Arid
DOI10.1089/153110701753198936
Brines in Seepage Channels as Eluants for Subsurface Relict Biomolecules on Mars?
Wynn-Williams, David D.1; Cabrol, Nathalie A.2,3; Grin, Edmond A.2,3; Haberle, Robert M.3; Stoker, Carol R.3
通讯作者Wynn-Williams, David D.
来源期刊ASTROBIOLOGY
ISSN1531-1074
EISSN1557-8070
出版年2001
卷号1期号:2页码:165-184
英文摘要

Water, vital for life, not only maintains the integrity of structural and metabolic biomolecules, it also transports them in solution or colloidal suspension. Any flow of water through a dormant or fossilized microbial community elutes molecules that are potentially recognizable as biomarkers. We hypothesize that the surface seepage channels emanating from crater walls and cliffs in Mars Orbiter Camera images result from fluvial erosion of the regolith as low-temperature hypersaline brines. We propose that, if such flows passed through extensive subsurface catchments containing buried and fossilized remains of microbial communities from the wet Hesperian period of early Mars (similar to 3.5 Ga ago), they would have eluted and concentrated relict biomolecules and delivered them to the surface. Life-supporting low-temperature hypersaline brines in Antarctic desert habitats provide a terrestrial analog for such a scenario. As in the Antarctic, salts would likely have accumulated in water-filled depressions on Mars by seasonal influx and evaporation. Liquid water in the Antarctic cold desert analogs occurs at -80 degrees C in the interstices of shallow hypersaline soils and at -50 degrees C in salt-saturated ponds. Similarly, hypersaline brines on Mars could have freezing points depressed below -50 degrees C. The presence of hypersaline brines on Mars would have extended the amount of time during which life might have evolved. Phototrophic communities are especially important for the search for life because the distinctive structures and longevity of their pigments make excellent biomarkers. The surface seepage channels are therefore not only of geomorphological significance, but also provide potential repositories for biomolecules that could be accessed by landers.


英文关键词Biomolecules Brines Fluvial erosion Mars Microbes Salinity Water
类型Article
语种英语
国家England ; USA
收录类别SCI-E
WOS记录号WOS:000209363000005
WOS类目Astronomy & Astrophysics ; Biology ; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
WOS研究方向Astronomy & Astrophysics ; Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics ; Geology
资源类型期刊论文
条目标识符http://119.78.100.177/qdio/handle/2XILL650/140311
作者单位1.British Antarctic Survey, Nat Environm Res Council, Cambridge CB3 OET, England;
2.SETI Inst, Mountain View, CA 94043 USA;
3.NASA, Ames Res Ctr, Div Space Sci, Moffett Field, CA 94035 USA
推荐引用方式
GB/T 7714
Wynn-Williams, David D.,Cabrol, Nathalie A.,Grin, Edmond A.,et al. Brines in Seepage Channels as Eluants for Subsurface Relict Biomolecules on Mars?[J],2001,1(2):165-184.
APA Wynn-Williams, David D.,Cabrol, Nathalie A.,Grin, Edmond A.,Haberle, Robert M.,&Stoker, Carol R..(2001).Brines in Seepage Channels as Eluants for Subsurface Relict Biomolecules on Mars?.ASTROBIOLOGY,1(2),165-184.
MLA Wynn-Williams, David D.,et al."Brines in Seepage Channels as Eluants for Subsurface Relict Biomolecules on Mars?".ASTROBIOLOGY 1.2(2001):165-184.
条目包含的文件
条目无相关文件。
个性服务
推荐该条目
保存到收藏夹
导出为Endnote文件
谷歌学术
谷歌学术中相似的文章
[Wynn-Williams, David D.]的文章
[Cabrol, Nathalie A.]的文章
[Grin, Edmond A.]的文章
百度学术
百度学术中相似的文章
[Wynn-Williams, David D.]的文章
[Cabrol, Nathalie A.]的文章
[Grin, Edmond A.]的文章
必应学术
必应学术中相似的文章
[Wynn-Williams, David D.]的文章
[Cabrol, Nathalie A.]的文章
[Grin, Edmond A.]的文章
相关权益政策
暂无数据
收藏/分享

除非特别说明,本系统中所有内容都受版权保护,并保留所有权利。