1 / 22

Astrobiology Science Results

Astrobiology Science Results. Three key microhabitats (but may be others) Salt (“hydrated sulfates,” gypsum) Lithophytic (outcrops, desert pavement, pebbles) Soils. Main habitats identified: hydrated sulfates, gypsum (i.e., salts). Let’s go here!!. Are these bands microbial?.

isanne
Download Presentation

Astrobiology Science Results

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Astrobiology Science Results • Three key microhabitats (but may be others) • Salt (“hydrated sulfates,” gypsum) • Lithophytic (outcrops, desert pavement, pebbles) • Soils

  2. Main habitats identified: hydrated sulfates, gypsum (i.e., salts) Let’s go here!! Are these bands microbial?

  3. Main habitat: lithophytic Desert varnishes, caliches Mafic? stones, pebbles “black gobi”

  4. Main habitat: soils Iron-oxide containing materials, hydrated sulfates, clays, carbonates, hydroxylated materials, among others (e.g. volcanics?) desert crust? high winds?

  5. Evidence for water: surface and/or groundwater? Possible collapse, terraces, holes? Sol 4 pan 007-R Furrows, holes, drainages, ripple marks? Sol 4 pan 029-R Wadis? Sol 4 seq 3-f-c

  6. Evidence for clouds/fog: moisture Sol 3 pan 163-R Sol 3 pan 115-R Sol 3 pan 210-R Sol 3 pan 176-R

  7. Increase in relative humidity to >90%,dips in solar insolation (~350 W/m2)

  8. Samples—Confirmation of life? • ~25 full samples collected, 9 others with 1-2 instruments • 12 spectra showed chlorophyll signatures

  9. Complete full sample: sample 1 • Spectra results: ferric iron-bearing material, possibly hydrated & hydroxylated (hematite or goerthite?) • High resolution image of sample • Presence of slight inflection @ 620 nm indicative ofchlorophyll--possible biological material in soil. • Negative fluorescence

  10. Confusing: sample 2 • What we do know: spectra results: 1) Ferric iron/iron oxide-bearing material, signatures show hydrated sulfates features; no inflection at 620 nm; 2) fluorescence negative • What we don’t know: Cannot verify what was sampled. ?

  11. Fluorescence Science Results • None of the samples could be confirmed unambiguously for life.

  12. …except for one

  13. Astrobiology sampling strategies • What is unambiguous confirmation of life? • Lines of evidence:strongest case • Visual • Spectra • Fluorescence • Microscopy • What is a sample for year 2, for publication?

  14. Astrobiology sampling strategies • Precision (targeted) and distance (random/periodic) sampling strategies need to be refined • when to use what instruments • subsampling (optimal use of images,etc. vs. bandwidth) • Follow the water - How can we better accomplish this? (e.g., feed environmental data into search modes, location of features)

  15. THE TEMPLATE: SHORT AND LONG RANGE TARGETS = Water target = Life target THIS END POINT IS FROM THE DEM THIS BECOMES THE NEW PAN = HIGH PRIORITY THESE TARGETS ARE FROM THE PAN HIGH PRIORITY RANDOM ALONG ECOLOGICAL TRANSECT HIGH PRIORITY TARGETED

  16. Data collection, processing, archiving Recommendations: • Need a consistent sample collection, naming, processing, and archiving system • we can’t assume anything (remote or field) • strive for consistency & convergence • Red/yellow/green light system • Learn each other’s languages: roverspeak, sciencespeak

  17. Science Ops We need to improve logistics—identified necessary improvements (data processing, workstations, protocols, support personnel, internet access, etc.) Most important Question of year 1: Why was science team unable to unambiguously confirm life? Some answers: fluorescence, convergence

  18. Birth of an astrobiology rover • We are confident that promising habitats with life can be located and confirmed and the distribution oflife can be mapped successfully with Hyperion!! • But, we didn’t find life in an easy place…for a biologist the remote experience was not equal to being in the field

  19. Rover ops & design wish list • Automated analysis by rover with results arriving with first pans (e.g, science utility function, such as albedo, voids in rocks, fluorescence, spectra)—may eliminate need to backtrack • Pan/high resolution capabilities (0.2pixels) • Zoom: high resolution images of “samples” not only microhabitats • More moisture sensors (including soil)

  20. Rover operations & design • Rock-n-rolling • Methods for rover marking sample locations or biologically promising habitats along the way-RED FLAGS

  21. Postcard from the Atacama,Sunset, sol 3 April 23, 2003 Thanks Team!!!

More Related