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Qin X, Ren X, Wang X, Liu J, Wu H, Zeng X, Sun Y, Chen Z, Zhang S, Zhang Y, Chen W, Liu B, Liu D, Guo L, Li K, Zeng X, Huang H, Zhang Q, Yu S, Li C, Guo Z. Modern water at low latitudes on Mars: Potential evidence from dune surfaces. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd8868. [PMID: 37115933 PMCID: PMC10146874 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add8868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Landforms on the Martian surface are critical to understanding the nature of surface processes in the recent past. However, modern hydroclimatic conditions on Mars remain enigmatic, as explanations for the formation of observed landforms are ambiguous. We report crusts, cracks, aggregates, and bright polygonal ridges on the surfaces of hydrated salt-rich dunes of southern Utopia Planitia (~25°N) from in situ exploration by the Zhurong rover. These surface features were inferred to form after 1.4 to 0.4 million years ago. Wind and CO2 frost processes can be ruled out as potential mechanisms. Instead, involvement of saline water from thawed frost/snow is the most likely cause. This discovery sheds light on more humid conditions of the modern Martian climate and provides critical clues to future exploration missions searching for signs of extant life, particularly at low latitudes with comparatively warmer, more amenable surface temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoguang Qin
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Corresponding author. (X.Q.); (X.R.); (X.W.); (J.L.)
| | - Xin Ren
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Corresponding author. (X.Q.); (X.R.); (X.W.); (J.L.)
| | - Xu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Corresponding author. (X.Q.); (X.R.); (X.W.); (J.L.)
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Corresponding author. (X.Q.); (X.R.); (X.W.); (J.L.)
| | - Haibin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingguo Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Sun
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaopeng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shihao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yizhong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wangli Chen
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Dawei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kangkang Li
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangzhao Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hai Huang
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Songzheng Yu
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunlai Li
- Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengtang Guo
- Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Spohn T, Hudson TL, Marteau E, Golombek M, Grott M, Wippermann T, Ali KS, Schmelzbach C, Kedar S, Hurst K, Trebi-Ollennu A, Ansan V, Garvin J, Knollenberg J, Müller N, Piqueux S, Lichtenheldt R, Krause C, Fantinati C, Brinkman N, Sollberger D, Delage P, Vrettos C, Reershemius S, Wisniewski L, Grygorczuk J, Robertsson J, Edme P, Andersson F, Krömer O, Lognonné P, Giardini D, Smrekar SE, Banerdt WB. The InSight HP 3 Penetrator (Mole) on Mars: Soil Properties Derived from the Penetration Attempts and Related Activities. SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS 2022; 218:72. [PMID: 36514324 PMCID: PMC9734249 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-022-00941-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The NASA InSight Lander on Mars includes the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package HP3 to measure the surface heat flow of the planet. The package uses temperature sensors that would have been brought to the target depth of 3-5 m by a small penetrator, nicknamed the mole. The mole requiring friction on its hull to balance remaining recoil from its hammer mechanism did not penetrate to the targeted depth. Instead, by precessing about a point midway along its hull, it carved a 7 cm deep and 5-6 cm wide pit and reached a depth of initially 31 cm. The root cause of the failure - as was determined through an extensive, almost two years long campaign - was a lack of friction in an unexpectedly thick cohesive duricrust. During the campaign - described in detail in this paper - the mole penetrated further aided by friction applied using the scoop at the end of the robotic Instrument Deployment Arm and by direct support by the latter. The mole tip finally reached a depth of about 37 cm, bringing the mole back-end 1-2 cm below the surface. It reversed its downward motion twice during attempts to provide friction through pressure on the regolith instead of directly with the scoop to the mole hull. The penetration record of the mole was used to infer mechanical soil parameters such as the penetration resistance of the duricrust of 0.3-0.7 MPa and a penetration resistance of a deeper layer ( > 30 cm depth) of 4.9 ± 0.4 MPa . Using the mole's thermal sensors, thermal conductivity and diffusivity were measured. Applying cone penetration theory, the resistance of the duricrust was used to estimate a cohesion of the latter of 2-15 kPa depending on the internal friction angle of the duricrust. Pushing the scoop with its blade into the surface and chopping off a piece of duricrust provided another estimate of the cohesion of 5.8 kPa. The hammerings of the mole were recorded by the seismometer SEIS and the signals were used to derive P-wave and S-wave velocities representative of the topmost tens of cm of the regolith. Together with the density provided by a thermal conductivity and diffusivity measurement using the mole's thermal sensors, the elastic moduli were calculated from the seismic velocities. Using empirical correlations from terrestrial soil studies between the shear modulus and cohesion, the previous cohesion estimates were found to be consistent with the elastic moduli. The combined data were used to derive a model of the regolith that has an about 20 cm thick duricrust underneath a 1 cm thick unconsolidated layer of sand mixed with dust and above another 10 cm of unconsolidated sand. Underneath the latter, a layer more resistant to penetration and possibly containing debris from a small impact crater is inferred. The thermal conductivity increases from 14 mW/m K to 34 mW/m K through the 1 cm sand/dust layer, keeps the latter value in the duricrust and the sand layer underneath and then increases to 64 mW/m K in the sand/gravel layer below. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11214-022-00941-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Spohn
- International Space Science Institute, Hallerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - T. L. Hudson
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - E. Marteau
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - M. Golombek
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - M. Grott
- DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - T. Wippermann
- DLR Institute of Space Systems, Robert-Hooke-Str. 7, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - K. S. Ali
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - C. Schmelzbach
- Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, Institute of Geophysics, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - S. Kedar
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - K. Hurst
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - A. Trebi-Ollennu
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - V. Ansan
- Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique de Nantes, Université de Nantes, 44322 Nantes, France
| | - J. Garvin
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA
| | - J. Knollenberg
- DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - N. Müller
- DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Rutherfordstr. 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - S. Piqueux
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - R. Lichtenheldt
- DLR Institute of System Dynamics and Control, Münchener Strasse 20, 82234 Wessling, Germany
| | - C. Krause
- DLR MUSC Space Operations and Astronaut Training, Linder Höhe, 51147 Köln, Germany
| | - C. Fantinati
- DLR MUSC Space Operations and Astronaut Training, Linder Höhe, 51147 Köln, Germany
| | - N. Brinkman
- Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, Institute of Geophysics, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - D. Sollberger
- Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, Institute of Geophysics, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - P. Delage
- École nationale des ponts et chaussées, Laboratoire Navier, Paris, France
| | - C. Vrettos
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - S. Reershemius
- DLR Institute of Space Systems, Robert-Hooke-Str. 7, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - L. Wisniewski
- Astronika Sp. z o.o., ul. Bartycka 18, 00-716 Warszawa, Poland
| | - J. Grygorczuk
- Astronika Sp. z o.o., ul. Bartycka 18, 00-716 Warszawa, Poland
| | - J. Robertsson
- Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, Institute of Geophysics, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - P. Edme
- Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, Institute of Geophysics, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - F. Andersson
- Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, Institute of Geophysics, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - P. Lognonné
- Institut du Physique du Globe Paris, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - D. Giardini
- Department of Earth Sciences, ETH Zürich, Institute of Geophysics, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - S. E. Smrekar
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - W. B. Banerdt
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
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Duhamel S, Hamilton CW, Pálsson S, Björnsdóttir SH. Microbial Response to Increased Temperatures Within a Lava-Induced Hydrothermal System in Iceland: An Analogue for the Habitability of Volcanic Terrains on Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:1176-1198. [PMID: 35920884 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Fossil hydrothermal systems on Mars are important exploration targets because they may have once been habitable and could still preserve evidence of microbial life. We investigated microbial communities within an active lava-induced hydrothermal system associated with the 2014-2015 eruption of Holuhraun in Iceland as a Mars analogue. In 2016, the microbial composition in the lava-heated water differed substantially from that of the glacial river and spring water sources that fed into the system. Several taxonomic and metabolic groups were confined to the water emerging from the lava and some showed the highest sequence similarities to subsurface ecosystems, including to the predicted thermophilic and deeply branching Candidatus Acetothermum autotrophicum. Measurements show that the communities were affected by temperature and other environmental factors. In particular, comparing glacial river water incubated in situ (5.7°C, control) with glacial water incubated within a lava-heated stream (17.5°C, warm) showed that microbial abundance, richness, and diversity increased in the warm treatment compared with the control, with the predicted major metabolism shifting from lithotrophy toward organotrophy and possibly phototrophy. In addition, thermophilic bacteria isolated from the lava-heated water and a nearby acidic hydrothermal system included the known endospore-formers Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Paenibacillus cisolokensis as well as a potentially novel taxon within the order Hyphomicrobiales. Similar lava-water interactions on Mars could therefore have generated habitable environments for microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solange Duhamel
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Division of Biology and Paleo Environment, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA
| | | | - Snæbjörn Pálsson
- Department of Biology, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland
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Recognition of Sedimentary Rock Occurrences in Satellite and Aerial Images of Other Worlds—Insights from Mars. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13214296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Sedimentary rocks provide records of past surface and subsurface processes and environments. The first step in the study of the sedimentary rock record of another world is to learn to recognize their occurrences in images from instruments aboard orbiting, flyby, or aerial platforms. For two decades, Mars has been known to have sedimentary rocks; however, planet-wide identification is incomplete. Global coverage at 0.25–6 m/pixel, and observations from the Curiosity rover in Gale crater, expand the ability to recognize Martian sedimentary rocks. No longer limited to cases that are light-toned, lightly cratered, and stratified—or mimic original depositional setting (e.g., lithified deltas)—Martian sedimentary rocks include dark-toned examples, as well as rocks that are erosion-resistant enough to retain small craters as well as do lava flows. Breakdown of conglomerates, breccias, and even some mudstones, can produce a pebbly regolith that imparts a “smooth” appearance in satellite and aerial images. Context is important; sedimentary rocks remain challenging to distinguish from primary igneous rocks in some cases. Detection of ultramafic, mafic, or andesitic compositions do not dictate that a rock is igneous, and clast genesis should be considered separately from the depositional record. Mars likely has much more sedimentary rock than previously recognized.
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Ruff SW, Campbell KA, Van Kranendonk MJ, Rice MS, Farmer JD. The Case for Ancient Hot Springs in Gusev Crater, Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2020; 20:475-499. [PMID: 31621375 PMCID: PMC7133449 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The origin and age of opaline silica deposits discovered by the Spirit rover adjacent to the Home Plate feature in the Columbia Hills of Gusev crater remains debated, in part because of their proximity to sulfur-rich soils. Processes related to fumarolic activity and to hot springs and/or geysers are the leading candidates. Both processes are known to produce opaline silica on Earth, but with differences in composition, morphology, texture, and stratigraphy. Here, we incorporate new and existing observations of the Home Plate region with observations from field and laboratory work to address the competing hypotheses. The results, which include new evidence for a hot spring vent mound, demonstrate that a volcanic hydrothermal system manifesting both hot spring/geyser and fumarolic activity best explains the opaline silica rocks and proximal S-rich materials, respectively. The opaline silica rocks most likely are sinter deposits derived from hot spring activity. Stratigraphic evidence indicates that their deposition occurred before the emplacement of the volcaniclastic deposits comprising Home Plate and nearby ridges. Because sinter deposits throughout geologic history on Earth preserve evidence for microbial life, they are a key target in the search for ancient life on Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven W. Ruff
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
- Address correspondence to: Steven W. Ruff, School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Mars Space Flight Facility, Moeur Building Room 131, Tempe, AZ 85287-6305
| | - Kathleen A. Campbell
- School of Environment and Te Ao Mārama—Centre for Fundamental Inquiry, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Martin J. Van Kranendonk
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Melissa S. Rice
- Department of Geology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington
| | - Jack D. Farmer
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
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Abstract
The Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) spacecraft landed successfully on Mars and imaged the surface to characterize the surficial geology. Here we report on the geology and subsurface structure of the landing site to aid in situ geophysical investigations. InSight landed in a degraded impact crater in Elysium Planitia on a smooth sandy, granule- and pebble-rich surface with few rocks. Superposed impact craters are common and eolian bedforms are sparse. During landing, pulsed retrorockets modified the surface to reveal a near surface stratigraphy of surficial dust, over thin unconsolidated sand, underlain by a variable thickness duricrust, with poorly sorted, unconsolidated sand with rocks beneath. Impact, eolian, and mass wasting processes have dominantly modified the surface. Surface observations are consistent with expectations made from remote sensing data prior to landing indicating a surface composed of an impact-fragmented regolith overlying basaltic lava flows. The InSight spacecraft landed on Mars on November 2018. Here, the authors characterize the surficial geology of the landing site and compare with observations and models derived from remote sensing data prior to landing and from ongoing in situ geophysical investigations of the subsurface.
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Thomas NH, Ehlmann BL, Meslin P, Rapin W, Anderson DE, Rivera‐Hernández F, Forni O, Schröder S, Cousin A, Mangold N, Gellert R, Gasnault O, Wiens RC. Mars Science Laboratory Observations of Chloride Salts in Gale Crater, Mars. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 2019; 46:10754-10763. [PMID: 31894167 PMCID: PMC6919417 DOI: 10.1029/2019gl082764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover is traversing a sequence of stratified sedimentary rocks in Gale crater that contain varied eolian, fluviodeltaic, and lake deposits, with phyllosilicates, iron oxides, and sulfate salts. Here, we report the chloride salt distribution along the rover traverse. Chlorine is detected at low levels (<3 wt.%) in soil and rock targets with multiple MSL instruments. Isolated fine-scale observations of high chlorine (up to ≥15 wt.% Cl), detected using the ChemCam instrument, are associated with elevated Na2O and interpreted as halite grains or cements in bedrock. Halite is also interpreted at the margins of veins and in nodular, altered textures. We have not detected halite in obvious evaporitic layers. Instead, its scattered distribution indicates that chlorides emplaced earlier in particular members of the Murray formation were remobilized and reprecipitated by later groundwaters within Murray formation mudstones and in diagenetic veins and nodules.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. H. Thomas
- Division of Geological and Planetary SciencesCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - B. L. Ehlmann
- Division of Geological and Planetary SciencesCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
- Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - P.‐Y. Meslin
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CNESToulouseFrance
| | - W. Rapin
- Division of Geological and Planetary SciencesCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | - D. E. Anderson
- Division of Geological and Planetary SciencesCalifornia Institute of TechnologyPasadenaCAUSA
| | | | - O. Forni
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CNESToulouseFrance
| | | | - A. Cousin
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CNESToulouseFrance
| | - N. Mangold
- Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique, UMR6112, CNRS, Université de NantesNantesFrance
| | - R. Gellert
- Department of PhysicsUniversity of GulephGulephOntarioCanada
| | - O. Gasnault
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, CNESToulouseFrance
| | - R. C. Wiens
- Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos AlamosNMUSA
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Niu Y, Chen P, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Hu S, Jin G, Tang C, Guo L. Natural variation among Arabidopsis thaliana accessions in tolerance to high magnesium supply. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13640. [PMID: 30206317 PMCID: PMC6134027 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31950-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
High magnesium (Mg2+) in some extreme serpentine soils or semi-arid regions is an important factor affecting crop growth and development. Specific loci that form the genetic framework underlying high Mg2+ homeostasis, however, are not well understood. By using GWA mapping on 388 accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana selected from a worldwide collection and genotyped at approximately 250,00 SNPs, we successfully identified 109 and 74 putative genetic regions associated in nutrient traits under normal (1,000 µM) and high Mg2+ (10,000 µM), respectively. Above 90% SNPs associated with nutrients including Mg2+ and only two SNPs shared between normal and high Mg2+. A single strong peak of SNPs associated with Ca concentration corresponding to candidate gene At1g60420 ARABIDOPSIS NUCLEOREDOXIN (AtNRX1) under high Mg2+ was further determined. Compared with wildtype, mutants of Atnrx1-1 and Atnrx1-2 supplied with high Mg2+ had higher Ca concentrations in the plant, and higher cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations during root elongation, as well as higher fresh weight and lateral-root number. This suggests that AtNRX1 was a critical gene negatively regulating Ca uptake under high Mg2+ conditions. The discovery could help to breed/select crops that can adapt to high-Mg2+ soils such as serpentine soils (high ratio of Mg2+: Ca2+) or Mars soil with high levels of magnesium sulfate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaofang Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Ping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Zhongwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Shikai Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, 310006, China
| | - Gulei Jin
- College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China
| | - Caixian Tang
- Centre for AgriBioscience, La Trobe University, Melbourne Campus, Vic, 3086, Australia
| | - Longbiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, 310006, China.
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9
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Amazonian chemical weathering rate derived from stony meteorite finds at Meridiani Planum on Mars. Nat Commun 2016; 7:13459. [PMID: 27834377 PMCID: PMC5114618 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms13459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Spacecraft exploring Mars such as the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, as well as the Mars Science Laboratory or Curiosity rover, have accumulated evidence for wet and habitable conditions on early Mars more than 3 billion years ago. Current conditions, by contrast, are cold, extremely arid and seemingly inhospitable. To evaluate exactly how dry today's environment is, it is important to understand the ongoing current weathering processes. Here we present chemical weathering rates determined for Mars. We use the oxidation of iron in stony meteorites investigated by the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity at Meridiani Planum. Their maximum exposure age is constrained by the formation of Victoria crater and their minimum age by erosion of the meteorites. The chemical weathering rates thus derived are ∼1 to 4 orders of magnitude slower than that of similar meteorites found in Antarctica where the slowest rates are observed on Earth. Little is known about the impacts of Mars' contemporary dryness on weathering processes. Here, using iron oxidation estimates from the Mars Rover Opportunity, the authors quantify chemical weathering rates for Mars, finding appreciably slower rates compared with the lowest values on Earth.
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Vítek P, Jehlička J, Edwards HGM, Hutchinson I, Ascaso C, Wierzchos J. Miniaturized Raman instrumentation detects carotenoids in Mars-analogue rocks from the Mojave and Atacama deserts. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2014; 372:rsta.2014.0196. [PMID: 25368344 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2014.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This study is primarily focused on proving the potential of miniaturized Raman systems to detect any biomolecular and mineral signal in natural geobiological samples that are relevant for future application of the technique within astrobiologically aimed missions on Mars. A series of evaporites of varying composition and origin from two extremely dry deserts were studied, namely Atacama and Mojave. The samples represent both dry evaporitic deposits and recent evaporitic efflorescences from hypersaline brines. The samples comprise halite and different types of sulfates and carbonates. The samples were analysed in two different ways: (i) directly as untreated rocks and (ii) as homogenized powders. Two excitation wavelengths of miniaturized Raman spectrometers were compared: 532 and 785 nm. The potential to detect carotenoids as biomarkers on Mars compared with the potential detection of carbonaceous matter using miniaturized instrumentation is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Vítek
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - J Jehlička
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - H G M Edwards
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Sciences Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - I Hutchinson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Space Sciences Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK
| | - C Ascaso
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, c/ Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - J Wierzchos
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, c/ Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain
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11
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Summons RE, Sessions AL, Allwood AC, Barton HA, Beaty DW, Blakkolb B, Canham J, Clark BC, Dworkin JP, Lin Y, Mathies R, Milkovich SM, Steele A. Planning considerations related to the organic contamination of Martian samples and implications for the Mars 2020 Rover. ASTROBIOLOGY 2014; 14:969-1027. [PMID: 25495496 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2014.1244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- R E Summons
- 1 Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts
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12
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Núñez JI, Farmer JD, Sellar RG, Swayze GA, Blaney DL. Science applications of a multispectral microscopic imager for the astrobiological exploration of Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2014; 14:132-69. [PMID: 24552233 PMCID: PMC3929460 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2013.1079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Future astrobiological missions to Mars are likely to emphasize the use of rovers with in situ petrologic capabilities for selecting the best samples at a site for in situ analysis with onboard lab instruments or for caching for potential return to Earth. Such observations are central to an understanding of the potential for past habitable conditions at a site and for identifying samples most likely to harbor fossil biosignatures. The Multispectral Microscopic Imager (MMI) provides multispectral reflectance images of geological samples at the microscale, where each image pixel is composed of a visible/shortwave infrared spectrum ranging from 0.46 to 1.73 μm. This spectral range enables the discrimination of a wide variety of rock-forming minerals, especially Fe-bearing phases, and the detection of hydrated minerals. The MMI advances beyond the capabilities of current microimagers on Mars by extending the spectral range into the infrared and increasing the number of spectral bands. The design employs multispectral light-emitting diodes and an uncooled indium gallium arsenide focal plane array to achieve a very low mass and high reliability. To better understand and demonstrate the capabilities of the MMI for future surface missions to Mars, we analyzed samples from Mars-relevant analog environments with the MMI. Results indicate that the MMI images faithfully resolve the fine-scale microtextural features of samples and provide important information to help constrain mineral composition. The use of spectral endmember mapping reveals the distribution of Fe-bearing minerals (including silicates and oxides) with high fidelity, along with the presence of hydrated minerals. MMI-based petrogenetic interpretations compare favorably with laboratory-based analyses, revealing the value of the MMI for future in situ rover-mediated astrobiological exploration of Mars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge I. Núñez
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - Jack D. Farmer
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - R. Glenn Sellar
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | | | - Diana L. Blaney
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
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13
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Vítek P, Jehlička J, Edwards HGM. Practical considerations for the field application of miniaturized portable Raman instrumentation for the identification of minerals. APPLIED SPECTROSCOPY 2013; 67:767-78. [PMID: 23816130 DOI: 10.1366/12-06774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The nondestructive identification of both inorganic and organic compounds without the need for chemical or mechanical sample preparation is an advantage of the Raman spectroscopic analytical technique when applied in situ using miniaturized equipment for the geosciences. This is critically assessed here for several real life geoscientific scenarios in which several groups of minerals were analyzed with emphasis on evaporites, carbonates, and selected types of dark minerals and weak Raman scatterers. The role of individual analytical instrumental parameters such as focal plane precision, exposure time, and ambient light conditions that can affect the acquisition and interpretation of spectroscopic data from these specimens in field conditions was also evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Vítek
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
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14
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Cowen R. Meteorite carries ancient water from Mars. Nature 2013. [DOI: 10.1038/nature.2013.12145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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15
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Radiation Resistance in Extremophiles: Fending Off Multiple Attacks. CELLULAR ORIGIN, LIFE IN EXTREME HABITATS AND ASTROBIOLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-6488-0_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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16
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Aoudjehane HC, Avice G, Barrat JA, Boudouma O, Chen G, Duke MJM, Franchi IA, Gattacceca J, Grady MM, Greenwood RC, Herd CDK, Hewins R, Jambon A, Marty B, Rochette P, Smith CL, Sautter V, Verchovsky A, Weber P, Zanda B. Tissint Martian Meteorite: A Fresh Look at the Interior, Surface, and Atmosphere of Mars. Science 2012; 338:785-8. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1224514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- H. Chennaoui Aoudjehane
- Hassan II University Casablanca, Faculty of Sciences, Géosciences Appliquées à l’Ingénierie et l’Aménagement (GAIA) Laboratory, BP 5366 Maârif, Casablanca Morocco
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 6, Institut de la Terre de Paris (UMR 7193) 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris France
| | - G. Avice
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques-CNRS, Université de Lorraine, 15 rue Notre Dame des Pauvres, BP 20, F-54501 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - J.-A. Barrat
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale–Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, UMR 6538, Place Nicolas Copernic, 29280 Plouzané Cedex, France
| | - O. Boudouma
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 6, Institut de la Terre de Paris (UMR 7193) 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris France
| | - G. Chen
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - M. J. M. Duke
- SLOWPOKE Nuclear Reactor Facility, 1-20 University Hall, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2J9, Canada
| | - I. A. Franchi
- Planetary and Space Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - J. Gattacceca
- Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS Aix-Marseille University, BP80 13545 Aix en Provence, Cedex 4, France
| | - M. M. Grady
- Planetary and Space Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
- Department of Mineralogy, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - R. C. Greenwood
- Planetary and Space Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - C. D. K. Herd
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E3, Canada
| | - R. Hewins
- Laboratoire d'Etudes de la Matière Extraterrestre, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle and CNRS-UMS2679, 61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - A. Jambon
- Université Pierre et Marie Curie Paris 6, Institut de la Terre de Paris (UMR 7193) 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris France
| | - B. Marty
- Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques-CNRS, Université de Lorraine, 15 rue Notre Dame des Pauvres, BP 20, F-54501 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
| | - P. Rochette
- Centre Européen de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Géosciences de l’Environnement, CNRS Aix-Marseille University, BP80 13545 Aix en Provence, Cedex 4, France
| | - C. L Smith
- Department of Mineralogy, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road London SW7 5BD, UK
- ESA (European Space Agency) European Space Research and Technology Center, Keplerlaan 1, 2200 AG Noordwijk, Netherlands
- UK Space Agency, ESA Harwell Centre, Atlas Building, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, UK
| | - V. Sautter
- Laboratoire d'Etudes de la Matière Extraterrestre, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle and CNRS-UMS2679, 61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - A. Verchovsky
- Planetary and Space Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - P. Weber
- University of Bern, Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - B. Zanda
- Laboratoire d'Etudes de la Matière Extraterrestre, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle and CNRS-UMS2679, 61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
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17
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Lanza NL, Clegg SM, Wiens RC, McInroy RE, Newsom HE, Deans MD. Examining natural rock varnish and weathering rinds with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for application to ChemCam on Mars. APPLIED OPTICS 2012; 51:B74-B82. [PMID: 22410929 DOI: 10.1364/ao.51.000b74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2011] [Accepted: 01/17/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
A laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument is traveling to Mars as part of ChemCam on the Mars Science Laboratory rover. Martian rocks have weathered exteriors that obscure their bulk compositions. We examine weathered rocks with LIBS in a martian atmosphere to improve interpretations of ChemCam rock analyses on Mars. Profile data are analyzed using principal component analysis, and coatings and rinds are examined using scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis. Our results show that LIBS is sensitive to minor compositional changes with depth and correctly identifies rock type even if the series of laser pulses does not penetrate to unweathered material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina L Lanza
- Institute of Meteoritics, MSC03 2050, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA.
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18
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Planning for Mars returned sample science: final report of the MSR End-to-End International Science Analysis Group (E2E-iSAG). ASTROBIOLOGY 2012; 12:175-230. [PMID: 22468886 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2011.0805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
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19
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Thermal history of Mars inferred from orbital geochemistry of volcanic provinces. Nature 2011; 472:338-41. [PMID: 21471967 DOI: 10.1038/nature09903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2010] [Accepted: 02/01/2011] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Reconstruction of the geological history of Mars has been the focus of considerable attention over the past four decades, with important discoveries being made about variations in surface conditions. However, despite a significant increase in the amount of data related to the morphology, mineralogy and chemistry of the martian surface, there is no clear global picture of how magmatism has evolved over time and how these changes relate to the internal workings and thermal evolution of the planet. Here we present geochemical data derived from the Gamma Ray Spectrometer on board NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, focusing on twelve major volcanic provinces of variable age. Our analysis reveals clear trends in composition that are found to be consistent with varying degrees of melting of the martian mantle. There is evidence for thickening of the lithosphere (17-25 km Gyr(-1)) associated with a decrease in mantle potential temperature over time (30-40 K Gyr(-1)). Our inferred thermal history of Mars, unlike that of the Earth, is consistent with simple models of mantle convection.
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20
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Wang A, Ling ZC. Ferric sulfates on Mars: A combined mission data analysis of salty soils at Gusev crater and laboratory experimental investigations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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21
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Summons RE, Amend JP, Bish D, Buick R, Cody GD, Des Marais DJ, Dromart G, Eigenbrode JL, Knoll AH, Sumner DY. Preservation of martian organic and environmental records: final report of the Mars biosignature working group. ASTROBIOLOGY 2011; 11:157-81. [PMID: 21417945 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2010.0506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) has an instrument package capable of making measurements of past and present environmental conditions. The data generated may tell us if Mars is, or ever was, able to support life. However, the knowledge of Mars' past history and the geological processes most likely to preserve a record of that history remain sparse and, in some instances, ambiguous. Physical, chemical, and geological processes relevant to biosignature preservation on Earth, especially under conditions early in its history when microbial life predominated, are also imperfectly known. Here, we present the report of a working group chartered by the Co-Chairs of NASA's MSL Project Science Group, John P. Grotzinger and Michael A. Meyer, to review and evaluate potential for biosignature formation and preservation on Mars. Orbital images confirm that layered rocks achieved kilometer-scale thicknesses in some regions of ancient Mars. Clearly, interplays of sedimentation and erosional processes govern present-day exposures, and our understanding of these processes is incomplete. MSL can document and evaluate patterns of stratigraphic development as well as the sources of layered materials and their subsequent diagenesis. It can also document other potential biosignature repositories such as hydrothermal environments. These capabilities offer an unprecedented opportunity to decipher key aspects of the environmental evolution of Mars' early surface and aspects of the diagenetic processes that have operated since that time. Considering the MSL instrument payload package, we identified the following classes of biosignatures as within the MSL detection window: organism morphologies (cells, body fossils, casts), biofabrics (including microbial mats), diagnostic organic molecules, isotopic signatures, evidence of biomineralization and bioalteration, spatial patterns in chemistry, and biogenic gases. Of these, biogenic organic molecules and biogenic atmospheric gases are considered the most definitive and most readily detectable by MSL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger E Summons
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
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Sullivan R, Anderson R, Biesiadecki J, Bond T, Stewart H. Cohesions, friction angles, and other physical properties of Martian regolith from Mars Exploration Rover wheel trenches and wheel scuffs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1029/2010je003625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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23
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Visscher AM, Paul AL, Kirst M, Guy CL, Schuerger AC, Ferl RJ. Growth performance and root transcriptome remodeling of Arabidopsis in response to Mars-like levels of magnesium sulfate. PLoS One 2010; 5:e12348. [PMID: 20808807 PMCID: PMC2925951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2010] [Accepted: 07/12/2010] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Martian regolith (unconsolidated surface material) is a potential medium for plant growth in bioregenerative life support systems during manned missions on Mars. However, hydrated magnesium sulfate mineral levels in the regolith of Mars can reach as high as 10 wt%, and would be expected to be highly inhibitory to plant growth. Methodology and Principal Findings Disabling ion transporters AtMRS2-10 and AtSULTR1;2, which are plasma membrane localized in peripheral root cells, is not an effective way to confer tolerance to magnesium sulfate soils. Arabidopsis mrs2-10 and sel1-10 knockout lines do not mitigate the growth inhibiting impacts of high MgSO4·7H2O concentrations observed with wildtype plants. A global approach was used to identify novel genes with potential to enhance tolerance to high MgSO4·7H2O (magnesium sulfate) stress. The early Arabidopsis root transcriptome response to elevated concentrations of magnesium sulfate was characterized in Col-0, and also between Col-0 and the mutant line cax1-1, which was confirmed to be relatively tolerant of high levels of MgSO4·7H2O in soil solution. Differentially expressed genes in Col-0 treated for 45 min. encode enzymes primarily involved in hormone metabolism, transcription factors, calcium-binding proteins, kinases, cell wall related proteins and membrane-based transporters. Over 200 genes encoding transporters were differentially expressed in Col-0 up to 180 min. of exposure, and one of the first down-regulated genes was CAX1. The importance of this early response in wildtype Arabidopsis is exemplified in the fact that only four transcripts were differentially expressed between Col-0 and cax1-1 at 180 min. after initiation of treatment. Conclusions/Significance The results provide a solid basis for the understanding of the metabolic response of plants to elevated magnesium sulfate soils; it is the first transcriptome analysis of plants in this environment. The results foster the development of Mars soil-compatible plants by showing that cax1 mutants exhibit partial tolerance to magnesium sulfate, and by elucidating a small subset (500 vs. >10,000) of candidate genes for mutation or metabolic engineering that will enhance tolerance to magnesium sulfate soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. Visscher
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Anna-Lisa Paul
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Matias Kirst
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Charles L. Guy
- Environmental Horticulture Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Andrew C. Schuerger
- Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Ferl
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Vítek P, Edwards HGM, Jehlicka J, Ascaso C, De los Ríos A, Valea S, Jorge-Villar SE, Davila AF, Wierzchos J. Microbial colonization of halite from the hyper-arid Atacama Desert studied by Raman spectroscopy. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2010; 368:3205-21. [PMID: 20529955 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2010.0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert (Chile) is the driest place on Earth and is considered a close analogue to the extremely arid conditions on the surface of Mars. Microbial life is very rare in soils of this hyper-arid region, and autotrophic micro-organisms are virtually absent. Instead, photosynthetic micro-organisms have successfully colonized the interior of halite crusts, which are widespread in the Atacama Desert. These endoevaporitic colonies are an example of life that has adapted to the extreme dryness by colonizing the interior of rocks that provide enhanced moisture conditions. As such, these colonies represent a novel example of potential life on Mars. Here, we present non-destructive Raman spectroscopical identification of these colonies and their organic remnants. Spectral signatures revealed the presence of UV-protective biomolecules as well as light-harvesting pigments pointing to photosynthetic activity. Compounds of biogenic origin identified within these rocks differed depending on the origins of specimens from particular areas in the desert, with differing environmental conditions. Our results also demonstrate the capability of Raman spectroscopy to identify biomarkers within rocks that have a strong astrobiological potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Vítek
- Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic.
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Karunatillake S, Wray JJ, Squyres SW, Taylor GJ, Gasnault O, McLennan SM, Boynton W, El Maarry MR, Dohm JM. Chemically striking regions on Mars and Stealth revisited. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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26
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Ehlmann BL, Mustard JF, Swayze GA, Clark RN, Bishop JL, Poulet F, Des Marais DJ, Roach LH, Milliken RE, Wray JJ, Barnouin-Jha O, Murchie SL. Identification of hydrated silicate minerals on Mars using MRO-CRISM: Geologic context near Nili Fossae and implications for aqueous alteration. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2009je003339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 383] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Krinsley D, Dorn RI, DiGregorio B. Astrobiological implications of rock varnish in Tibet. ASTROBIOLOGY 2009; 9:551-562. [PMID: 19663762 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2008.0238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The study of terrestrial geomicrobiology and its relationship to rock weathering processes is an essential tool in developing analogues for similar processes that may have occurred on Mars. Most studies of manganese-enhanced rock varnish have focused on samples taken from warm arid desert regions. Here, we examine samples obtained from eolian-abraded lava flows of the 4700-4800 m high Ashikule Basin in Tibet. Because it receives approximately 300 mm of precipitation annually, this site is nowhere near as dry as Atacama Desert locales. However, the dusty, sulfate-rich, high-altitude and high-UV flux environment of the Tibetan locale offers new insight into rock varnish formation processes in a terrestrial environment that displays some attributes similar to those expected on early Mars. Microprobe measurements reveal that Mn enhancements in varnish are two orders of magnitude above the dust source, but Fe is only enhanced by a factor of three. Manganese-enhancing bacterial forms are not abundant but are still approximately 3 times more common than in Mojave and Sonoran Desert varnishes. In addition to its occurrence in subaerial positions, Tibetan varnish also occurs in micron-scale "pods" enveloped by silica glaze and as remobilized constituents that have migrated into the underlying weathering rind. A lack of surficial Mn-rich varnish, therefore, might not imply the absence of varnish. In contrast to suggestions that silica glaze might be a good source of microbial fossils and a key to varnish formation, we did not observe any clear microfossil forms entombed in silica glaze; further, there is no gradation between varnish and silica glaze but only distinct contacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Krinsley
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403-1272, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Y. McSween
- Planetary Geosciences Institute and Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996–1410, USA
| | - G. Jeffrey Taylor
- Hawai’i Institute for Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - Michael B. Wyatt
- Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912–1846, USA
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Kish A, Kirkali G, Robinson C, Rosenblatt R, Jaruga P, Dizdaroglu M, DiRuggiero J. Salt shield: intracellular salts provide cellular protection against ionizing radiation in the halophilic archaeon,Halobacterium salinarumNRC-1. Environ Microbiol 2009; 11:1066-78. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01828.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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30
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Wang A, Freeman JJ, Jolliff BL. Phase transition pathways of the hydrates of magnesium sulfate in the temperature range 50°C to 5°C: Implication for sulfates on Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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31
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Ming DW, Gellert R, Morris RV, Arvidson RE, Brückner J, Clark BC, Cohen BA, d'Uston C, Economou T, Fleischer I, Klingelhöfer G, McCoy TJ, Mittlefehldt DW, Schmidt ME, Schröder C, Squyres SW, Tréguier E, Yen AS, Zipfel J. Geochemical properties of rocks and soils in Gusev Crater, Mars: Results of the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer from Cumberland Ridge to Home Plate. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Wang A, Bell JF, Li R, Johnson JR, Farrand WH, Cloutis EA, Arvidson RE, Crumpler L, Squyres SW, McLennan SM, Herkenhoff KE, Ruff SW, Knudson AT, Chen W, Greenberger R. Light-toned salty soils and coexisting Si-rich species discovered by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit in Columbia Hills. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Hausrath EM, Treiman AH, Vicenzi E, Bish DL, Blake D, Sarrazin P, Hoehler T, Midtkandal I, Steele A, Brantley SL. Short- and long-term olivine weathering in Svalbard: implications for Mars. ASTROBIOLOGY 2008; 8:1079-1092. [PMID: 19191538 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2007.0195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Liquid water is essential to life as we know it on Earth; therefore, the search for water on Mars is a critical component of the search for life. Olivine, a mineral identified as present on Mars, has been proposed as an indicator of the duration and characteristics of water because it dissolves quickly, particularly under low-pH conditions. The duration of olivine persistence relative to glass under conditions of aqueous alteration reflects the pH and temperature of the reacting fluids. In this paper, we investigate the utility of 3 methodologies to detect silicate weathering in a Mars analog environment (Sverrefjell volcano, Svalbard). CheMin, a miniature X-ray diffraction instrument developed for flight on NASA's upcoming Mars Science Laboratory, was deployed on Svalbard and was successful in detecting olivine and weathering products. The persistence of olivine and glass in Svalbard rocks was also investigated via laboratory observations of weathered hand samples as well as an in situ burial experiment. Observations of hand samples are consistent with the inference that olivine persists longer than glass at near-zero temperatures in the presence of solutions at pH approximately 7-9 on Svalbard, whereas in hydrothermally altered zones, glass has persisted longer than olivine in the presence of fluids at similar pH at approximately 50 degrees C. Analysis of the surfaces of olivine and glass samples, which were buried on Sverrefjell for 1 year and then retrieved, documented only minor incipient weathering, though these results suggest the importance of biological impacts. The 3 types of observations (CheMin, laboratory observations of hand samples, burial experiments) of weathering of olivine and glass at Svalbard show promise for interpretation of weathering on Mars. Furthermore, the weathering relationships observed on Svalbard are consistent with laboratory-measured dissolution rates, which suggests that relative mineral dissolution rates in the laboratory, in concert with field observations, can be used to yield valuable information regarding the pH and temperature of reacting martian fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Hausrath
- Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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Arvidson RE, Ruff SW, Morris RV, Ming DW, Crumpler LS, Yen AS, Squyres SW, Sullivan RJ, Bell JF, Cabrol NA, Clark BC, Farrand WH, Gellert R, Greenberger R, Grant JA, Guinness EA, Herkenhoff KE, Hurowitz JA, Johnson JR, Klingelhöfer G, Lewis KW, Li R, McCoy TJ, Moersch J, McSween HY, Murchie SL, Schmidt M, Schröder C, Wang A, Wiseman S, Madsen MB, Goetz W, McLennan SM. Spirit Mars Rover Mission to the Columbia Hills, Gusev Crater: Mission overview and selected results from the Cumberland Ridge to Home Plate. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Smith PH, Tamppari L, Arvidson RE, Bass D, Blaney D, Boynton W, Carswell A, Catling D, Clark B, Duck T, DeJong E, Fisher D, Goetz W, Gunnlaugsson P, Hecht M, Hipkin V, Hoffman J, Hviid S, Keller H, Kounaves S, Lange CF, Lemmon M, Madsen M, Malin M, Markiewicz W, Marshall J, McKay C, Mellon M, Michelangeli D, Ming D, Morris R, Renno N, Pike WT, Staufer U, Stoker C, Taylor P, Whiteway J, Young S, Zent A. Introduction to special section on the Phoenix Mission: Landing Site Characterization Experiments, Mission Overviews, and Expected Science. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Thomson BJ, Bridges NT, Greeley R. Rock abrasion features in the Columbia Hills, Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je003018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Sullivan R, Arvidson R, Bell JF, Gellert R, Golombek M, Greeley R, Herkenhoff K, Johnson J, Thompson S, Whelley P, Wray J. Wind-driven particle mobility on Mars: Insights from Mars Exploration Rover observations at “El Dorado” and surroundings at Gusev Crater. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2008je003101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Schmidt ME, Ruff SW, McCoy TJ, Farrand WH, Johnson JR, Gellert R, Ming DW, Morris RV, Cabrol N, Lewis KW, Schroeder C. Hydrothermal origin of halogens at Home Plate, Gusev Crater. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je003027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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McSween HY, Ruff SW, Morris RV, Gellert R, Klingelhöfer G, Christensen PR, McCoy TJ, Ghosh A, Moersch JM, Cohen BA, Rogers AD, Schröder C, Squyres SW, Crisp J, Yen A. Mineralogy of volcanic rocks in Gusev Crater, Mars: Reconciling Mössbauer, Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer, and Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer spectra. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je002970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Cabrol NA, Herkenhoff KE, Greeley R, Grin EA, Schröder C, d'Uston C, Weitz C, Yingst RA, Cohen BA, Moore J, Knudson A, Franklin B, Anderson RC, Li R. Soil sedimentology at Gusev Crater from Columbia Memorial Station to Winter Haven. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je002953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Campbell JL, Gellert R, Lee M, Mallett CL, Maxwell JA, O'Meara JM. Quantitative in situ determination of hydration of bright high-sulfate Martian soils. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1029/2007je002959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Karunatillake S, Keller JM, Squyres SW, Boynton WV, Brückner J, Janes DM, Gasnault O, Newsom HE. Chemical compositions at Mars landing sites subject to Mars Odyssey Gamma Ray Spectrometer constraints. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - John M. Keller
- Physics Department; California Polytechnic State University; San Luis Obispo California USA
| | | | - William V. Boynton
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory; University of Arizona; Tucson Arizona USA
| | | | - Daniel M. Janes
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory; University of Arizona; Tucson Arizona USA
| | - Olivier Gasnault
- Centre d'Etude Spatiale des Rayonnements/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse; Toulouse France
| | - Horton E. Newsom
- Institute of Meteoritics and Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences; University of New Mexico; Albuquerque New Mexico USA
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Beegle LW, Wilson MG, Abilleira F, Jordan JF, Wilson GR. A concept for NASA's Mars 2016 astrobiology field laboratory. ASTROBIOLOGY 2007; 7:545-77. [PMID: 17723090 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2007.0153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The Mars Program Plan includes an integrated and coordinated set of future candidate missions and investigations that meet fundamental science objectives of NASA and the Mars Exploration Program (MEP). At the time this paper was written, these possible future missions are planned in a manner consistent with a projected budget profile for the Mars Program in the next decade (2007-2016). As with all future missions, the funding profile depends on a number of factors that include the exact cost of each mission as well as potential changes to the overall NASA budget. In the current version of the Mars Program Plan, the Astrobiology Field Laboratory (AFL) exists as a candidate project to determine whether there were (or are) habitable zones and life, and how the development of these zones may be related to the overall evolution of the planet. The AFL concept is a surface exploration mission equipped with a major in situ laboratory capable of making significant advancements toward the Mars Program's life-related scientific goals and the overarching Vision for Space Exploration. We have developed several concepts for the AFL that fit within known budget and engineering constraints projected for the 2016 and 2018 Mars mission launch opportunities. The AFL mission architecture proposed here assumes maximum heritage from the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). Candidate payload elements for this concept were identified from a set of recommendations put forth by the Astrobiology Field Laboratory Science Steering Group (AFL SSG) in 2004, for the express purpose of identifying overall rover mass and power requirements for such a mission. The conceptual payload includes a Precision Sample Handling and Processing System that would replace and augment the functionality and capabilities provided by the Sample Acquisition Sample Processing and Handling system that is currently part of the 2009 MSL platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luther W Beegle
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
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Zolotov MY, Mironenko MV. Timing of acid weathering on Mars: A kinetic-thermodynamic assessment. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Brotton SJ, Shapiro R, van der Laan G, Guo J, Glans PA, Ajello JM. Valence state fossils in Proterozoic stromatolites by L-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006jg000185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J. Brotton
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory; California Institute of Technology; Pasadena California USA
- Department of Physics; University of Windsor; Windsor Ontario Canada
| | - Russell Shapiro
- Geological and Environmental Sciences; California State University; Chico California USA
| | - Gerrit van der Laan
- Magnetic Spectroscopy Group; Daresbury Laboratory; Warrington UK
- School of Earth, Atmospheric, and Environmental Sciences; University of Manchester; Manchester UK
| | - Jinghua Guo
- Advanced Light Source; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Berkeley California USA
| | - Per-Anders Glans
- Advanced Light Source; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Berkeley California USA
- Department of Physics; Boston University; Boston Massachusetts USA
| | - Joseph M. Ajello
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory; California Institute of Technology; Pasadena California USA
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Minitti ME, Weitz CM, Lane MD, Bishop JL. Morphology, chemistry, and spectral properties of Hawaiian rock coatings and implications for Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Clark BC, Arvidson RE, Gellert R, Morris RV, Ming DW, Richter L, Ruff SW, Michalski JR, Farrand WH, Yen A, Herkenhoff KE, Li R, Squyres SW, Schröder C, Klingelhöfer G, Bell JF. Evidence for montmorillonite or its compositional equivalent in Columbia Hills, Mars. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Luhmann JG, Kasprzak WT, Russell CT. Space weather at Venus and its potential consequences for atmosphere evolution. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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50
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Newsom HE, Crumpler LS, Reedy RC, Petersen MT, Newsom GC, Evans LG, Taylor GJ, Keller JM, Janes DM, Boynton WV, Kerry KE, Karunatillake S. Geochemistry of Martian soil and bedrock in mantled and less mantled terrains with gamma ray data from Mars Odyssey. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1029/2006je002680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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