A5027066141- Planetary Science and Exploration
- Astro and Planetary Science
- Space Exploration and Technology
- Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Crystallization and Solubility Studies
- X-ray Diffraction in Crystallography
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Climate change and permafrost
- Crystallography and molecular interactions
- Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
- Chemical Analysis and Environmental Impact
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies
- Magnetic and Electromagnetic Effects
- Scientific Research and Discoveries
- Origins and Evolution of Life
- Minerals Flotation and Separation Techniques
Ames Research Center
2016-2025
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
2010-2023
Planetary Systems (United States)
2018
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
2010
Louisiana State University
1996-2007
Universidade de Vigo
2006
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
2003-2006
Instituto Evandro Chagas
2003
Fundação Saúde
2003
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz
2003
The Atacama Desert is one of the driest deserts in world and its soil, with extremely low moisture, organic carbon content, oxidizing conditions, considered to be at dry limit for life.
Traces of life are nearly ubiquitous on Earth. However, a central unresolved question is whether these traces always indicate an active microbial community or whether, in extreme environments, such as hyperarid deserts, they instead reflect just dormant dead cells. Although biomass and diversity decrease with increasing aridity the Atacama Desert, we provide multiple lines evidence for presence at times metabolically active, one driest places We base this observation four major evidence: (i)...
Abstract Enceladus’s long-lived plume of ice grains and water vapor makes accessing oceanic material readily achievable from orbit (around Saturn or Enceladus) the moon’s surface. In preparation for National Academies Sciences, Engineering Medicine 2023–2032 Planetary Science Astrobiology Decadal Survey, we investigated four architectures capable collecting analyzing and/or on surface to address most pressing questions at Enceladus: Is subsurface ocean inhabited? Why, why not? Trades...
The hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert is considered dry limit for life on Earth. Soils in this region have very low abundance heterotrophic bacteria and are practically barren photosynthetic microorganisms because extreme conditions (≤2 mm a −1 rainfall). However, relatively abundant endolithic communities cyanobacteria ( Chroococcidiopsis ) occur within halite crusts paleolake evaporitic deposits. By means continuous monitoring microclimate (temperature, relative humidity, water vapor...
The scarcity of liquid water in the hyperarid core Atacama Desert makes this region one most challenging environments for life on Earth. low numbers microbial cells soils suggest that within lies dry limit our planet. Here, we show Ca-sulfate crusts are habitats lithobiontic micro-organisms. This microporous, translucent substrate is colonized by epilithic lichens, as well endolithic free-living algae, fungal hyphae, cyanobacteria and non photosynthetic bacteria. We also report a novel type...
Some of the coldest and driest permafrost soils on Earth are located in high-elevation McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) Antarctica, but little is known about microbial communities other than that microorganisms present these valleys. Here, we describe microbiology habitable conditions highly unique dry ice-cemented University Valley, one regions MDVs (1700 m above sea level; mean temperature -23 °C; no degree days freezing), where ice originates from vapour deposition rather liquid water. We found...
Hygroscopic salts have been detected in soils the northern latitudes of Mars, and widespread chloride-bearing evaporitic deposits southern highlands. The deliquescence hygroscopic minerals such as chloride could provide a local transient source liquid water that would be available for microorganisms on surface. This is known to occur Atacama Desert, where massive halite evaporites become habitat photosynthetic heterotrophic take advantage salt at certain relative humidity (RH) levels. We...
In the next few years, number of catalogued exoplanets will be counted in thousands. This vastly expand potentially habitable worlds and lead to a systematic assessment their astrobiological potential. Here, we suggest two-tiered classification scheme exoplanet habitability. The first tier consists an Earth Similarity Index (ESI), which allows screened with regard similarity Earth, only known inhabited planet at this time. ESI is based on data available or for most such as mass, radius,...
Mars has undergone three main climatic stages throughout its geological history, beginning with a water-rich epoch, followed by cold and semi-arid era, transitioning into present-day arid very desert conditions. These global eras also represent different of planetary habitability: an early, potentially habitable stage when the basic requisites for life as we know it were present (liquid water energy); intermediate extreme stage, liquid solutions became scarce or challenging life; most recent...
Abstract Perchlorate (ClO 4 − ) is widespread in Martian soils at concentrations between 0.5 and 1%. At such concentrations, perchlorate could be an important source of oxygen, but it also become a critical chemical hazard to astronauts. In this paper, we review the dual implications ClO on Mars, propose biochemical approach for removal from soil that would energetically cheap, environmentally friendly used obtain oxygen both human consumption fuel surface operations.
The hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert (Chile) is driest place on Earth and considered a close analogue to extremely arid conditions surface Mars. Microbial life very rare in soils this region, autotrophic micro-organisms are virtually absent. Instead, photosynthetic have successfully colonized interior halite crusts, which widespread Desert. These endoevaporitic colonies an example that has adapted extreme dryness by colonizing rocks provide enhanced moisture conditions. As such, these...
Halite endoliths in the Atacama Desert represent one of most extreme ecosystems on Earth. Cultivation-independent methods were used to examine functional adaptations microbial consortia inhabiting halite nodules. The community was dominated by haloarchaea and analysis attributed autotrophic CO2 fixation unique cyanobacterium. assembled 1.1 Mbp genome a novel nanohaloarchaeon, Candidatus Nanopetramus SG9, revealed photoheterotrophic life style low median isoelectric point (pI) for all...
The Atacama Desert, northern Chile, is one of the driest deserts on Earth and, as such, a natural laboratory to explore limits life and strategies evolved by microorganisms adapt extreme environments. Here we report exceptional adaptation chlorophototrophic eukaryotic algae, prokaryotic cyanobacteria hyperarid extremely high solar radiation conditions occurring in this desert. Our approach combined several microscopy techniques, spectroscopic analytical methods, molecular analyses. We found...
The search for evidence of life on Mars is the primary motivation exploration that planet. results from previous missions, and Phoenix mission in particular, indicate ice-cemented ground north polar plains likely to be most recently habitable place currently known Mars. near-surface ice provided adequate water activity during periods high obliquity, ∼5 Myr ago. Carbon dioxide nitrogen are present atmosphere, nitrates may soil. Perchlorate soil together with iron basaltic rock provides a...
revealed that Saturn's Moon Enceladus hosts a subsurface ocean meets the accepted criteria for habitability with bio-essential elements and compounds, liquid water, energy sources available in environment. Whether these conditions are sufficiently abundant collocated to support life remains unknown cannot be determined from
The evolution of habitable conditions on Mars is often tied to the existence aquatic habitats and largely constrained first billion years planet. Here, we propose an alternate, lasting evolutionary trajectory that assumes colonization land before end Hesperian period (ca. 3 ago) at a pace similar life Earth. Based ecological adaptations increasing dryness observed in dryland ecosystems Earth, reconstruct most likely sequence events leading late extinction communities Mars. We trend change...
The future exploration of Mars will require access to the subsurface, along with acquisition samples for scientific analysis and ground-truthing water ice mineral reserves in situ resource utilization. Icebreaker drill is an integral part mission concept search life ice-rich regions on Mars. Since targets Special Regions as defined by Committee Space Research (COSPAR), has meet appropriate cleanliness standards requested NASA's Planetary Protection Office. In addition, carries life-detection...
Oxidation of pyrite (FeS