A prototype autonomous system was designed and constructed to evaluate the critical sample prepar... more A prototype autonomous system was designed and constructed to evaluate the critical sample preparation functions that would be required for support of wet-chemistry based life detection instrumentation. The Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay, which detects lipids specific to gram-negative bacteria, has a simple extraction protocol and thus was selected as the model detection technique to be tested with this first-generation prototype. The LAL assay was also selected because there was already a compact, portable assay technology that was commercially available and could be easily integrated into the system. The design evolution, construction challenges, and testing of this sample preparation system will be presented in this article.
The Next Generation Exploration Conference (NGEC) brought together the emerging next generation o... more The Next Generation Exploration Conference (NGEC) brought together the emerging next generation of space leaders over three intensive days of collaboration and planning. The participants extended the ongoing work of national space agencies to draft a common strategic framework for lunar exploration, to include other destinations in the solar system. NGEC is the first conference to bring together emerging leaders to comment on and contribute to these activities. The majority of the three-day conference looked beyond the moon and focused on the "next ...
As part of the 2010 NASA Planetary Science Summer School, the Ganymede Interior, Surface, and Mag... more As part of the 2010 NASA Planetary Science Summer School, the Ganymede Interior, Surface, and Magnetosphere Observer (GISMO) team developed a preliminary satellite design for a science mission to Jupiter's moon Ganymede.
The Miniaturized Array for Solar System Exploration (MASSE) will use a microarray of antibody ass... more The Miniaturized Array for Solar System Exploration (MASSE) will use a microarray of antibody assays to search for biomarkers in extraterrestrial environments. We have now used enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to demonstrate the feasibility of immuno-detection of biomarkers in terrestrial soil, JSC-1 Mars regolith simulant, and terrestrial polar permafrost as analogues f ro extraterrestrial materials. We have also demonstrated that the technique works at microgravity and Martian gravity. Studies are now underway to test immunoassay techniques and antibody arrays at varying pressures and temperatures. It is expected that these studies will lead to a flight ready biomarker detection instrument that will be landed and operated on the Martian surface in 2009.
The Great Salt Lake Desert is a potential terrestrial analog for inferred martian paleolakes. Her... more The Great Salt Lake Desert is a potential terrestrial analog for inferred martian paleolakes. Here we present some of the preliminary results from an on-going geobiological study.
ABSTRACT VNIR mineralogical identification of lacustrine sediments from the Pilot Valley, Utah, M... more ABSTRACT VNIR mineralogical identification of lacustrine sediments from the Pilot Valley, Utah, Mars analog environment are compared to in situ methods: XRD and QEMSCAN.
Abstract: An instrument has been designed to operate independently and perform analysis of enzyma... more Abstract: An instrument has been designed to operate independently and perform analysis of enzymatic assays related to rapid assessment of microbial contamination. This has been employed to test the feasibility of monitoring surfaces on spacecraft hardware or assembly areas that may have applications for Planetary Protection. The format is also being considered as an on-board component of life detection instrumentation for future spaceflight missions to look for evidence of life on other planets in our solar system.
Automated life-detection experiments for solar system exploration have been pl7ev.iously. propose... more Automated life-detection experiments for solar system exploration have been pl7ev.iously. proposed ar:1.a. used or:1t>oard t.lle. Viking, Mars lander.s, aU-llough. wjtll, ambiguous results. The recent advances in biotechnology such as biosensors, pr;oteir:1. r:r:licr.oar.r:al's, ar:1d. micr.ofJuidics alor:1gside. ir:1cr.eased. kr:1owledge. in biomarker science have led to vastly improved sophistication and sensitivity for a r:1ew. approacll, ir:1, I.ife. detection. The, MASSE project Ilas taker:1, the, chaJJer:1ge, ot integrating all of this knowledge into a new generation of ...
* Available as a photocopy reprint only. Allow two weeks reprinting time plus standard delivery t... more * Available as a photocopy reprint only. Allow two weeks reprinting time plus standard delivery time. No discounts or returns apply. ... Standard delivery in the US is 7 to 10 business days and outside the US delivery is 4 to 6 weeks or longer. For further details, please see shipping policy. ... Listed below are the papers found in this volume. Click the paper title to view an abstract or to order an individual paper. ... Siderite globules associated with fossil microbiota from cretaceous cavity and fracture fillings in Southern Belgium: second known terrestrial analog for the ...
The Portable Test System (PTS), designed & developed by Charles Rivers Laboratories, Inc.(Charles... more The Portable Test System (PTS), designed & developed by Charles Rivers Laboratories, Inc.(Charleston, SC) is a portable insuurnent that was designed to perform analysis of enzymatic assays related to rapid assessment of microbial contamination\ iVainwrighL, 2003). The enzymatic cascade of LimuJus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) is known to be one of the most sensitive techniques available for microbial detection, enabling the PTS to be evaluated as a potential life detection insoumenr for in situ Astrobiology missions. In the ...
• Pattern of trace element concentrations in lunar plagioclase suggests that lunar interior diffe... more • Pattern of trace element concentrations in lunar plagioclase suggests that lunar interior differentiated by 4.4 Ga, when large part (if not all) of interior was molten● Stable remnant magnetization of lunar rock suggests that a field of possibly 1 G existed at 4 Ga, decreasing significantly by 3.2 Ga⇒ dynamo in iron-rich lunar core● Formation of mascons and tectonics of lunar highlands
● Highland lunar samples are~ 4 Ga.● Geologic preserve of conditions while Earth was still coolin... more ● Highland lunar samples are~ 4 Ga.● Geologic preserve of conditions while Earth was still cooling● Better understanding of lunar materials under lunar temperatures and pressures● We're able to model the thermal history of the Moon to fit observables● Best comparison in the solar system (thus far)
The results of an drilling experiment to search for a subsurface biosphere in a pyritic mineral d... more The results of an drilling experiment to search for a subsurface biosphere in a pyritic mineral deposit at Rio Tinto, Spain, are described. The experiment provides ground truth for a simulation of a Mars drilling mission to search for subsurface life.
The identification and characterization of aqueous minerals within ancient lacustrine environment... more The identification and characterization of aqueous minerals within ancient lacustrine environments on Mars are a high priority for determining the past habitability of the red planet. Terrestrial analog studies are useful both for understanding the mineralogy of lacustrine sediments, how the mineralogy varies with location in a lacustrine environment, and for validating the use of certain techniques such as visible–near-infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy. In this study, sediments from the Pilot Valley paleolake basin of the Great Salt Lake desert were characterized using VNIR as an analog for Martian paleolake basins. The spectra and subsequent interpretations were then compared to mineralogical characterization by ground truth methods, including X-ray diffraction, automated scanning electron microscopy, and several geochemical analysis techniques. In general, there is good agreement between VNIR and ground truth methods on the major classes of minerals present in the lake sediments and VNIR spectra can also easily discriminate between clay-dominated and salt-dominated lacustrine terrains within the paleolake basin. However, detection of more detailed mineralogy is difficult with VNIR spectra alone as some minerals can dominate the spectra even at very low abundances. At this site, the VNIR spectra are dominated by absorption bands that are most consistent with gypsum and smectites, though the ground truth methods reveal more diverse mineral assemblages that include a variety of sulfates, primary and secondary phyllosilicates, carbonates, and chlorides. This study provides insight into the limitations regarding the use of VNIR in characterizing complex mineral assemblages inherent in lacustrine settings.
The study of analog evaporitic environments on Earth is of increasing importance due to the multi... more The study of analog evaporitic environments on Earth is of increasing importance due to the multiple reports of possible evaporite deposits across the martian surface. If life ever evolved on the red planet, these deposits could have harbored potential energy sources and preserved microfossils. Evaporite deposits on earth are often associated with preserved organic material, and understanding the relationships of evaporites and organics will be important for such detections on Mars. Additionally, naturally occurring perchlorate deposits are typically associated with evaporitic materials and further understanding of geobiological processes of this oxidant will be of great use for future habitability assessments on Mars. In order to fully evaluate the astrobiological potential of martian evaporites, a wide variety of terrestrial analog systems can be studied. One understudied system is the Great Salt Lake Desert and its associated features. The Great Salt Lake Desert is the remnant bed of ancient Lake Bonneville, one of the several giant lakes from the Pleistocene Epoch and covered about 20,000 square miles of western Utah and smaller sections of eastern Nevada and southern Idaho. The most well know remnant lake features are the Bonneville Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake. The Bonneville Salt Flats represent a mainly closed system that receives little to no recharge. The Great Salt Lake, however, still has fresh water recharge its southern arm. The mineralogy of both systems is dominated by halite. The salt flats also have deposits of gypsum, potassium chloride, and a host of magnesium, potassium, and sodium salts. Although the Great Salt Lake Desert has high economic importance, the geobiological potential of its evaporitic features has rarely been studied and there is little to no information regarding the microbial diversity within some of the richest deposits. Here we present the preliminary results of a geobiological study of a sample transect that stretches from the Great Salt Lake to beyond the Bonneville Salt Flats. Four sediment samples were taken from various locations starting from evaporite deposits near the north arm of the Great Salt Lake and moving west towards the Nevada boarder. Preliminary geochemical analysis shows increasing nitrate concentrations which may suggest presence of accumulated perchlorate as these two are commonly associated in other evaporite systems such as the Atacama Desert in Chile. Our poster will highlight further geochemical results and the associated biological analysis.
A prototype autonomous system was designed and constructed to evaluate the critical sample prepar... more A prototype autonomous system was designed and constructed to evaluate the critical sample preparation functions that would be required for support of wet-chemistry based life detection instrumentation. The Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay, which detects lipids specific to gram-negative bacteria, has a simple extraction protocol and thus was selected as the model detection technique to be tested with this first-generation prototype. The LAL assay was also selected because there was already a compact, portable assay technology that was commercially available and could be easily integrated into the system. The design evolution, construction challenges, and testing of this sample preparation system will be presented in this article.
The Next Generation Exploration Conference (NGEC) brought together the emerging next generation o... more The Next Generation Exploration Conference (NGEC) brought together the emerging next generation of space leaders over three intensive days of collaboration and planning. The participants extended the ongoing work of national space agencies to draft a common strategic framework for lunar exploration, to include other destinations in the solar system. NGEC is the first conference to bring together emerging leaders to comment on and contribute to these activities. The majority of the three-day conference looked beyond the moon and focused on the "next ...
As part of the 2010 NASA Planetary Science Summer School, the Ganymede Interior, Surface, and Mag... more As part of the 2010 NASA Planetary Science Summer School, the Ganymede Interior, Surface, and Magnetosphere Observer (GISMO) team developed a preliminary satellite design for a science mission to Jupiter's moon Ganymede.
The Miniaturized Array for Solar System Exploration (MASSE) will use a microarray of antibody ass... more The Miniaturized Array for Solar System Exploration (MASSE) will use a microarray of antibody assays to search for biomarkers in extraterrestrial environments. We have now used enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to demonstrate the feasibility of immuno-detection of biomarkers in terrestrial soil, JSC-1 Mars regolith simulant, and terrestrial polar permafrost as analogues f ro extraterrestrial materials. We have also demonstrated that the technique works at microgravity and Martian gravity. Studies are now underway to test immunoassay techniques and antibody arrays at varying pressures and temperatures. It is expected that these studies will lead to a flight ready biomarker detection instrument that will be landed and operated on the Martian surface in 2009.
The Great Salt Lake Desert is a potential terrestrial analog for inferred martian paleolakes. Her... more The Great Salt Lake Desert is a potential terrestrial analog for inferred martian paleolakes. Here we present some of the preliminary results from an on-going geobiological study.
ABSTRACT VNIR mineralogical identification of lacustrine sediments from the Pilot Valley, Utah, M... more ABSTRACT VNIR mineralogical identification of lacustrine sediments from the Pilot Valley, Utah, Mars analog environment are compared to in situ methods: XRD and QEMSCAN.
Abstract: An instrument has been designed to operate independently and perform analysis of enzyma... more Abstract: An instrument has been designed to operate independently and perform analysis of enzymatic assays related to rapid assessment of microbial contamination. This has been employed to test the feasibility of monitoring surfaces on spacecraft hardware or assembly areas that may have applications for Planetary Protection. The format is also being considered as an on-board component of life detection instrumentation for future spaceflight missions to look for evidence of life on other planets in our solar system.
Automated life-detection experiments for solar system exploration have been pl7ev.iously. propose... more Automated life-detection experiments for solar system exploration have been pl7ev.iously. proposed ar:1.a. used or:1t>oard t.lle. Viking, Mars lander.s, aU-llough. wjtll, ambiguous results. The recent advances in biotechnology such as biosensors, pr;oteir:1. r:r:licr.oar.r:al's, ar:1d. micr.ofJuidics alor:1gside. ir:1cr.eased. kr:1owledge. in biomarker science have led to vastly improved sophistication and sensitivity for a r:1ew. approacll, ir:1, I.ife. detection. The, MASSE project Ilas taker:1, the, chaJJer:1ge, ot integrating all of this knowledge into a new generation of ...
* Available as a photocopy reprint only. Allow two weeks reprinting time plus standard delivery t... more * Available as a photocopy reprint only. Allow two weeks reprinting time plus standard delivery time. No discounts or returns apply. ... Standard delivery in the US is 7 to 10 business days and outside the US delivery is 4 to 6 weeks or longer. For further details, please see shipping policy. ... Listed below are the papers found in this volume. Click the paper title to view an abstract or to order an individual paper. ... Siderite globules associated with fossil microbiota from cretaceous cavity and fracture fillings in Southern Belgium: second known terrestrial analog for the ...
The Portable Test System (PTS), designed & developed by Charles Rivers Laboratories, Inc.(Charles... more The Portable Test System (PTS), designed & developed by Charles Rivers Laboratories, Inc.(Charleston, SC) is a portable insuurnent that was designed to perform analysis of enzymatic assays related to rapid assessment of microbial contamination\ iVainwrighL, 2003). The enzymatic cascade of LimuJus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) is known to be one of the most sensitive techniques available for microbial detection, enabling the PTS to be evaluated as a potential life detection insoumenr for in situ Astrobiology missions. In the ...
• Pattern of trace element concentrations in lunar plagioclase suggests that lunar interior diffe... more • Pattern of trace element concentrations in lunar plagioclase suggests that lunar interior differentiated by 4.4 Ga, when large part (if not all) of interior was molten● Stable remnant magnetization of lunar rock suggests that a field of possibly 1 G existed at 4 Ga, decreasing significantly by 3.2 Ga⇒ dynamo in iron-rich lunar core● Formation of mascons and tectonics of lunar highlands
● Highland lunar samples are~ 4 Ga.● Geologic preserve of conditions while Earth was still coolin... more ● Highland lunar samples are~ 4 Ga.● Geologic preserve of conditions while Earth was still cooling● Better understanding of lunar materials under lunar temperatures and pressures● We're able to model the thermal history of the Moon to fit observables● Best comparison in the solar system (thus far)
The results of an drilling experiment to search for a subsurface biosphere in a pyritic mineral d... more The results of an drilling experiment to search for a subsurface biosphere in a pyritic mineral deposit at Rio Tinto, Spain, are described. The experiment provides ground truth for a simulation of a Mars drilling mission to search for subsurface life.
The identification and characterization of aqueous minerals within ancient lacustrine environment... more The identification and characterization of aqueous minerals within ancient lacustrine environments on Mars are a high priority for determining the past habitability of the red planet. Terrestrial analog studies are useful both for understanding the mineralogy of lacustrine sediments, how the mineralogy varies with location in a lacustrine environment, and for validating the use of certain techniques such as visible–near-infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy. In this study, sediments from the Pilot Valley paleolake basin of the Great Salt Lake desert were characterized using VNIR as an analog for Martian paleolake basins. The spectra and subsequent interpretations were then compared to mineralogical characterization by ground truth methods, including X-ray diffraction, automated scanning electron microscopy, and several geochemical analysis techniques. In general, there is good agreement between VNIR and ground truth methods on the major classes of minerals present in the lake sediments and VNIR spectra can also easily discriminate between clay-dominated and salt-dominated lacustrine terrains within the paleolake basin. However, detection of more detailed mineralogy is difficult with VNIR spectra alone as some minerals can dominate the spectra even at very low abundances. At this site, the VNIR spectra are dominated by absorption bands that are most consistent with gypsum and smectites, though the ground truth methods reveal more diverse mineral assemblages that include a variety of sulfates, primary and secondary phyllosilicates, carbonates, and chlorides. This study provides insight into the limitations regarding the use of VNIR in characterizing complex mineral assemblages inherent in lacustrine settings.
The study of analog evaporitic environments on Earth is of increasing importance due to the multi... more The study of analog evaporitic environments on Earth is of increasing importance due to the multiple reports of possible evaporite deposits across the martian surface. If life ever evolved on the red planet, these deposits could have harbored potential energy sources and preserved microfossils. Evaporite deposits on earth are often associated with preserved organic material, and understanding the relationships of evaporites and organics will be important for such detections on Mars. Additionally, naturally occurring perchlorate deposits are typically associated with evaporitic materials and further understanding of geobiological processes of this oxidant will be of great use for future habitability assessments on Mars. In order to fully evaluate the astrobiological potential of martian evaporites, a wide variety of terrestrial analog systems can be studied. One understudied system is the Great Salt Lake Desert and its associated features. The Great Salt Lake Desert is the remnant bed of ancient Lake Bonneville, one of the several giant lakes from the Pleistocene Epoch and covered about 20,000 square miles of western Utah and smaller sections of eastern Nevada and southern Idaho. The most well know remnant lake features are the Bonneville Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake. The Bonneville Salt Flats represent a mainly closed system that receives little to no recharge. The Great Salt Lake, however, still has fresh water recharge its southern arm. The mineralogy of both systems is dominated by halite. The salt flats also have deposits of gypsum, potassium chloride, and a host of magnesium, potassium, and sodium salts. Although the Great Salt Lake Desert has high economic importance, the geobiological potential of its evaporitic features has rarely been studied and there is little to no information regarding the microbial diversity within some of the richest deposits. Here we present the preliminary results of a geobiological study of a sample transect that stretches from the Great Salt Lake to beyond the Bonneville Salt Flats. Four sediment samples were taken from various locations starting from evaporite deposits near the north arm of the Great Salt Lake and moving west towards the Nevada boarder. Preliminary geochemical analysis shows increasing nitrate concentrations which may suggest presence of accumulated perchlorate as these two are commonly associated in other evaporite systems such as the Atacama Desert in Chile. Our poster will highlight further geochemical results and the associated biological analysis.
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