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Jones JP, Firdosy SA, Barge LM, Bescup JC, Perl SM, Zhang X, Pate AM, Price RE. 3D Printed Minerals as Astrobiology Analogs of Hydrothermal Vent Chimneys. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:1405-1412. [PMID: 32924535 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2020.2260] [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: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Hydrothermal vents, which are highly plausible habitable environments for life and of interest for some origin-of-life scenarios, may exist on icy moons such as Europa or Enceladus in addition to Earth. Some hydrothermal vent chimney structures are extremely porous and friable, making their reconstruction in the lab challenging (e.g., brucite or saponite in alkaline hydrothermal settings). Here, we present the results from our efforts to reconstruct a simplified chimney structure directly out of mineral powder using binder jet additive manufacturing. Olivine sand was chosen for this initial method development effort since it represents a naturally occurring seafloor material and is inexpensively available in large quantities in powder form. The crystal structure of olivine used for the print was not modified during the process, as confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). To characterize the microstructure of our 3D printed precipitates, we used computed tomography (CT) X-ray scan techniques. We also evaluated a chimney precipitate from a sample collected from the Prony Hydrothermal Field (PHF), southern New Caledonia, an alkaline system driven by serpentinization with mineralogy composed of brucite and carbonates. While not directly comparable from a mineralogical point of view, the microstructure and porosity of both precipitates was similar, suggesting that our 3D printing technique may be a valuable tool for future astrobiology research on hydrothermal vent precipitates.
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Affiliation(s)
- John-Paul Jones
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Samad A Firdosy
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Laura M Barge
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - John C Bescup
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Scott M Perl
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Xu Zhang
- College of Engineering Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Andre M Pate
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Roy E Price
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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Altair T, Sartori LM, Rodrigues F, de Avellar MGB, Galante D. Natural Radioactive Environments as Sources of Local Disequilibrium for the Emergence of Life. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:1489-1497. [PMID: 32907342 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2133] [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] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Certain subterranean environments of Earth have naturally accumulated long-lived radionuclides, such as 238U, 232Th, and 40K, near the presence of liquid water. In these natural radioactive environments, water radiolysis can produce chemical species of biological importance, such as H2. Although the proposal of radioactive decay as an alternative source of energy for living systems has existed for >30 years, this hypothesis gained strength after the recent discovery of a peculiar ecosystem in a gold mine in South Africa, whose existence is dependent on chemical species produced by water radiolysis. In this study, we calculate the chemical disequilibrium generated locally by water radiolysis due to gamma radiation. We then analyze the possible contribution of this disequilibrium for the emergence of life, considering conditions of early Earth and having as reference the alkaline hydrothermal vent theory. Results from our kinetic model point out the similarities between the conditions caused by water radiolysis and those found on alkaline hydrothermal systems. Our model produces a steady increase of pH with time, which favors the formation of a natural electrochemical gradient and the precipitation of minerals with catalytic activity for protometabolism in this aqueous environment. We conclude by describing a possible free-energy conversion mechanism based on protometabolism, which could be a requisite for the emergence of life in Hadean Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Altair
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
- Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
| | - Larissa M Sartori
- Instituto de Matemática e Estatística, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio Rodrigues
- Departamento de Química Fundamental Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcio G B de Avellar
- Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Diadema, Brazil
| | - Douglas Galante
- Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
- Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, Brazil
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Taubner RS, Olsson-Francis K, Vance SD, Ramkissoon NK, Postberg F, de Vera JP, Antunes A, Camprubi Casas E, Sekine Y, Noack L, Barge L, Goodman J, Jebbar M, Journaux B, Karatekin Ö, Klenner F, Rabbow E, Rettberg P, Rückriemen-Bez T, Saur J, Shibuya T, Soderlund KM. Experimental and Simulation Efforts in the Astrobiological Exploration of Exooceans. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2020; 216:9. [PMID: 32025060 PMCID: PMC6977147 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-020-0635-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The icy satellites of Jupiter and Saturn are perhaps the most promising places in the Solar System regarding habitability. However, the potential habitable environments are hidden underneath km-thick ice shells. The discovery of Enceladus' plume by the Cassini mission has provided vital clues in our understanding of the processes occurring within the interior of exooceans. To interpret these data and to help configure instruments for future missions, controlled laboratory experiments and simulations are needed. This review aims to bring together studies and experimental designs from various scientific fields currently investigating the icy moons, including planetary sciences, chemistry, (micro-)biology, geology, glaciology, etc. This chapter provides an overview of successful in situ, in silico, and in vitro experiments, which explore different regions of interest on icy moons, i.e. a potential plume, surface, icy shell, water and brines, hydrothermal vents, and the rocky core.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth-Sophie Taubner
- Archaea Biology and Ecogenomics Division, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | | | | | | | - André Antunes
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau SAR, China
| | | | | | - Lena Noack
- Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Elke Rabbow
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Takazo Shibuya
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Japan
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