversity of organic molecules has been preserved, though degraded, with evidence for more complex precursors. Solid samples show highly variable isotopic abundances of sulfur, chlorine, and carbon. In situ studies of modern wind-driven sediment transport and multiple large and active aeolian deposits have led to advances in understanding bedform development and the initiation of saltation. Investigation of the modern atmosphere and environment has improved constraints on the timing and magnitude of atmospheric loss, revealed the presence of methane and the crater's influence on local meteorology, and provided measurements of high-energy radiation at Mars' surface in preparation for future crewed missions. Rover systems and science instruments remain capable of addressing all key scientific objectives. Emphases on advance planning, flexibility, operations support work, and team culture have allowed the mission team to maintain a high level of productivity in spite of declining rover power and funding. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11214-022-00882-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin R. Vasavada
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
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5
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Merging Perspectives on Secondary Minerals on Mars: A Review of Ancient Water-Rock Interactions in Gale Crater Inferred from Orbital and In-Situ Observations. MINERALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/min11090986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Phyllosilicates, sulfates, and Fe oxides are the most prevalent secondary minerals detected on Mars from orbit and the surface, including in the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover’s field site at Gale crater. These records of aqueous activity have been investigated in detail in Gale crater, where Curiosity’s X-ray diffractometer allows for direct observation and detailed characterization of mineral structure and abundance. This capability provides critical ground truthing to better understand how to interpret Martian mineralogy inferred from orbital datasets. Curiosity is about to leave behind phyllosilicate-rich strata for more sulfate-rich terrains, while the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is in its early exploration of ancient sedimentary strata in Jezero crater. It is thus an appropriate time to review Gale crater’s mineral distribution from multiple perspectives, utilizing the range of chemical, mineralogical, and spectral measurements provided by orbital and in situ observations. This review compares orbital predictions of composition in Gale crater with higher fidelity (but more spatially restricted) in situ measurements by Curiosity, and we synthesize how this information contributes to our understanding of water-rock interaction in Gale crater. In the context of combining these disparate spatial scales, we also discuss implications for the larger understanding of martian surface evolution and the need for a wide range of data types and scales to properly reconstruct ancient geologic processes using remote methods.
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6
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A Review of the Phyllosilicates in Gale Crater as Detected by the CheMin Instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity Rover. MINERALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/min11080847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Curiosity, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, landed on Mars in August 2012 to investigate the ~3.5-billion-year-old (Ga) fluvio-lacustrine sedimentary deposits of Aeolis Mons (informally known as Mount Sharp) and the surrounding plains (Aeolis Palus) in Gale crater. After nearly nine years, Curiosity has traversed over 25 km, and the Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) X-ray diffraction instrument on-board Curiosity has analyzed 30 drilled rock and three scooped soil samples to date. The principal strategic goal of the mission is to assess the habitability of Mars in its ancient past. Phyllosilicates are common in ancient Martian terrains dating to ~3.5–4 Ga and were detected from orbit in some of the lower strata of Mount Sharp. Phyllosilicates on Earth are important for harboring and preserving organics. On Mars, phyllosilicates are significant for exploration as they are hypothesized to be a marker for potential habitable environments. CheMin data demonstrate that ancient fluvio-lacustrine rocks in Gale crater contain up to ~35 wt. % phyllosilicates. Phyllosilicates are key indicators of past fluid–rock interactions, and variation in the structure and composition of phyllosilicates in Gale crater suggest changes in past aqueous environments that may have been habitable to microbial life with a variety of possible energy sources.
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7
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Bristow TF, Grotzinger JP, Rampe EB, Cuadros J, Chipera SJ, Downs GW, Fedo CM, Frydenvang J, McAdam AC, Morris RV, Achilles CN, Blake DF, Castle N, Craig P, Des Marais DJ, Downs RT, Hazen RM, Ming DW, Morrison SM, Thorpe MT, Treiman AH, Tu V, Vaniman DT, Yen AS, Gellert R, Mahaffy PR, Wiens RC, Bryk AB, Bennett KA, Fox VK, Millken RE, Fraeman AA, Vasavada AR. Brine-driven destruction of clay minerals in Gale crater, Mars. Science 2021; 373:198-204. [PMID: 34244410 DOI: 10.1126/science.abg5449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Mars' sedimentary rock record preserves information on geological (and potential astrobiological) processes that occurred on the planet billions of years ago. The Curiosity rover is exploring the lower reaches of Mount Sharp, in Gale crater on Mars. A traverse from Vera Rubin ridge to Glen Torridon has allowed Curiosity to examine a lateral transect of rock strata laid down in a martian lake ~3.5 billion years ago. We report spatial differences in the mineralogy of time-equivalent sedimentary rocks <400 meters apart. These differences indicate localized infiltration of silica-poor brines, generated during deposition of overlying magnesium sulfate-bearing strata. We propose that destabilization of silicate minerals driven by silica-poor brines (rarely observed on Earth) was widespread on ancient Mars, because sulfate deposits are globally distributed.
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Affiliation(s)
- T F Bristow
- Eobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
| | - J P Grotzinger
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - E B Rampe
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - J Cuadros
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - S J Chipera
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - G W Downs
- Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - C M Fedo
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - J Frydenvang
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - A C McAdam
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - R V Morris
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - C N Achilles
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - D F Blake
- Eobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - N Castle
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - P Craig
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - D J Des Marais
- Eobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA
| | - R T Downs
- Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - R M Hazen
- Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - D W Ming
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - S M Morrison
- Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC 20015, USA
| | - M T Thorpe
- Jacobs Technology-Jacobs JETS Contract, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - A H Treiman
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - V Tu
- Jacobs Technology-Jacobs JETS Contract, Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - D T Vaniman
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - A S Yen
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - R Gellert
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - P R Mahaffy
- Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - R C Wiens
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - A B Bryk
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - K A Bennett
- U.S. Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
| | - V K Fox
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - R E Millken
- Department of Earth, Environmental Sciences and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - A A Fraeman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - A R Vasavada
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
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8
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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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9
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Thorpe MT, Hurowitz JA, Siebach KL. Source-to-Sink Terrestrial Analogs for the Paleoenvironment of Gale Crater, Mars. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2021; 126:e2020JE006530. [PMID: 33777606 PMCID: PMC7988529 DOI: 10.1029/2020je006530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In the Late Noachian to Early Hesperian period, rivers transported detritus from igneous source terrains to a downstream lake within Gale crater, creating a stratified stack of fluviolacustrine rocks that is currently exposed along the slopes of Mount Sharp. Controversy exists regarding the paleoclimate that supported overland flow of liquid water at Gale crater, in large part because little is known about how chemical and mineralogical paleoclimate indicators from mafic-rock dominated source-to-sink systems are translated into the rock record. Here, we compile data from basaltic terrains with varying climates on Earth in order to provide a reference frame for the conditions that may have prevailed during the formation of the sedimentary strata in Gale crater, particularly focusing on the Sheepbed and Pahrump Hills members. We calculate the chemical index of alteration for weathering profiles and fluvial sediments to better constrain the relationship between climate and chemical weathering in mafic terrains, a method that best estimates the cooler limit of climate conditions averaged over time. We also compare X-ray diffraction patterns and mineral abundances from fluvial sediments in varying terrestrial climates and martian mudstones to better understand the influence of climate on secondary mineral assemblages in basaltic terrains. We show that the geochemistry and mineralogy of most of the fine-grained sedimentary rocks in Gale crater display first-order similarities with sediments generated in climates that resemble those of present-day Iceland, while other parts of the stratigraphy indicate even colder baseline climate conditions. None of the lithologies examined at Gale crater resemble fluvial sediments or weathering profiles from warm (temperate to tropical) terrestrial climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael T. Thorpe
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary SciencesRice UniversityHoustonTXUSA
- NASA Johnson Space CenterNASA Postdoctoral ProgramHoustonTXUSA
| | - Joel A. Hurowitz
- Department of GeosciencesState University of New York at Stony BrookStony BrookNYUSA
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Jacob SR, Wellington DF, Bell JF, Achilles C, Fraeman AA, Horgan B, Johnson JR, Maurice S, Peters GH, Rampe EB, Thompson LM, Wiens RC. Spectral, Compositional, and Physical Properties of the Upper Murray Formation and Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale Crater, Mars. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2020; 125:e2019JE006290. [PMID: 33282613 PMCID: PMC7685153 DOI: 10.1029/2019je006290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
During 2018 and 2019, the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover investigated the chemistry, morphology, and stratigraphy of Vera Rubin ridge (VRR). Using orbital data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars, scientists attributed the strong 860 nm signal associated with VRR to the presence of red crystalline hematite. However, Mastcam multispectral data and CheMin X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements show that the depth of the 860 nm absorption is negatively correlated with the abundance of red crystalline hematite, suggesting that other mineralogical or physical parameters are also controlling the 860 nm absorption. Here, we examine Mastcam and ChemCam passive reflectance spectra from VRR and other locations to link the depth, position, and presence or absence of iron-related mineralogic absorption features to the XRD-derived rock mineralogy. Correlating CheMin mineralogy to spectral parameters showed that the ~860 nm absorption has a strong positive correlation with the abundance of ferric phyllosilicates. New laboratory reflectance measurements of powdered mineral mixtures can reproduce trends found in Gale crater. We hypothesize that variations in the 860 nm absorption feature in Mastcam and ChemCam observations of VRR materials are a result of three factors: (1) variations in ferric phyllosilicate abundance due to its ~800-1,000 nm absorption; (2) variations in clinopyroxene abundance because of its band maximum at ~860 nm; and (3) the presence of red crystalline hematite because of its absorption centered at 860 nm. We also show that relatively small changes in Ca-sulfate abundance is one potential cause of the erosional resistance and geomorphic expression of VRR.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. R. Jacob
- School of Earth and Space ExplorationArizona State UniversityTempeAZUSA
| | - D. F. Wellington
- School of Earth and Space ExplorationArizona State UniversityTempeAZUSA
| | - J. F. Bell
- School of Earth and Space ExplorationArizona State UniversityTempeAZUSA
| | - C. Achilles
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbeltMDUSA
| | - A. A. Fraeman
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - B. Horgan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary SciencesPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteINUSA
| | - J. R. Johnson
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LaboratoryLaurelMDUSA
| | - S. Maurice
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et PlanetologieToulouseFrance
| | - G. H. Peters
- NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research CenterEdwardsCAUSA
| | | | - L. M. Thompson
- Planetary and Space Science CentreUniversity of New BrunswickCanada
| | - R. C. Wiens
- Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos AlamosNMUSA
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