Life detection at a Mars analogue site of present-day serpentinization in the Tablelands Ophiolite of Newfoundland (Invited)

Details Life detection at a Mars analogue site of present-day serpentinization in the Tablelands Ophiolite of Newfoundland (Invited) Life detection at a Mars analogue site of present-day serpentinization in the Tablelands Ophiolite of Newfoundland (Invited)

Dec 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufm.p11d..05m&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #P11D-05

Biology

[0400] Biogeosciences, [0406] Biogeosciences / Astrobiology And Extraterrestrial Materials, [0420] Biogeosciences / Biomolecular And Chemical Tracers, [0424] Biogeosciences / Biosignatures And Proxies

Scientific paper

The Tableland Ophiolite was created during the collision of Laurentia and Gondwana continents ca. 470 million years ago. Ultramafic mantle rocks, from the ancient sea bed that once separated these continents, were thrusted westward onto the old continental margin, which is now Western Newfoundland. Weathering due to recent glaciations has left large areas of ultramafic rock at the surface and created fissures for fluid flow. As a result serpentinization is occurring as fresh water penetrates the unaltered ultramafic rock. Serpentinization is of particular interest because, through hydration of ultramafic rock, this reaction produces H2 and the reducing conditions necessary for abiogenic hydrocarbon synthesis, while also producing conditions amenable for chemolithotrophic life. Therefore sites of active serpentinization can be the source of either abiogenic or biogenic organics, or both. Serpentinization is a suspected (past or present) source of (detected or putative) hydrocarbons on Mars, Titan and Europa, hence these astrobodies may be potentially habitable or once habitable environments. The Tablelands Ophiolite is an analogue site that is ideal for testing methods of life detection in an extreme environment of high pH and low microbial biomass characteristic of sites of serpentinization. Multiple ultrabasic reducing springs characteristic of present-day serpentinization have been identified and characterized based on their geochemistry and microbiology. Field-based instruments were deployed for the detection of microbial activity (ATP), microbial cell wall material, and mineralogy, in yet untested high pH and low biomass environment. In this talk I will give an overview of the in situ measurements of life detection and put these measurements in context of geochemistry, microbiology, carbon source and reaction pathways, and I will discuss what we have learned that will help us plan for future mission measurements.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Life detection at a Mars analogue site of present-day serpentinization in the Tablelands Ophiolite of Newfoundland (Invited) does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Life detection at a Mars analogue site of present-day serpentinization in the Tablelands Ophiolite of Newfoundland (Invited), we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Life detection at a Mars analogue site of present-day serpentinization in the Tablelands Ophiolite of Newfoundland (Invited) will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1494751