Physics
Scientific paper
Dec 2001
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001agufm.b32c..01k&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2001, abstract #B32C-01
Physics
0400 Biogeosciences, 1505 Biomagnetism, 1540 Rock And Mineral Magnetism, 1594 Instruments And Techniques
Scientific paper
Intracellular biomineralization of magnetite is a biochemical process used by members of the Bacteria, Protist, and Animal kingdoms, and the fossil remains of this process on Earth (termed magnetofossils) have been documented in sediments as old as the ~2 Byr Gunflint Chert. Magnetofossils 4 Byr old have also been reported from carbonates in the Martian meteorite ALH84001; if this interpretation is correct, they represent the oldest evidence for life yet found. Past techniques for identification of bacterial magnetofossils have relied on the use of particle extraction and high-resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM). Because these techniques are time-consuming and fairly complex, they are not appropriate for screening large volumes of sediments on Earth and could not be used remotely on a Martian lander. For this reason, we have been testing a variety of ferromagnetic resonance and low-temperature rock magnetic techniques to determine if they are capable of identifying correctly rock samples known to contain abundant magnetofossils. An instrument capable of making such a determination, if deployed on the Martian surface, could be extraordinarily valuable for selecting samples for return to Earth. Several features of the ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectra have signatures only displayed by pure samples of magnetite from the magnetotactic bacteria, and from samples known to contain abundant magnetofossils. These unique features apparently arise from the elongated shape and narrow size distribution of the single-domain magnetite produced by these bacteria. Preliminary results from ALH84001 carbonates also have these features. We are also currently obtaining FMR spectra and low-temperature rock magnetic data on samples of Archean and Early Proterozoic sediments from Australia to search for older evidence of intracellular magnetite biomineralization on Earth.
Kim Seongcheol
Kirschvink Joseph L.
Weiss Benjamin
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