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Aguzzi J, Cuadros J, Dartnell L, Costa C, Violino S, Canfora L, Danovaro R, Robinson NJ, Giovannelli D, Flögel S, Stefanni S, Chatzievangelou D, Marini S, Picardi G, Foing B. Marine Science Can Contribute to the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Life. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:676. [PMID: 38929660 PMCID: PMC11205085 DOI: 10.3390/life14060676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Life on our planet likely evolved in the ocean, and thus exo-oceans are key habitats to search for extraterrestrial life. We conducted a data-driven bibliographic survey on the astrobiology literature to identify emerging research trends with marine science for future synergies in the exploration for extraterrestrial life in exo-oceans. Based on search queries, we identified 2592 published items since 1963. The current literature falls into three major groups of terms focusing on (1) the search for life on Mars, (2) astrobiology within our Solar System with reference to icy moons and their exo-oceans, and (3) astronomical and biological parameters for planetary habitability. We also identified that the most prominent research keywords form three key-groups focusing on (1) using terrestrial environments as proxies for Martian environments, centred on extremophiles and biosignatures, (2) habitable zones outside of "Goldilocks" orbital ranges, centred on ice planets, and (3) the atmosphere, magnetic field, and geology in relation to planets' habitable conditions, centred on water-based oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Aguzzi
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM)—CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (N.J.R.); (D.C.); (G.P.)
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (S.S.); (S.M.)
| | - Javier Cuadros
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5D, UK;
| | - Lewis Dartnell
- School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish St, London W1W 6UW, UK;
| | - Corrado Costa
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi Dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; (C.C.); (S.V.)
| | - Simona Violino
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi Dell’Economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Ingegneria e Trasformazioni Agroalimentari, 00015 Monterotondo, Italy; (C.C.); (S.V.)
| | - Loredana Canfora
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’economia Agraria—Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente, 00182 Roma, Italy;
| | - Roberto Danovaro
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marcs (UNIVPM), 60131 Ancona, Italy;
| | - Nathan Jack Robinson
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM)—CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (N.J.R.); (D.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Donato Giovannelli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy;
- National Research Council—Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies (CNR-IRBIM), 60125 Ancona, Italy
- Department of Marine and Coastal Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Marine Chemistry, Geochemistry Department—Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth, MA 02543, USA
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Sascha Flögel
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, 24106 Kiel, Germany;
| | - Sergio Stefanni
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (S.S.); (S.M.)
| | | | - Simone Marini
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; (S.S.); (S.M.)
- Institute of Marine Sciences, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISMAR), 19032 La Spezia, Italy
| | - Giacomo Picardi
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM)—CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; (N.J.R.); (D.C.); (G.P.)
| | - Bernard Foing
- Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081-1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
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2
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Hart R, Cardace D. Mineral Indicators of Geologically Recent Past Habitability on Mars. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2349. [PMID: 38137950 PMCID: PMC10744562 DOI: 10.3390/life13122349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
We provide new support for habitable microenvironments in the near-subsurface of Mars, hosted in Fe- and Mg-rich rock units, and present a list of minerals that can serve as indicators of specific water-rock reactions in recent geologic paleohabitats for follow-on study. We modeled, using a thermodynamic basis without selective phase suppression, the reactions of published Martian meteorites and Jezero Crater igneous rock compositions and reasonable planetary waters (saline, alkaline waters) using Geochemist's Workbench Ver. 12.0. Solid-phase inputs were meteorite compositions for ALH 77005, Nakhla, and Chassigny, and two rock units from the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover sites, Máaz and Séítah. Six plausible Martian groundwater types [NaClO4, Mg(ClO4)2, Ca(ClO4)2, Mg-Na2(ClO4)2, Ca-Na2(ClO4)2, Mg-Ca(ClO4)2] and a unique Mars soil-water analog solution (dilute saline solution) named "Rosy Red", related to the Phoenix Lander mission, were the aqueous-phase inputs. Geophysical conditions were tuned to near-subsurface Mars (100 °C or 373.15 K, associated with residual heat from a magmatic system, impact event, or a concentration of radionuclides, and 101.3 kPa, similar to <10 m depth). Mineral products were dominated by phyllosilicates such as serpentine-group minerals in most reaction paths, but differed in some important indicator minerals. Modeled products varied in physicochemical properties (pH, Eh, conductivity), major ion activities, and related gas fugacities, with different ecological implications. The microbial habitability of pore spaces in subsurface groundwater percolation systems was interrogated at equilibrium in a thermodynamic framework, based on Gibbs Free Energy Minimization. Models run with the Chassigny meteorite produced the overall highest H2 fugacity. Models reliant on the Rosy Red soil-water analog produced the highest sustained CH4 fugacity (maximum values observed for reactant ALH 77005). In general, Chassigny meteorite protoliths produced the best yield regarding Gibbs Free Energy, from an astrobiological perspective. Occurrences of serpentine and saponite across models are key: these minerals have been observed using CRISM spectral data, and their formation via serpentinization would be consistent with geologically recent-past H2 and CH4 production and sustained energy sources for microbial life. We list index minerals to be used as diagnostic for paleo water-rock models that could have supported geologically recent-past microbial activity, and suggest their application as criteria for future astrobiology study-site selections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Hart
- Department of Physics and Engineering, Community College of Rhode Island, Lincoln, RI 02865, USA
- Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA;
| | - Dawn Cardace
- Department of Geosciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA;
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3
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Cassaro A, Pacelli C, Baqué M, Maturilli A, Böttger U, Fujimori A, Moeller R, de Vera JPP, Onofri S. Spectroscopic investigations of fungal biomarkers after exposure to heavy ion irradiation. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2023; 302:123073. [PMID: 37453382 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The main objective of the ongoing and future space exploration missions is the search for traces of extant or extinct life (biomarkers) on Mars. One of the main limiting factors on the survival of Earth-like life is the presence of harmful space radiation, that could damage or modify also biomolecules, therefore understanding the effects of radiation on terrestrial biomolecules stability and detectability is of utmost importance. Which terrestrial molecules could be preserved in a Martian radiation scenario? Here, we investigated the potential endurance of fungal biomolecules, by exposing de-hydrated colonies of the Antarctic cryptoendolithic black fungus Cryomyces antarcticus mixed with Antarctic sandstone and with two Martian regolith analogues to increasing doses (0, 250 and 1000 Gy) of accelerated ions, namely iron (Fe), argon (Ar) and helium (He) ions. We analyzed the feasibility to detect fungal compounds with Raman and Infrared spectroscopies after exposure to these space-relevant radiations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Cassaro
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - C Pacelli
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; Italian Space Agency, Via del Politecnico snc, Rome, Italy.
| | - M Baqué
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Planetary Laboratories Department Berlin, Germany
| | - A Maturilli
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Planetary Laboratories Department Berlin, Germany
| | - U Böttger
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Optical Sensor Systems Berlin, Germany
| | - A Fujimori
- Molecular and Cellular Radiation Biology Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences for Radiation Damages, NIRS/QST, Chiba, Japan
| | - R Moeller
- German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Radiation Biology Department, Space Microbiology Research Group, DLR, Linder Höhe, D-51147 Köln, Germany; University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (BRSU), Natural Sciences, von-Liebig-Straße 20, D-53359 Rheinbach, Germany
| | - J-P P de Vera
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Space Operations and Astronaut Training, MUSC, Linder Höhe, D-51147 Köln, Germany; University of Potsdam, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, WG Biodiversity/ Systematic Botany, Maulbeerallee 1, 14469 Potsdam, Germany
| | - S Onofri
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo dell'Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
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Shen J, Paterson GA, Wang Y, Kirschvink JL, Pan Y, Lin W. Renaissance for magnetotactic bacteria in astrobiology. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1526-1534. [PMID: 37592065 PMCID: PMC10504353 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01495-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Capable of forming magnetofossils similar to some magnetite nanocrystals observed in the Martian meteorite ALH84001, magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) once occupied a special position in the field of astrobiology during the 1990s and 2000s. This flourish of interest in putative Martian magnetofossils faded from all but the experts studying magnetosome formation, based on claims that abiotic processes could produce magnetosome-like magnetite crystals. Recently, the rapid growth in our knowledge of the extreme environments in which MTB thrive and their phylogenic heritage, leads us to advocate for a renaissance of MTB in astrobiology. In recent decades, magnetotactic members have been discovered alive in natural extreme environments with wide ranges of salinity (up to 90 g L-1), pH (1-10), and temperature (0-70 °C). Additionally, some MTB populations are found to be able to survive irradiated, desiccated, metal-rich, hypomagnetic, or microgravity conditions, and are capable of utilizing simple inorganic compounds such as sulfate and nitrate. Moreover, MTB likely emerged quite early in Earth's history, coinciding with a period when the Martian surface was covered with liquid water as well as a strong magnetic field. MTB are commonly discovered in suboxic or oxic-anoxic interfaces in aquatic environments or sediments similar to ancient crater lakes on Mars, such as Gale crater and Jezero crater. Taken together, MTB can be exemplary model microorganisms in astrobiology research, and putative ancient Martian life, if it ever occurred, could plausibly have included magnetotactic microorganisms. Furthermore, we summarize multiple typical biosignatures that can be applied for the detection of ancient MTB on Earth and extraterrestrial MTB-like life. We suggest transporting MTB to space stations and simulation chambers to further investigate their tolerance potential and distinctive biosignatures to aid in understanding the evolutionary history of MTB and the potential of magnetofossils as an extraterrestrial biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxun Shen
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China
- France-China Joint Laboratory for Evolution and Development of Magnetotactic Multicellular Organisms, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Greig A Paterson
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZE, UK
| | - Yinzhao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Joseph L Kirschvink
- Division of Geological & Planetary Sciences, Calfiornia Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
- Marine Core Research Institute, Kochi University, Kochi, 780-8520, Japan
| | - Yongxin Pan
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China
- France-China Joint Laboratory for Evolution and Development of Magnetotactic Multicellular Organisms, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100029, Beijing, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wei Lin
- Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China.
- France-China Joint Laboratory for Evolution and Development of Magnetotactic Multicellular Organisms, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100029, Beijing, China.
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5
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Rucker HR, Ely TD, LaRowe DE, Giovannelli D, Price RE. Quantifying the Bioavailable Energy in an Ancient Hydrothermal Vent on Mars and a Modern Earth-Based Analog. ASTROBIOLOGY 2023; 23:431-445. [PMID: 36862508 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0064] [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: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Putative alkaline hydrothermal systems on Noachian Mars were potentially habitable environments for microorganisms. However, the types of reactions that could have fueled microbial life in such systems and the amount of energy available from them have not been quantitatively constrained. In this study, we use thermodynamic modeling to calculate which catabolic reactions could have supported ancient life in a saponite-precipitating hydrothermal vent system in the Eridania basin on Mars. To further evaluate what this could mean for microbial life, we evaluated the energy potential of an analog site in Iceland, the Strytan Hydrothermal Field. Results show that, of the 84 relevant redox reactions that were considered, the highest energy-yielding reactions in the Eridania hydrothermal system were dominated by methane formation. By contrast, Gibbs energy calculations carried out for Strytan indicate that the most energetically favorable reactions are CO2 and O2 reduction coupled to H2 oxidation. In particular, our calculations indicate that an ancient hydrothermal system within the Eridania basin could have been a habitable environment for methanogens using NH4+ as an electron acceptor. Differences in Gibbs energies between the two systems were largely determined by oxygen-its presence on Earth and absence on Mars. However, Strytan can serve as a useful analog for Eridania when studying methane-producing reactions that do not involve O2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly R Rucker
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Tucker D Ely
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- 39Alpha Research, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Douglas E LaRowe
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Donato Giovannelli
- Department of Biology, University of Naples "Federico II," Naples, Italy
| | - Roy E Price
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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6
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Lagain A, Bouley S, Zanda B, Miljković K, Rajšić A, Baratoux D, Payré V, Doucet LS, Timms NE, Hewins R, Benedix GK, Malarewic V, Servis K, Bland PA. Early crustal processes revealed by the ejection site of the oldest martian meteorite. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3782. [PMID: 35821210 PMCID: PMC9276826 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31444-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation and differentiation of the crust of Mars in the first tens of millions of years after its accretion can only be deciphered from incredibly limited records. The martian breccia NWA 7034 and its paired stones is one of them. This meteorite contains the oldest martian igneous material ever dated: ~4.5 Ga old. However, its source and geological context have so far remained unknown. Here, we show that the meteorite was ejected 5-10 Ma ago from the north-east of the Terra Cimmeria-Sirenum province, in the southern hemisphere of Mars. More specifically, the breccia belongs to the ejecta deposits of the Khujirt crater formed 1.5 Ga ago, and it was ejected as a result of the formation of the Karratha crater 5-10 Ma ago. Our findings demonstrate that the Terra Cimmeria-Sirenum province is a relic of the differentiated primordial martian crust, formed shortly after the accretion of the planet, and that it constitutes a unique record of early crustal processes. This province is an ideal landing site for future missions aiming to unravel the first tens of millions of years of the history of Mars and, by extension, of all terrestrial planets, including the Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Lagain
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - S Bouley
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, GEOPS, 91405, Orsay, France.,IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, 77 avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 75005, Paris, France
| | - B Zanda
- IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, 77 avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 75005, Paris, France.,Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Université et CNRS, 75005, Paris, France
| | - K Miljković
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - A Rajšić
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - D Baratoux
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, University of Toulouse, CNRS and IRD, Toulouse, 31400, France.,Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - V Payré
- Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - L S Doucet
- Earth Dynamics Research Group, TIGeR, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - N E Timms
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,The Institute for Geoscience Research (TIGeR), Curtin University, Perth, 6845, WA, Australia
| | - R Hewins
- Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Université et CNRS, 75005, Paris, France.,EPS, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - G K Benedix
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Western Australian Museum, Perth, WA, Australia.,Planetary Sciences Institute, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - V Malarewic
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, GEOPS, 91405, Orsay, France.,Institut de Minéralogie, de Physique des Matériaux et de Cosmochimie (IMPMC), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Université et CNRS, 75005, Paris, France
| | - K Servis
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.,Pawsey Supercomputing Centre, CSIRO, Kensington, WA, Australia
| | - P A Bland
- Space Science and Technology Centre, School of Earth and Planetary Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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7
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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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Rull F, Veneranda M, Manrique-Martinez JA, Sanz-Arranz A, Saiz J, Medina J, Moral A, Perez C, Seoane L, Lalla E, Charro E, Lopez JM, Nieto LM, Lopez-Reyes G. Spectroscopic study of terrestrial analogues to support rover missions to Mars - A Raman-centred review. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1209:339003. [PMID: 35569840 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.339003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The 2020s could be called, with little doubt, the "Mars decade". No other period in space exploration history has experienced such interest in placing orbiters, rovers and landers on the Red Planet. In 2021 alone, the Emirates' first Mars Mission (the Hope orbiter), the Chinese Tianwen-1 mission (orbiter, lander and rover), and NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover reached Mars. The ExoMars mission Rosalind Franklin rover is scheduled for launch in 2022. Beyond that, several other missions are proposed or under development. Among these, MMX to Phobos and the very important Mars Sample Return can be cited. One of the key mission objectives of the Mars 2020 and ExoMars 2022 missions is the detection of traces of potential past or present life. This detection relies to a great extent on the analytical results provided by complementary spectroscopic techniques. The development of these novel instruments has been carried out in step with the analytical study of terrestrial analogue sites and materials, which serve to test the scientific capabilities of spectroscopic prototypes while providing crucial information to better understand the geological processes that could have occurred on Mars. Being directly involved in the development of three of the first Raman spectrometers to be validated for space exploration missions (Mars 2020/SuperCam, ExoMars/RLS and RAX/MMX), the present review summarizes some of the most relevant spectroscopy-based analyses of terrestrial analogues carried out over the past two decades. Therefore, the present work describes the analytical results gathered from the study of some of the most distinctive terrestrial analogues of Martian geological contexts, as well as the lessons learned mainly from ExoMars mission simulations conducted at representative analogue sites. Learning from the experience gained in the described studies, a general overview of the scientific outcome expected from the spectroscopic system developed for current and forthcoming planetary missions is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Rull
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain.
| | - Marco Veneranda
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | | | - Jesus Saiz
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Jesús Medina
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Andoni Moral
- National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
| | - Carlos Perez
- National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
| | - Laura Seoane
- National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Lalla
- York University, Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Toronto, Canada
| | - Elena Charro
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Jose Manuel Lopez
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Nieto
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
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9
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Tarnas JD, Stack KM, Parente M, Koeppel AHD, Mustard JF, Moore KR, Horgan BHN, Seelos FP, Cloutis EA, Kelemen PB, Flannery D, Brown AJ, Frizzell KR, Pinet P. Characteristics, Origins, and Biosignature Preservation Potential of Carbonate-Bearing Rocks Within and Outside of Jezero Crater. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. PLANETS 2021; 126:e2021JE006898. [PMID: 34824965 PMCID: PMC8597593 DOI: 10.1029/2021je006898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Carbonate minerals have been detected in Jezero crater, an ancient lake basin that is the landing site of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, and within the regional olivine-bearing (ROB) unit in the Nili Fossae region surrounding this crater. It has been suggested that some carbonates in the margin fractured unit, a rock unit within Jezero crater, formed in a fluviolacustrine environment, which would be conducive to preservation of biosignatures from paleolake-inhabiting lifeforms. Here, we show that carbonate-bearing rocks within and outside of Jezero crater have the same range of visible-to-near-infrared carbonate absorption strengths, carbonate absorption band positions, thermal inertias, and morphologies. Thicknesses of exposed carbonate-bearing rock cross-sections in Jezero crater are ∼75-90 m thicker than typical ROB unit cross-sections in the Nili Fossae region, but have similar thicknesses to ROB unit exposures in Libya Montes. These similarities in carbonate properties within and outside of Jezero crater is consistent with a shared origin for all of the carbonates in the Nili Fossae region. Carbonate absorption minima positions indicate that both Mg- and more Fe-rich carbonates are present in the Nili Fossae region, consistent with the expected products of olivine carbonation. These estimated carbonate chemistries are similar to those in martian meteorites and the Comanche carbonates investigated by the Spirit rover in Columbia Hills. Our results indicate that hydrothermal alteration is the most likely formation mechanism for non-deltaic carbonates within and outside of Jezero crater.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. D. Tarnas
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - K. M. Stack
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - M. Parente
- Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of Massachusetts at AmherstAmherstMAUSA
| | - A. H. D. Koeppel
- Department of Astronomy and Planetary ScienceNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffAZUSA
| | - J. F. Mustard
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary SciencesBrown UniversityProvidenceRIUSA
| | - K. R. Moore
- NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - B. H. N. Horgan
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary SciencesPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteINUSA
| | - F. P. Seelos
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics LabLaurelMDUSA
| | - E. A. Cloutis
- Department of GeographyUniversity of WinnipegWinnipegMBCanada
| | - P. B. Kelemen
- Lahmont‐Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia UniversityPalisadesNYUSA
| | - D. Flannery
- School of Earth and Atmospheric SciencesQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQLDAustralia
| | | | - K. R. Frizzell
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesRutgers UniversityPiscatawayNJUSA
| | - P. Pinet
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et PlanétologieToulouseFrance
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10
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Moreras-Marti A, Fox-Powell M, Zerkle AL, Stueeken E, Gazquez F, Brand HEA, Galloway T, Purkamo L, Cousins CR. Volcanic controls on the microbial habitability of Mars-analogue hydrothermal environments. GEOBIOLOGY 2021; 19:489-509. [PMID: 34143931 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Due to their potential to support chemolithotrophic life, relic hydrothermal systems on Mars are a key target for astrobiological exploration. We analysed water and sediments at six geothermal pools from the rhyolitic Kerlingarfjöll and basaltic Kverkfjöll volcanoes in Iceland, to investigate the localised controls on the habitability of these systems in terms of microbial community function. Our results show that host lithology plays a minor role in pool geochemistry and authigenic mineralogy, with the system geochemistry primarily controlled by deep volcanic processes. We find that by dictating pool water pH and redox conditions, deep volcanic processes are the primary control on microbial community structure and function, with water input from the proximal glacier acting as a secondary control by regulating pool temperatures. Kerlingarfjöll pools have reduced, circum-neutral CO2 -rich waters with authigenic calcite-, pyrite- and kaolinite-bearing sediments. The dominant metabolisms inferred from community profiles obtained by 16S rRNA gene sequencing are methanogenesis, respiration of sulphate and sulphur (S0 ) oxidation. In contrast, Kverkfjöll pools have oxidised, acidic (pH < 3) waters with high concentrations of SO42- and high argillic alteration, resulting in Al-phyllosilicate-rich sediments. The prevailing metabolisms here are iron oxidation, sulphur oxidation and nitrification. Where analogous ice-fed hydrothermal systems existed on early Mars, similar volcanic processes would likely have controlled localised metabolic potential and thus habitability. Moreover, such systems offer several habitability advantages, including a localised source of metabolic redox pairs for chemolithotrophic microorganisms and accessible trace metals. Similar pools could have provided transient environments for life on Mars; when paired with surface or near-surface ice, these habitability niches could have persisted into the Amazonian. Additionally, they offer a confined site for biosignature formation and deposition that lends itself well to in situ robotic exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arola Moreras-Marti
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Mark Fox-Powell
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- AstrobiologyOU, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Aubrey L Zerkle
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Eva Stueeken
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Fernando Gazquez
- Water Resources and Environmental Geology Research Group, Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
| | | | - Toni Galloway
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | | | - Claire R Cousins
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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11
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Davila AF. Life on Mars: Independent Genesis or Common Ancestor? ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:802-812. [PMID: 33848439 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2397] [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: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The possibility of biological transfer between planetary bodies is seldom factored into life detection strategies, although the actuality of such an event would have profound implications for how we interpret potential biosignatures found on other worlds. This article addresses the possibility of life on Mars in the context of a biological transfer and an independent genesis of life. The phylogenetic tree of life on Earth is used as a blueprint to interpret evidence of life and as a guideline to determine the likelihood that potential biosignatures could be expressed by martian organisms. Several transfer scenarios are considered, depending on the timing of transfer with respect to the evolution of life on Earth. The implications of each transfer scenario and an independent genesis of life on the biochemical nature of the resulting martian organisms are discussed. The analysis highlights how conceding the possibility of a biological transfer has practical implications for how we search for evidence of life, both in terms of the quality of potential biosignatures and the likelihood that certain biosignatures might be expressed. It is concluded that a degree of uncertainty on the origin of martian organisms might be unavoidable, particularly in the absence of a biochemical context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso F Davila
- NASA Ames Research Center, Exobiology Branch, Moffett Field, California, USA
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12
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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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13
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Tarnas JD, Mustard JF, Sherwood Lollar B, Stamenković V, Cannon KM, Lorand JP, Onstott TC, Michalski JR, Warr O, Palumbo AM, Plesa AC. Earth-like Habitable Environments in the Subsurface of Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:741-756. [PMID: 33885329 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In Earth's deep continental subsurface, where groundwaters are often isolated for >106 to 109 years, energy released by radionuclides within rock produces oxidants and reductants that drive metabolisms of non-photosynthetic microorganisms. Similar processes could support past and present life in the martian subsurface. Sulfate-reducing microorganisms are common in Earth's deep subsurface, often using hydrogen derived directly from radiolysis of pore water and sulfate derived from oxidation of rock-matrix-hosted sulfides by radiolytically derived oxidants. Radiolysis thus produces redox energy to support a deep biosphere in groundwaters isolated from surface substrate input for millions to billions of years on Earth. Here, we demonstrate that radiolysis by itself could produce sufficient redox energy to sustain a habitable environment in the subsurface of present-day Mars, one in which Earth-like microorganisms could survive wherever groundwater exists. We show that the source localities for many martian meteorites are capable of producing sufficient redox nutrients to sustain up to millions of sulfate-reducing microbial cells per kilogram rock via radiolysis alone, comparable to cell densities observed in many regions of Earth's deep subsurface. Additionally, we calculate variability in supportable sulfate-reducing cell densities between the martian meteorite source regions. Our results demonstrate that martian subsurface groundwaters, where present, would largely be habitable for sulfate-reducing bacteria from a redox energy perspective via radiolysis alone. We present evidence for crustal regions that could support especially high cell densities, including zones with high sulfide concentrations, which could be targeted by future subsurface exploration missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J D Tarnas
- Brown University Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - J F Mustard
- Brown University Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | | | - V Stamenković
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - K M Cannon
- Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, USA
- Space Resources Program, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, USA
| | - J-P Lorand
- Université de Nantes Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - T C Onstott
- Princeton University Department of Geosciences, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - J R Michalski
- University of Hong Kong Division of Earth & Planetary Science, Hong Kong
| | - O Warr
- University of Toronto Department of Earth Sciences, Toronto, Canada
| | - A M Palumbo
- Brown University Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - A-C Plesa
- German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany
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14
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Rolling Ironstones from Earth and Mars: Terrestrial Hydrothermal Ooids as a Potential Analogue of Martian Spherules. MINERALS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/min11050460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
High-resolution images of Mars from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) rovers revealed mm-size loose haematite spherulitic deposits (nicknamed “blueberries”) similar to terrestrial iron-ooids, for which both abiotic and biotic genetic hypotheses have been proposed. Understanding the formation mechanism of these haematite spherules can thus improve our knowledge on the possible geologic evolution and links to life development on Mars. Here, we show that shape, size, fabric and mineralogical composition of the Martian spherules share similarities with corresponding iron spherules currently forming on the Earth over an active submarine hydrothermal system located off Panarea Island (Aeolian Islands, Mediterranean Sea). Hydrothermal fluids associated with volcanic activity enable these terrestrial spheroidal grains to form and grow. The recent exceptional discovery of a still working iron-ooid source on the Earth provides indications that past hydrothermal activity on the Red Planet is a possible scenario to be considered as the cause of formation of these enigmatic iron grains.
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15
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Ojha L, Karunatillake S, Karimi S, Buffo J. Amagmatic hydrothermal systems on Mars from radiogenic heat. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1754. [PMID: 33741920 PMCID: PMC7979869 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21762-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-lived hydrothermal systems are prime targets for astrobiological exploration on Mars. Unlike magmatic or impact settings, radiogenic hydrothermal systems can survive for >100 million years because of the Ga half-lives of key radioactive elements (e.g., U, Th, and K), but remain unknown on Mars. Here, we use geochemistry, gravity, topography data, and numerical models to find potential radiogenic hydrothermal systems on Mars. We show that the Eridania region, which once contained a vast inland sea, possibly exceeding the combined volume of all other Martian surface water, could have readily hosted a radiogenic hydrothermal system. Thus, radiogenic hydrothermalism in Eridania could have sustained clement conditions for life far longer than most other habitable sites on Mars. Water radiolysis by radiogenic heat could have produced H2, a key electron donor for microbial life. Furthermore, hydrothermal circulation may help explain the region's high crustal magnetic field and gravity anomaly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lujendra Ojha
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
| | - Suniti Karunatillake
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Saman Karimi
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jacob Buffo
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
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16
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Veneranda M, Lopez-Reyes G, Pascual Sanchez E, Krzesińska AM, Manrique-Martinez JA, Sanz-Arranz A, Lantz C, Lalla E, Moral A, Medina J, Poulet F, Dypvik H, Werner SC, Vago JL, Rull F. ExoMars Raman Laser Spectrometer: A Tool to Semiquantify the Serpentinization Degree of Olivine-Rich Rocks on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:307-322. [PMID: 33252242 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated the effectiveness of the ExoMars Raman laser spectrometer (RLS) to determine the degree of serpentinization of olivine-rich units on Mars. We selected terrestrial analogs of martian ultramafic rocks from the Leka Ophiolite Complex (LOC) and analyzed them with both laboratory and flight-like analytical instruments. We first studied the mineralogical composition of the samples (mostly olivine and serpentine) with state-of-the-art diffractometric (X-ray diffractometry [XRD]) and spectroscopic (Raman, near-infrared spectroscopy [NIR]) laboratory systems. We compared these results with those obtained using our RLS ExoMars Simulator. Our work shows that the RLS ExoMars Simulator successfully identified all major phases. Moreover, when emulating the automatic operating mode of the flight instrument, the RLS ExoMars Simulator also detected several minor compounds (pyroxene and brucite), some of which were not observed by NIR and XRD (e.g., calcite). Thereafter, we produced RLS-dedicated calibration curves (R2 between 0.9993 and 0.9995 with an uncertainty between ±3.0% and ±5.2% with a confidence interval of 95%) to estimate the relative content of olivine and serpentine in the samples. Our results show that RLS can be very effective in identifying serpentine, a scientific target of primary importance for the potential detection of biosignatures on Mars-the main objective of the ExoMars rover mission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Veneranda
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Guillermo Lopez-Reyes
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Elena Pascual Sanchez
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Agata M Krzesińska
- Department of Geosciences, Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Aurelio Sanz-Arranz
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Cateline Lantz
- Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
| | - Emmanuel Lalla
- Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Andoni Moral
- Department of Space Programs, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Medina
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Francois Poulet
- Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
| | - Henning Dypvik
- Department of Geosciences, Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stephanie C Werner
- Department of Geosciences, Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Fernando Rull
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
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17
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Rasmussen B, Muhling J, Fischer W. Greenalite Nanoparticles in Alkaline Vent Plumes as Templates for the Origin of Life. ASTROBIOLOGY 2021; 21:246-259. [PMID: 33085498 PMCID: PMC7876356 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Mineral templates are thought to have played keys roles in the emergence of life. Drawing on recent findings from 3.45-2.45 billion-year-old iron-rich hydrothermal sedimentary rocks, we hypothesize that greenalite (Fe3Si2O5(OH)4) was a readily available mineral in hydrothermal environments, where it may have acted as a template and catalyst in polymerization, vesicle formation and encapsulation, and protocell replication. We argue that venting of dissolved Fe2+ and SiO2(aq) into the anoxic Hadean ocean favored the precipitation of nanometer-sized particles of greenalite in hydrothermal plumes, producing a continuous flow of free-floating clay templates that traversed the ocean. The mixing of acidic, metal-bearing hydrothermal plumes from volcanic ridge systems with more alkaline, organic-bearing plumes generated by serpentinization of ultramafic rocks brought together essential building blocks for life in solutions conducive to greenalite precipitation. We suggest that the extreme disorder in the greenalite crystal lattice, producing structural modulations resembling parallel corrugations (∼22 Å wide) on particle edges, promoted the assembly and alignment of linear RNA-type molecules (∼20 Å diameter). In alkaline solutions, greenalite nanoparticles could have accelerated the growth of membrane vesicles, while their encapsulation allowed RNA-type molecules to continue to form on the mineral templates, potentially enhancing the growth and division of primitive cell membranes. Once self-replicating RNA evolved, the mineral template became redundant, and protocells were free to replicate and roam the ocean realm.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Rasmussen
- School of Earth Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - J.R. Muhling
- School of Earth Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - W.W. Fischer
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
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18
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Ojha L, Buffo J, Karunatillake S, Siegler M. Groundwater production from geothermal heating on early Mars and implication for early martian habitability. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/49/eabb1669. [PMID: 33268366 PMCID: PMC7710363 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb1669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In explaining extensive evidence for past liquid water, the debate on whether Mars was primarily warm and wet or cold and arid 4 billion years (Ga) ago has continued for decades. The Sun's luminosity was ~30% lower 4 Ga ago; thus, most martian climate models struggle to elevate the mean surface temperature past the melting point of water. Basal melting of ice sheets may help resolve that paradox. We modeled the thermophysical evolution of ice and estimate the geothermal heat flux required to produce meltwater on a cold, arid Mars. We then analyzed geophysical and geochemical data, showing that basal melting would have been feasible on Mars 4 Ga ago. If Mars were warm and wet 4 Ga ago, then the geothermal flux would have even sustained hydrothermal activity. Regardless of the actual nature of the ancient martian climate, the subsurface would have been the most habitable region on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lujendra Ojha
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
| | - Jacob Buffo
- Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Suniti Karunatillake
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA
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19
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Groemer G, Gruber S, Uebermasser S, Soucek A, Lalla EA, Lousada J, Sams S, Sejkora N, Garnitschnig S, Sattler B, Such P. The AMADEE-18 Mars Analog Expedition in the Dhofar Region of Oman. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:1276-1286. [PMID: 33179971 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2031] [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] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
From February 1 to 28, 2018, the Austrian Space Forum, in cooperation with the Oman Astronomical Society and research teams from 25 nations, conducted the AMADEE-18 mission, a human-robotic Mars expedition simulation in the Dhofar region in the Sultanate of Oman. A carefully selected field crew, supported by a Mission Support Center in Innsbruck, Austria, conducted 19 experiments relevant to astrobiology, engineering disciplines, geoscience, operations research, and human factors. This expedition was the 12th in a series of analog missions that emulate selected aspects of the science expected for a human Mars mission, including the characterization of the (paleo)geological environment, human factors studies, and the search for biomarkers. In particular, an Exploration Cascade was deployed as a suggested workflow for coordinating the timing and location of the respective instruments and experiments. In validation of this workflow, the decision-making interaction between the field and the Mission Support Center was studied. This article introduces the AMADEE-18 mission and provides the mission-specific context for the other contributions of this special issue.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sophie Gruber
- Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
- University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefan Uebermasser
- Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
- Austrian Institute of Technology Center for Energy, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexander Soucek
- Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
- European Space Agency, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel A Lalla
- Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
- Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Birgit Sattler
- Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
- University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Pamela Such
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Canada
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20
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Lalla EA, Cote K, Hickson D, Garnitschnig S, Konstantinidis M, Such P, Czakler C, Schroder C, Frigeri A, Ercoli M, Losiak A, Gruber S, Groemer G. Laboratory Analysis of Returned Samples from the AMADEE-18 Mars Analog Mission. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:1303-1320. [PMID: 33179966 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Between February 1 and 28, 2018, the Austrian Space Forum, in cooperation with the Oman Astronomical Society and research teams from 25 nations, conducted the AMADEE-18 mission, a human-robotic Mars expedition simulation in the Dhofar region in the Sultanate of Oman. As a part of the AMADEE-18 simulated Mars human exploration mission, the Remote Science Support team performed analyses of the Dhofar area (Oman) in an effort to characterize the region as a potential Mars analog site. The main motivation of this research was to study and register selected samples collected by analog astronauts during the AMADEE-18 mission with laboratory analytical methods and techniques comparable with those that are likely to be used on Mars in the future. The 25 samples representing unconsolidated sediments obtained during the simulated mission were studied by using optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The principal results show the existence of minerals and alteration processes related to volcanism, hydrothermalism, and weathering. The analogy between the Dhofar region and the Eridana Basin region of Mars is clearly noticeable, particularly as an analog for secondary minerals formed in a hydrothermal seafloor volcanic-sedimentary environment. The synergy between the techniques used in the present work provides a solid basis for the geochemical analyses and organic detection in the context of future human-robotic Mars expeditions. AMADEE-18 has been a prime test bed for geoscientific workflows with astrobiological relevance and has provided valuable insights for future space missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Alexis Lalla
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Kristen Cote
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dylan Hickson
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Menelaos Konstantinidis
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pamela Such
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Christian Schroder
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Alessadro Frigeri
- National Institute of Astrophysics, Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology IAPS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Ercoli
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Anna Losiak
- Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
- WildFire LabHatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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21
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Abstract
To assess Mars’ potential for both harboring life and providing useable resources for future human exploration, it is of paramount importance to comprehend the water situation on the planet. Therefore, studies have been conducted to determine any evidence of past or present water existence on Mars. While the presence of abundant water on Mars very early in its history is widely accepted, on its modern form, only a fraction of this water can be found, as either ice or locked into the structure of Mars’ plentiful water-rich materials. Water on the planet is evaluated through various evidence such as rocks and minerals, Martian achondrites, low volume transient briny outflows (e.g., dune flows, reactivated gullies, slope streaks, etc.), diurnal shallow soil moisture (e.g., measurements by Curiosity and Phoenix Lander), geomorphic representation (possibly from lakes and river valleys), and groundwater, along with further evidence obtained by probe and rover discoveries. One of the most significant lines of evidence is for an ancient streambed in Gale Crater, implying ancient amounts of “vigorous” water on Mars. Long ago, hospitable conditions for microbial life existed on the surface of Mars, as it was likely periodically wet. However, its current dry surface makes it almost impossible as an appropriate environment for living organisms; therefore, scientists have recognized the planet’s subsurface environments as the best potential locations for exploring life on Mars. As a result, modern research has aimed towards discovering underground water, leading to the discovery of a large amount of underground ice in 2016 by NASA, and a subglacial lake in 2018 by Italian scientists. Nevertheless, the presence of life in Mars’ history is still an open question. In this unifying context, the current review summarizes results from a wide variety of studies and reports related to the history of water on Mars, as well as any related discussions on the possibility of living organism existence on the planet.
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22
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Longo A, Damer B. Factoring Origin of Life Hypotheses into the Search for Life in the Solar System and Beyond. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:E52. [PMID: 32349245 PMCID: PMC7281141 DOI: 10.3390/life10050052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Two widely-cited alternative hypotheses propose geological localities and biochemical mechanisms for life's origins. The first states that chemical energy available in submarine hydrothermal vents supported the formation of organic compounds and initiated primitive metabolic pathways which became incorporated in the earliest cells; the second proposes that protocells self-assembled from exogenous and geothermally-delivered monomers in freshwater hot springs. These alternative hypotheses are relevant to the fossil record of early life on Earth, and can be factored into the search for life elsewhere in the Solar System. This review summarizes the evidence supporting and challenging these hypotheses, and considers their implications for the search for life on various habitable worlds. It will discuss the relative probability that life could have emerged in environments on early Mars, on the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, and also the degree to which prebiotic chemistry could have advanced on Titan. These environments will be compared to ancient and modern terrestrial analogs to assess their habitability and biopreservation potential. Origins of life approaches can guide the biosignature detection strategies of the next generation of planetary science missions, which could in turn advance one or both of the leading alternative abiogenesis hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Longo
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546, USA
- Department of Geology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Bruce Damer
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA or
- Digital Space Research, Boulder Creek, CA 95006, USA
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23
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Sasselov DD, Grotzinger JP, Sutherland JD. The origin of life as a planetary phenomenon. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaax3419. [PMID: 32076638 PMCID: PMC7002131 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax3419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
We advocate an integrative approach between laboratory experiments in prebiotic chemistry and geologic, geochemical, and astrophysical observations to help assemble a robust chemical pathway to life that can be reproduced in the laboratory. The cyanosulfidic chemistry scenario described here was developed by such an integrative iterative process. We discuss how it maps onto evolving planetary surface environments on early Earth and Mars and the value of comparative planetary evolution. The results indicate that Mars can offer direct evidence for geochemical conditions similar to prebiotic Earth, whose early record has been erased. The Jezero crater is now the chosen landing site for NASA's Mars 2020 rover, making this an extraordinary opportunity for a breakthrough in understanding life's origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitar D. Sasselov
- Department of Astronomy, Harvard University, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - John P. Grotzinger
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - John D. Sutherland
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Ave., Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
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24
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Des Marais DJ, Walter MR. Terrestrial Hot Spring Systems: Introduction. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1419-1432. [PMID: 31424278 PMCID: PMC6918855 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
This report reviews how terrestrial hot spring systems can sustain diverse and abundant microbial communities and preserve their fossil records. Hot springs are dependable water sources, even in arid environments. They deliver reduced chemical species and other solutes to more oxidized surface environments, thereby providing redox energy and nutrients. Spring waters have diverse chemical compositions, and their outflows create thermal gradients and chemical precipitates that sustain diverse microbial communities and entomb their remnants. These environments probably were important habitats for ancient benthic microbial ecosystems, and it has even been postulated that life arose in hydrothermal systems. Thermal spring communities are fossilized in deposits of travertine, siliceous sinter, and iron minerals (among others) that are found throughout the geological record back to the oldest known well-preserved rocks at 3.48 Ga. Very few are known before the Cenozoic, but it is likely that there are many more to be found. They preserve fossils ranging from microbes to trees and macroscopic animals. Features on Mars whose morphological and spectroscopic attributes resemble spring deposits on Earth have been detected in regions where geologic context is consistent with the presence of thermal springs. Such features represent targets in the search for evidence of past life on that planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Des Marais
- Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Malcolm R. Walter
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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25
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Corenblit D, Darrozes J, Julien F, Otto T, Roussel E, Steiger J, Viles H. The Search for a Signature of Life on Mars: A Biogeomorphological Approach. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1279-1291. [PMID: 31584307 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Geological evidence shows that life on Earth evolved in line with major concomitant changes in Earth surface processes and landforms. Biogeomorphological characteristics, especially those involving microorganisms, are potentially important facets of biosignatures on Mars and are generating increasing interest in astrobiology. Using Earth as an analog provides reasons to suspect that past or present life on Mars could have resulted in recognizable biogenic landforms. Here, we discuss the potential for, and limitations of, a biogeomorphological approach to identifying the subsets of landforms that are modulated or created through biological processes and thus present signatures of life on Mars. Subsets especially involving microorganisms that are potentially important facets of biosignatures on Mars are proposed: (i) weathering features, biocrusts, patinas, and varnishes; (ii) microbialites and microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS); (iii) bioaccumulations of skeletal remains; (iv) degassing landforms; (v) cryoconites; (vi) self-organized patterns; (vii) unclassified non-analog landforms. We propose a biogeomorphological frequency histogram approach to identify anomalies/modulations in landform properties. Such detection of anomalies/modulations will help track a biotic origin and lead to the development of an integrative multiproxy and multiscale approach combining morphological, structural, textural, and geochemical expertise. This perspective can help guide the choice of investigation sites for future missions and the types and scales of observations to be made by orbiters and rovers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dov Corenblit
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB - F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - José Darrozes
- Université Paul Sabatier, CNRS/IRD, GET - F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Frédéric Julien
- CNRS, ECOLAB, Université Paul Sabatier, CNRS, INPT, UPS, F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Thierry Otto
- CNRS, ECOLAB, Université Paul Sabatier, CNRS, INPT, UPS, F-31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Erwan Roussel
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB - F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Johannes Steiger
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, GEOLAB - F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Heather Viles
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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26
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Di Bella M, Sabatino G, Quartieri S, Ferretti A, Cavalazzi B, Barbieri R, Foucher F, Messori F, Italiano F. Modern Iron Ooids of Hydrothermal Origin as a Proxy for Ancient Deposits. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7107. [PMID: 31068615 PMCID: PMC6506468 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43181-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
We constrained the origin and genetic environment of modern iron ooids (sand-sized grains with a core and external cortex of concentric laminae) providing new tools for the interpretation of their fossil counterparts as well as the analogous particles discovered on Mars. Here, we report an exceptional, unique finding of a still active deposit of submillimetric iron ooids, under formation at the seabed at a depth of 80 m over an area characterized by intense hydrothermal activity off Panarea, a volcanic island north of Sicily (Italy). An integrated analysis, carried out by X-ray Powder Diffraction, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray Fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy reveals that Panarea ooids are deposited at the seafloor as concentric laminae of primary goethite around existing nuclei. The process is rapid, and driven by hydrothermal fluids as iron source. A sub-spherical, laminated structure resulted from constant agitation and by degassing of CO2-dominated fluids through seafloor sediments. Our investigations point the hydrothermal processes as responsible for the generation of the Panarea ooids, which are neither diagenetic nor reworked. The presence of ooids at the seawater-sediments interface, in fact, highlights how their development and growth is still ongoing. The proposed results show a new process responsible for ooids formation and gain a new insight into the genesis of iron ooids deposits that are distributed at global scale in both modern and past sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcella Di Bella
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Sezione di Palermo, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sabatino
- Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra (MIFT), Università di Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166S, Agata, Messina, Italy
| | - Simona Quartieri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche e Informatiche, Scienze Fisiche e Scienze della Terra (MIFT), Università di Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166S, Agata, Messina, Italy
| | - Annalisa Ferretti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche (DSCG), Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Barbara Cavalazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali (BiGeA), Università di Bologna, Via Zamboni 67, 40126, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524 Auckland Park, 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Roberto Barbieri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali (BiGeA), Università di Bologna, Via Zamboni 67, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Frédéric Foucher
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire (CBM), Rue Charles Sadron, 45071, Orléans, Cedex 2, France
| | - Fabio Messori
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche (DSCG), Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, 41125, Modena, Italy.,Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue des Maraîchers 13, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Italiano
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Sezione di Palermo, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, 90146, Palermo, Italy.
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27
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Cavalazzi B, Barbieri R, Gómez F, Capaccioni B, Olsson-Francis K, Pondrelli M, Rossi A, Hickman-Lewis K, Agangi A, Gasparotto G, Glamoclija M, Ori G, Rodriguez N, Hagos M. The Dallol Geothermal Area, Northern Afar (Ethiopia)-An Exceptional Planetary Field Analog on Earth. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:553-578. [PMID: 30653331 PMCID: PMC6459281 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The Dallol volcano and its associated hydrothermal field are located in a remote area of the northern Danakil Depression in Ethiopia, a region only recently appraised after decades of inaccessibility due to severe political instability and the absence of infrastructure. The region is notable for hosting environments at the very edge of natural physical-chemical extremities. It is surrounded by a wide, hyperarid salt plain and is one of the hottest (average annual temperatureDallol: 36-38°C) and most acidic natural systems (pHDallol ≈0) on Earth. Spectacular geomorphologies and mineral deposits produced by supersaturated hydrothermal waters and brines are the result of complex interactions between active and inactive hydrothermal alteration of the bedrock, sulfuric hot springs and pools, fumaroles and geysers, and recrystallization processes driven by hydrothermal waters, degassing, and rapid evaporation. The study of planetary field analog environments plays a crucial role in characterizing the physical and chemical boundaries within which life can exist on Earth and other planets. It is essential for the definition and assessment of the conditions of habitability on other planets, including the possibility for biosignature preservation and in situ testing of technologies for life detection. The Dallol area represents an excellent Mars analog environment given that the active volcanic environment, the associated diffuse hydrothermalism and hydrothermal alteration, and the vast acidic sulfate deposits are reminiscent of past hydrothermal activity on Mars. The work presented in this paper is an overview of the Dallol volcanic area and its hydrothermal field that integrates previous literature with observations and results obtained from field surveys and monitoring coupled with sample characterization. In so doing, we highlight its exceptional potential as a planetary field analog as well as a site for future astrobiological and exploration programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Cavalazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Address correspondence to: Barbara Cavalazzi, Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali - BiGeA, Università di Bologna, Via Zamboni 67, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - R. Barbieri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - F. Gómez
- Centro de Astrobiologia and Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Madrid, Spain
| | - B. Capaccioni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - K. Olsson-Francis
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - M. Pondrelli
- Int'l Research School of Planetary Sciences, Università d'Annunzio, Chieti Scalo, Italy
| | | | - K. Hickman-Lewis
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- CNRS Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Orléans, France
| | - A. Agangi
- Department of Geology, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - G. Gasparotto
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - M. Glamoclija
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - G.G. Ori
- Int'l Research School of Planetary Sciences, Università d'Annunzio, Chieti Scalo, Italy
| | - N. Rodriguez
- Centro de Astrobiologia and Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Madrid, Spain
| | - M. Hagos
- Department of Earth Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia
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28
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Rodriguez JAP, Baker VR, Liu T, Zarroca M, Travis B, Hui T, Komatsu G, Berman DC, Linares R, Sykes MV, Banks ME, Kargel JS. The 1997 Mars Pathfinder Spacecraft Landing Site: Spillover Deposits from an Early Mars Inland Sea. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4045. [PMID: 30837500 PMCID: PMC6401135 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39632-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Martian outflow channels comprise some of the largest known channels in the Solar System. Remote-sensing investigations indicate that cataclysmic floods likely excavated the channels ~3.4 Ga. Previous studies show that, in the southern circum-Chryse region, their flooding pathways include hundreds of kilometers of channel floors with upward gradients. However, the impact of the reversed channel-floor topography on the cataclysmic floods remains uncertain. Here, we show that these channel floors occur within a vast basin, which separates the downstream reaches of numerous outflow channels from the northern plains. Consequently, floods propagating through these channels must have ponded, producing an inland sea, before reaching the northern plains as enormous spillover discharges. The resulting paleohydrological reconstruction reinterprets the 1997 Pathfinder landing site as part of a marine spillway, which connected the inland sea to a hypothesized northern plains ocean. Our flood simulation shows that the presence of the sea would have permitted the propagation of low-depth floods beyond the areas of reversed channel-floor topography. These results explain the formation at the landing site of possible fluvial features indicative of flow depths at least an order of magnitude lower than those apparent from the analyses of orbital remote-sensing observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A P Rodriguez
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA.
| | - V R Baker
- Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - T Liu
- Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - M Zarroca
- External Geodynamics and Hydrogeology Group, Department of Geology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - B Travis
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA
| | - T Hui
- Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - G Komatsu
- International Research School of Planetary Sciences, Università D'Annunzio, Viale Pindaro 42, 65127, Pescara, Italy
| | - D C Berman
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA
| | - R Linares
- External Geodynamics and Hydrogeology Group, Department of Geology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M V Sykes
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA
| | - M E Banks
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Goddard, MD, 20771, USA
| | - J S Kargel
- Planetary Science Institute, 1700 East Fort Lowell Road, Suite 106, Tucson, AZ, 85719-2395, USA
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29
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Fornaro T, Steele A, Brucato JR. Catalytic/Protective Properties of Martian Minerals and Implications for Possible Origin of Life on Mars. Life (Basel) 2018; 8:life8040056. [PMID: 30400661 PMCID: PMC6315534 DOI: 10.3390/life8040056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Minerals might have played critical roles for the origin and evolution of possible life forms on Mars. The study of the interactions between the "building blocks of life" and minerals relevant to Mars mineralogy under conditions mimicking the harsh Martian environment may provide key insight into possible prebiotic processes. Therefore, this contribution aims at reviewing the most important investigations carried out so far about the catalytic/protective properties of Martian minerals toward molecular biosignatures under Martian-like conditions. Overall, it turns out that the fate of molecular biosignatures on Mars depends on a delicate balance between multiple preservation and degradation mechanisms, often regulated by minerals, which may take place simultaneously. Such a complexity requires more efforts in simulating realistically the Martian environment in order to better inspect plausible prebiotic pathways and shed light on the nature of the organic compounds detected both in meteorites and on the surface of Mars through in situ analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Fornaro
- Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution for Science, 5251 Broad Branch Rd. NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA.
| | - Andrew Steele
- Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution for Science, 5251 Broad Branch Rd. NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA.
| | - John Robert Brucato
- INAF-Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri, L.go E. Fermi 5, 50125 Firenze, Italy.
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30
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Huang T, Wang R, Xiao L, Wang H, Martínez JM, Escudero C, Amils R, Cheng Z, Xu Y. Dalangtan Playa (Qaidam Basin, NW China): Its microbial life and physicochemical characteristics and their astrobiological implications. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200949. [PMID: 30067805 PMCID: PMC6070256 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Dalangtan Playa is the second largest salt playa in the Qaidam Basin, north-western China. The hyper saline deposition, extremely arid climate and high UV radiation make Dalangtan a Mars analogue both for geomorphology and life preservation. To better understand microbial life at Dalangtan, both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods were examined and simultaneously, environment conditions and the evaporitic mineral assemblages were investigated. Ten and thirteen subsurface samples were collected along a 595-cm deep profile (P1) and a 685-cm deep profile (P2) respectively, and seven samples were gathered from surface sediments. These samples are composed of salt minerals, minor silicate mineral fragments and clays. The total bacterial cell numbers are (1.54±0.49) ×10(5) g-1 for P1 and (3.22±0.95) ×10(5) g-1 for P2 as indicated by the CAtalyzed Reporter Deposition- Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (CARD-FISH). 76.6% and 75.7% of the bacteria belong to Firmicutes phylum respectively from P1 and P2. In total, 47 bacteria and 6 fungi were isolated from 22 subsurface samples. In contrast, only 3 bacteria and 1 fungus were isolated from 3 surface samples. The isolated bacteria show high homology (≥97%) with members of the Firmicutes phylum (47 strains, 8 genera) and the Actinobacteria phylum (3 strains, 2 genera), which agrees with the result of CARD-FISH. Isolated fungi showed ≥98% ITS1 homology with members of the phylum Ascomycota. Moisture content and TOC values may control the sediments colonization. Given the deliquescence of salts, evaporites may provide refuge for microbial life, which merits further investigation. Halotolerant and spore-forming microorganisms are the dominant microbial groups capable of surviving under extreme conditions. Our results offer brand-new information on microbial biomass in Dalangtan Playa and shed light on understanding the potential microbial life in the dried playa or paleo-lakes on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Geological Process and Mineral Resources, Planetary Science Institute, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ruicheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Long Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Geological Process and Mineral Resources, Planetary Science Institute, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Space Science Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
- * E-mail: (LX); (HW)
| | - Hongmei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- * E-mail: (LX); (HW)
| | - José M. Martínez
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Escudero
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Amils
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (UAM-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ziye Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Geological Process and Mineral Resources, Planetary Science Institute, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Space Science Institute, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
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31
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Thompson DR, Candela A, Wettergreen DS, Dobrea EN, Swayze GA, Clark RN, Greenberger R. Spatial Spectroscopic Models for Remote Exploration. ASTROBIOLOGY 2018; 18:934-954. [PMID: 30035643 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Ancient hydrothermal systems are a high-priority target for a future Mars sample return mission because they contain energy sources for microbes and can preserve organic materials (Farmer, 2000 ; MEPAG Next Decade Science Analysis Group, 2008 ; McLennan et al., 2012 ; Michalski et al., 2017 ). Characterizing these large, heterogeneous systems with a remote explorer is difficult due to communications bandwidth and latency; such a mission will require significant advances in spacecraft autonomy. Science autonomy uses intelligent sensor platforms that analyze data in real-time, setting measurement and downlink priorities to provide the best information toward investigation goals. Such automation must relate abstract science hypotheses to the measurable quantities available to the robot. This study captures these relationships by formalizing traditional "science traceability matrices" into probabilistic models. This permits experimental design techniques to optimize future measurements and maximize information value toward the investigation objectives, directing remote explorers that respond appropriately to new data. Such models are a rich new language for commanding informed robotic decision making in physically grounded terms. We apply these models to quantify the information content of different rover traverses providing profiling spectroscopy of Cuprite Hills, Nevada. We also develop two methods of representing spatial correlations using human-defined maps and remote sensing data. Model unit classifications are broadly consistent with prior maps of the site's alteration mineralogy, indicating that the model has successfully represented critical spatial and mineralogical relationships at Cuprite. Key Words: Autonomous science-Imaging spectroscopy-Alteration mineralogy-Field geology-Cuprite-AVIRIS-NG-Robotic exploration. Astrobiology 18, 934-954.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Thompson
- 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California
| | - Alberto Candela
- 2 The Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - David S Wettergreen
- 2 The Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Seybold HJ, Kite E, Kirchner JW. Branching geometry of valley networks on Mars and Earth and its implications for early Martian climate. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaar6692. [PMID: 29963627 PMCID: PMC6021146 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar6692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Mars' surface bears the imprint of valley networks formed billions of years ago. Whether these networks were formed by groundwater sapping, ice melt, or fluvial runoff has been debated for decades. These different scenarios have profoundly different implications for Mars' climatic history and thus for its habitability in the distant past. Recent studies on Earth revealed that valley networks in arid landscapes with more surface runoff branch at narrower angles, while in humid environments with more groundwater flow, branching angles are much wider. We find that valley networks on Mars generally tend to branch at narrow angles similar to those found in arid landscapes on Earth. This result supports the inference that Mars once had an active hydrologic cycle and that Mars' valley networks were formed primarily by overland flow erosion, with groundwater seepage playing only a minor role.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edwin Kite
- University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - James W. Kirchner
- ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, 307 McCone Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720–4767, USA
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Cabrol NA. The Coevolution of Life and Environment on Mars: An Ecosystem Perspective on the Robotic Exploration of Biosignatures. ASTROBIOLOGY 2018; 18:1-27. [PMID: 29252008 PMCID: PMC5779243 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Earth's biological and environmental evolution are intertwined and inseparable. This coevolution has become a fundamental concept in astrobiology and is key to the search for life beyond our planet. In the case of Mars, whether a coevolution took place is unknown, but analyzing the factors at play shows the uniqueness of each planetary experiment regardless of similarities. Early Earth and early Mars shared traits. However, biological processes on Mars, if any, would have had to proceed within the distinctive context of an irreversible atmospheric collapse, greater climate variability, and specific planetary characteristics. In that, Mars is an important test bed for comparing the effects of a unique set of spatiotemporal changes on an Earth-like, yet different, planet. Many questions remain unanswered about Mars' early environment. Nevertheless, existing data sets provide a foundation for an intellectual framework where notional coevolution models can be explored. In this framework, the focus is shifted from planetary-scale habitability to the prospect of habitats, microbial ecotones, pathways to biological dispersal, biomass repositories, and their meaning for exploration. Critically, as we search for biosignatures, this focus demonstrates the importance of starting to think of early Mars as a biosphere and vigorously integrating an ecosystem approach to landing site selection and exploration. Key Words: Astrobiology-Biosignatures-Coevolution of Earth and life-Mars. Astrobiology 18, 1-27.
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