A5001139109- Planetary Science and Exploration
- Astro and Planetary Science
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Chemical Analysis and Environmental Impact
- Origins and Evolution of Life
- Space Exploration and Technology
- Polar Research and Ecology
- History and advancements in chemistry
- Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Spacecraft Design and Technology
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques
- Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Winter Sports Injuries and Performance
- Ion-surface interactions and analysis
- Plant and Biological Electrophysiology Studies
- Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
- Listeria monocytogenes in Food Safety
- High Altitude and Hypoxia
- Microbial Inactivation Methods
University of Maryland, Baltimore
2024
Georgetown University
2020-2024
Goddard Space Flight Center
2020-2024
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
2024
National Postdoctoral Association
2021
University of Illinois Chicago
2016-2020
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
2014
On November 5–8, 2019, the "Mars Extant Life: What's Next?" conference was convened in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The gathered a community of actively publishing experts disciplines related to habitability and astrobiology. Primary conclusions are as follows: A significant subset attendees concluded that there is realistic possibility Mars hosts indigenous microbial life. powerful theme permeated key search for martian extant life lies identifying exploring refugia ("oases"), where conditions...
For the past fifty years of space exploration, mass spectrometry has provided unique chemical and physical insights on characteristics other planetary bodies in Solar System. A variety spectrometer types, including magnetic sector, quadrupole, time-of-flight, ion trap, have will continue to deepen our understanding formation evolution exploration targets like surfaces atmospheres planets their moons. An important impetus for continuing Mars, Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Venus involves assessing...
While Earth contains the only known example of life in universe, it is possible that elsewhere fundamentally different from what we are familiar with. There an increased recognition astrobiology community search for should steer away terran-specific biosignatures to those more inclusive all life-forms. To start exploring space possibilities could occupy, can try dissociate chemistry composes on by envisioning how be composition, lifestyle, medium, and form, general principles govern living...
The Astrobiology Primer 3.0 (ABP3.0) is a concise introduction to the field of astrobiology for students and others who are new astrobiology. It provides an entry into broader materials in this supplementary issue overview investigations driving hypotheses that make up interdisciplinary field. content chapter was adapted from other 10 articles thus represents contribution all authors worked on these introductory articles. not exhaustive topics found be most important compelling dynamic changing
Astrobiology missions to ocean worlds in our solar system must overcome both scientific and technological challenges due extreme temperature radiation conditions, long communication times, limited bandwidth. While such tools could not replace ground-based analysis by science engineering teams, machine learning algorithms enhance the return of these through development autonomous capabilities. Examples autonomy include onboard data subsequent instrument optimization, prioritization (for...
The search for life beyond Earth necessitates a rigorous and comprehensive examination of biosignatures, the types observable imprints that produces. These our ability to detect them with advanced instrumentation hold key understanding presence abundance in universe. Biosignatures are chemical or physical features associated past present may include distribution elements molecules, alone combination, as well changes structural components processes would be distinct from an abiotic...
In the search for life beyond Earth, distinguishing living from non-living is paramount. However, this distinction often elusive, as origin of likely a stepwise evolutionary process, not singular event. Regardless favored model, an inherent "grayness" blurs theorized threshold defining life. Here, we explore ambiguities between biotic and abiotic at The role grayness extends into later transitions well. By recognizing limitations posed by grayness, detection researchers will be better able...
Abstract The cold (−13.4°C), cryoencapsulated, anoxic, interstitial brine of the >27 m thick ice Lake Vida (Victoria Valley, Antarctica) contains 49 µg · L −1 perchlorate and 11 chlorate. (LVBr) may provide an analog for potential oxychlorine‐rich subsurface on Mars. LVBr volatiles were analyzed by solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) with two different SPME fibers. With exception volatile organic sulfur compounds, most other observed artifacts...
Abstract We set up two open-science machine learning (ML) challenges focusing on building models to automatically analyse mass spectrometry (MS) data for Mars exploration. ML provide an excellent way engage a diverse of experts with benchmark training data, explore wide range and science approaches, identify promising based empirical results, as well get independent external analyses compare those the internal team. These were proof-of-concept projects feasibility combining collected from...
16 Impossible Sensing Motivation for
Life on Earth is found in a wide range of environments as long the basic requirements liquid solvent, nutrient source, and free energy are met. Previous hypotheses have speculated how extraterrestrial microbial life may function, among them that particle radiation might power living cells indirectly through radiolytic products. On Earth, so-called electrophilic organisms can harness electron flow from an extracellular cathode to build biomolecules. Here, we describe two hypothetical...
This white paper argues for a more universal approach to life detection. We recommend that detection missions focus on looking signatures of deemed be shared by all possible types life, independent their specific biochemistries, rather than could arguably Terran-life.
Plain Language Summary Miller et al. [2015, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JE004825 ] described the result of experiments testing potential Tenax TA, a polymer used on Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), as source chlorinated benzene. [2015] conclude that amount chlorobenzene produced is low and TA cannot be observed by SAM. did not provide identification two unknown compounds during these pyrolysis experiments, though their abundance orders magnitude higher than chlorobenzene. Here, we tentatively...
Abstract The Curiosity rover explored the region between orbitally defined phyllosilicate‐bearing Glen Torridon trough and overlying layered sulfate‐bearing unit, called “clay‐sulfate transition region.” Samples were drilled from top of fluviolacustrine Glasgow member Carolyn Shoemaker formation (CSf) to eolian Contigo Mirador (MIf) assess in situ mineralogical changes with stratigraphic position. Sample Analysis at Mars‐Evolved Gas (SAM‐EGA) instrument analyzed samples within this constrain...
Studies of psychrophilic life on Earth provide chemical clues as to how extraterrestrial could maintain viability in cryogenic environments. If living systems ocean worlds (e.g., Enceladus) share a similar set 3-mer and 4-mer peptides the psychrophile Colwellia psychrerythraea Earth, spaceflight technologies analytical methods need be developed detect sequence these putative biosignatures. We demonstrate that laser desorption mass spectrometry, implemented by CORALS prototype instrument,...