Biology
Scientific paper
Nov 2005
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005jgre..11012s23s&link_type=abstract
Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 110, Issue E12, CiteID E12S23
Biology
12
Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Mars, Biogeosciences: Evolutionary Geobiology, Biogeosciences: Geomicrobiology, Planetary Sciences: Astrobiology: Origin Of Life, Planetary Sciences: Astrobiology: Early Environment Of Earth
Scientific paper
As the environmental histories of Earth and Mars have diverged drastically after the first few hundred million years, so would the history of any life on them. While Earth has had liquid water on its surface for billions of years, Mars most likely had long dry and cold environments interspersed with warmer and wetter periods. Life thrived on Earth but may have been severely restricted on Mars. There it could be present today in liquid water in or beneath ice sheets or glaciers, in subterranean aqueous reservoirs, especially in regions of elevated heat flow, or in protected habitats such as lava tubes, caves, or cracks and fissures. The potential for life is enhanced in regions where elevated heat flow may occur, such as in parts of the Tharsis and Elysium volcanic provinces. Possible organisms would be chemoautotrophic psychrophiles adapted to a nutrient-poor environment or photoautotrophic life in selected near-surface habitats. Alternatively, life may have evolved alternating cycles between active and dormant forms, in which case microbes could be present in dormant forms close to the surface and in active forms in protected environments. Periodic liquid water on Mars could have provided opportunities for biologic activity, as well as evolutionary progress, at the surface during the short-lived climatic perturbations. Ancient organisms from any of these environments may also have left a detectable fossil record.
Dohm James M.
Fairén Alberto G.
Irwin Louis N.
Lemone David
Lipps Jere H.
No associations
LandOfFree
Scenarios for the evolution of life on Mars 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 Scenarios for the evolution of life on Mars, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Scenarios for the evolution of life on Mars will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1634865