Earth analogs for Martian life - Microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on Mars

It is suggested that 'oases' in which life forms may persist on Mars could occur, by analogy with terrestrial cases, in (1) rocks, as known in endolithic microorganisms, (2) polar ice caps, as seen in snow and ice algae, and (3) volcanic regions, as witnessed in the chemoautotrophs which l...

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Main Author: Rothschild, Lynn J.
Format: Other/Unknown Material
Language:unknown
Published: 1990
Subjects:
55
ice algae
Online Access:http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19910031729
id ftnasantrs:oai:casi.ntrs.nasa.gov:19910031729
record_format openpolar
spelling ftnasantrs:oai:casi.ntrs.nasa.gov:19910031729 2023-05-15T16:36:33+02:00 Earth analogs for Martian life - Microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on Mars Rothschild, Lynn J. Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available Nov 1, 1990 http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19910031729 unknown http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19910031729 Accession ID: 91A16352 Copyright Other Sources 55 Icarus; 88; 246-260 1990 ftnasantrs 2012-02-15T18:54:46Z It is suggested that 'oases' in which life forms may persist on Mars could occur, by analogy with terrestrial cases, in (1) rocks, as known in endolithic microorganisms, (2) polar ice caps, as seen in snow and ice algae, and (3) volcanic regions, as witnessed in the chemoautotrophs which live in ocean-floor hydrothermal vents. Microorganisms, moreover, have been known to survive in salt crystals, and it has even been shown that organisms can metabolize while encrusted in evaporites. Evaporites which may occur on Mars would be able to attenuate UV light, while remaining more transparent to the 400-700 nm radiation useful in photosynthesis. Suggestions are made for the selection of Martian exobiological investigation sites. Other/Unknown Material ice algae NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
institution Open Polar
collection NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
op_collection_id ftnasantrs
language unknown
topic 55
spellingShingle 55
Rothschild, Lynn J.
Earth analogs for Martian life - Microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on Mars
topic_facet 55
description It is suggested that 'oases' in which life forms may persist on Mars could occur, by analogy with terrestrial cases, in (1) rocks, as known in endolithic microorganisms, (2) polar ice caps, as seen in snow and ice algae, and (3) volcanic regions, as witnessed in the chemoautotrophs which live in ocean-floor hydrothermal vents. Microorganisms, moreover, have been known to survive in salt crystals, and it has even been shown that organisms can metabolize while encrusted in evaporites. Evaporites which may occur on Mars would be able to attenuate UV light, while remaining more transparent to the 400-700 nm radiation useful in photosynthesis. Suggestions are made for the selection of Martian exobiological investigation sites.
format Other/Unknown Material
author Rothschild, Lynn J.
author_facet Rothschild, Lynn J.
author_sort Rothschild, Lynn J.
title Earth analogs for Martian life - Microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on Mars
title_short Earth analogs for Martian life - Microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on Mars
title_full Earth analogs for Martian life - Microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on Mars
title_fullStr Earth analogs for Martian life - Microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on Mars
title_full_unstemmed Earth analogs for Martian life - Microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on Mars
title_sort earth analogs for martian life - microbes in evaporites, a new model system for life on mars
publishDate 1990
url http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19910031729
op_coverage Unclassified, Unlimited, Publicly available
genre ice algae
genre_facet ice algae
op_source Other Sources
op_relation http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19910031729
Accession ID: 91A16352
op_rights Copyright
_version_ 1766026897003642880

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