Astrobiology Science Results

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Astrobiology Science Results

• Three key microhabitats (but may be others)
• Salt (hydrated sulfates, gypsum)
• Lithophytic (outcrops, desert pavement, pebbles)
• Soils

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Main habitats identified hydrated sulfates,
gypsum (i.e., salts)
Lets go here!!
Are these bands microbial?
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Main habitat lithophytic
Desert varnishes, caliches
Mafic? stones, pebbles black gobi
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Main habitat soils
Iron-oxide containing materials, hydrated
sulfates, clays, carbonates, hydroxylated
materials, among others (e.g. volcanics?)
desert crust?
high winds?
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Evidence for water surface and/or groundwater?
Possible collapse, terraces, holes?
Sol 4 pan 007-R
Furrows, holes, drainages, ripple marks?
Sol 4 pan 029-R
Wadis? Sol 4 seq 3-f-c
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Evidence for clouds/fog moisture
Sol 3 pan 163-R
Sol 3 pan 115-R
Sol 3 pan 210-R
Sol 3 pan 176-R
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Increase in relative humidity to gt90,dips in
solar insolation (350 W/m2)
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(No Transcript)
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SamplesConfirmation of life?

• 25 full samples collected, 9 others with 1-2
  instruments
• 12 spectra showed chlorophyll signatures

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Complete full sample sample 1

• Spectra results ferric iron-bearing material,
  possibly hydrated hydroxylated (hematite or
  goerthite?)
• High resolution image of sample
• Presence of slight inflection _at_ 620 nm indicative
  of chlorophyll--possible biological material in
  soil.
• Negative fluorescence

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Confusing sample 2

• What we do know spectra results 1) Ferric
  iron/iron oxide-bearing material, signatures show
  hydrated sulfates features no inflection at 620
  nm 2) fluorescence negative
• What we dont know Cannot verify what was
  sampled.

?
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Fluorescence Science Results

• None of the samples could be confirmed
  unambiguously for life.

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except for one
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Astrobiology sampling strategies

• What is unambiguous confirmation of life?
• Lines of evidencestrongest case
• Visual
• Spectra
• Fluorescence
• Microscopy
• What is a sample for year 2, for publication?

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Astrobiology sampling strategies

• Precision (targeted) and distance
  (random/periodic) sampling strategies need to be
  refined
• when to use what instruments
• subsampling (optimal use of images,etc. vs.
  bandwidth)
• Follow the water - How can we better accomplish
  this? (e.g., feed environmental data into search
  modes, location of features)

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THE TEMPLATE SHORT AND LONG RANGE TARGETS
Water target
THIS END POINT IS FROM THE DEM
Life target
THIS BECOMES THE NEW PAN
HIGH PRIORITY
THESE TARGETS ARE FROM THE PAN
HIGH PRIORITY
RANDOM ALONG ECOLOGICAL TRANSECT
HIGH PRIORITY
TARGETED
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Data collection, processing, archiving

• Recommendations
• Need a consistent sample collection, naming,
  processing, and archiving system
• we cant assume anything (remote or field)
• strive for consistency convergence
• Red/yellow/green light system
• Learn each others languages roverspeak,
  sciencespeak

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Science Ops

• We need to improve logisticsidentified
  necessary improvements (data processing,
  workstations, protocols, support personnel,
  internet access, etc.)
• Most important Question of year 1 Why was
  science team unable to unambiguously confirm
  life? Some answers fluorescence, convergence

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Birth of an astrobiology rover

• We are confident that promising habitats with
  life can be located and confirmed and the
  distribution of life can be mapped successfully
  with Hyperion!!
• But, we didnt find life in an easy placefor a
  biologist the remote experience was not equal to
  being in the field

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Rover ops design wish list

• Automated analysis by rover with results arriving
  with first pans (e.g, science utility function,
  such as albedo, voids in rocks, fluorescence,
  spectra)may eliminate need to backtrack
• Pan/high resolution capabilities (0.2pixels)
• Zoom high resolution images of samples not
  only microhabitats
• More moisture sensors (including soil)

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Rover operations design

• Rock-n-rolling
• Methods for rover marking sample locations or
  biologically promising habitats along the way-RED
  FLAGS

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Postcard from the Atacama,Sunset, sol 3 April
23, 2003
Thanks Team!!!