Astrobiological implications of rock varnish in tibet

Astrobiology

Volumn 9, Issue 6, 2009, Pages 551-562

  Krinsley, David ^a   Dorn, Ronald I ^b   Digregorio, Barry ^c  

^a UNIVERSITY OF OREGON   (United States)

^b ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^c CARDIFF UNIVERSITY   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Analogue; Astrobiology; Bacteria; Biomineralization; Desert varnish; Geomicrobiology; Life on Mars; Manganese enhancement; Microstromatolite; Rock coating; Rock varnish; Tibet Weathering

Indexed keywords

MANGANESE; SILICON DIOXIDE;

ARTICLE; ASTRONOMY; BACTERIUM; BIOLOGY; CHEMISTRY; CHINA; DESERT CLIMATE; MICROCLIMATE; SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; SEDIMENT; ULTRASTRUCTURE;

BACTERIA; DESERT CLIMATE; EXOBIOLOGY; EXTRATERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT; GEOLOGIC SEDIMENTS; MANGANESE; MARS; MICROSCOPY, ELECTRON, SCANNING; SILICON DIOXIDE; TIBET;

BACTERIA (MICROORGANISMS);

EID: 69149108698     PISSN: 15311074     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1089/ast.2008.0238     Document Type: Article

References (89)

1. Adams, J.B., Palmer, F., and Staley, J.T. (1992) Rock weathering in deserts: mobilization and concentration of ferric iron by microorganisms. Geomicrobiol. J. 10:99-114.
2. Allen, C.C., Westall, F., and Schelble, R.T. (2001) Importance of a martian hematite site for astrobiology. Astrobiology 1:111-123.
3. Allen, C.C., Probst, L.W., Flood, B.E., Longazo, T.G., Scheble, R.T., and Westall, F. (2004) Meridiani Planum hematite deposit and the search for evidence of life on Mars-iron mineralization of microorganisms in rock varnish. Icarus 171:20-30.
4. Boston, P.J., Spilde, M.N., Northup, D.E., and Dichosa, A. (2008) Biogenic Fe/Mn oxides in caves and surface desert varnish: potential biosignatures for Earth and Mars. Astrobiology 8:448.
5. Burns, R.G. (1986) Terrestrial analogues of the surface rocks of Mars? Nature 320:55-56.
6. Cerveny, N.V., Kaldenberg, R., Reed, J., Whitley, D.S., Simon, J., and Dorn, R.I. (2006) A new strategy for analyzing the chro-nometry of constructed rock features in deserts. Geoarchaeology 21:181-203.
7. Dahlback, A., Gelsor, N., Stamnes, J.J., and Gjessing, Y. (2007) UV measurements in the 3000-5000 m altitude region in Tibet. J. Geophys. Res. 112, doi:10.1029=2006JD007700.
8. DiGregorio, B.E. (2002) Rock varnish as a habitat for extant life on Mars. In Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology IV, edited by R.B. Hoover, G.V. Levin, R.R. Paepe, and A.Y.
9. Rozanov, SPIE, Bellingham, WA, Proc. Soc. Photo. Opt. In-strum. Eng. 4495:120-130.
10. Dorn, R.I. (1986) Rock varnish as an indicator of aeolian environmental change. In Aeolian Geomorphology, edited by W.G. Nickling, Allen & Unwin, London, pp 291-307.
11. Dorn, R.I. (1998) Rock coatings, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
12. Dorn, R.I. (2004) Case hardening. In Encyclopedia of Geomorphology, Vol.1, edited by A.S. Goudie, Routledge, London, pp 118-119.
13. Dorn, R.I. (2007a) Baking black opal in the desert sun: the importance of silica in desert varnish. COMMENT. Geology doi 10.1130=G23410C.1.
14. Dorn, R.I. (2007b) Rock varnish. In Geochemical Sediments and Landscapes, edited by D.J. Nash, and S.J. McLaren, Blackwell, London, pp 246-297.
15. Dorn, R.I. and Meek, N. (1995) Rapid formation of rock varnish and other rock coatings on slag deposits near Fontana. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 20:547-560.
16. Dorn, R.I. and Oberlander, T.M. (1982) Rock varnish. Progress in Physical Geography 6:317-367.
17. Dorn, R.I., Krinsley, D.H., Liu, T., Anderson, S., Clark, J., Cahill, T.A., and Gill, T.E. (1992) Manganese-rich rock varnish does occur in Antarctica. Chem. Geol. 99:289-298.
18. El-Baz, F. and Prestel, D. (1980) Desert varnish on sand grains from the western Desert of Egypt: importance of the clay component and implications to Mars. Lunar and Planetary Science 11:254-256.
19. Engel, C.G. and Sharp, R.S. (1958) Chemical data on desert varnish. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 69:487-518.
20. Eppard, M., Krumbein, W.E., Koch, C., Rhiel, E., Staley, J.T., and Stackebrandt, E. (1996) Morphological, physiological, and molecular characterization of actinomycetes isolated from dry soil, rocks, and monument surfaces. Arch. Microbiol. 166:12-22.
21. Foucher, F., Westall, F., and Orange, F. (2008) Atomic force microscopy study of microfossils. Geophysical Research Abstracts 10, EGU2008-A-12075, 2008.
22. Friedmann, E.I. and Weed, R. (1987) Microbial trace-fossil formation, biogenous, and abiotic weathering in the Antarctic cold desert. Science 236:703-705.
23. Garvie, L.A.J., Burt, D.M., and Buseck, P.R. (2008) Nanometer-scale complexity, growth, and diagenesis in desert varnish. Geology 36:215-218.
24. Glazovskaya, M.A. (1958) Weathering and primary soil formations in Antarctica. Scientific Paper of the Institute, Moscow University, Faculty of Geography 1:63-76.
25. Glazovskaya, M.A. (1971) Types of geochemical soil catenas. Soviet Geography: Review and Translation 11:235-243.
26. Glazovskiy, A.F. (1985) [Rock varnish in the glacierized regions of the Pamirs.] In Russian. Data of the Glaciological Studies (Moscow) 54:136-141.
27. Gordon, S.J. and Dorn, R.I. (2005a) In situ weathering rind erosion. Geomorphology 67:97-113.
28. Gordon, S.J. and Dorn, R.I. (2005b) Localized weathering: implications for theoretical and applied studies. Prof. Geogr. 57:28-43.
29. Greeley, R. (1987) Desert "varnish:" Earth, Mars, and Venus. International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), XIX General Assembly: Abstracts, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, Karlsruhe, Germany, 1:96.
30. Grote, G. and Krumbein, W.E. (1992) Microbial precipitation of manganese by bacteria and fungi from desert rock and rock varnish. Geomicrobiology 10:49-57.
31. Guiness, E.A., Arvidson, R.E., Shepard, M.K., and Clark, I. (1997) Optical scattering properties of terrestrial varnished basalts compared with rocks and soils at the Viking lander sites [abstract 1205]. In 28th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
32. Haskin, L.A., Wang, A., Jolliff, B.L., McSween, H.Y., Clark, B.C., Des Marais, D.J., McLennan, S.M., Tosca, N.J., Hurowitz, J.A., Farmer, J.D., Yen, A., Squyres, S.W., Arvidson, R.E., Klingelhöfer, G., Schröder, C., de Souza, Jr. P.A., Ming, D.W., Gellert, R., Zipfel, J., Brückner, J., Bell, J.F., Herkenhoff, III K., Chris-tensen, P.R., Ruff, S., Blaney, D., Gorevan, S., Cabrol, N.A., Crumpler, L., Grant, J., and Soderblom, L. (2005) Water alteration of rocks and soils on Mars at the Spirit rover site in Gusev crater. Nature 436:66-69.
33. Hungate, B., Danin, A., Pellerin, N.B., Stemmler, J., Kjellander, P., Adams, J.B., and Staley, J.T. (1987) Characterization of manganese-oxidizing (MnII→MnIV) bacteria from Negev Desert rock varnish: implications in desert varnish formation. Can. J. Microbiol. 33:939-943.
34. Israel, E.J., Arvidson, R.E., Wang, A., Pasteris, J.D., and Jolliff, B.L. (1997) Laser Raman spectroscopy of varnished basalt and implications for in situ measurements of martian rocks. J. Geophys. Res. 102:28705-28716.
35. Johnson, J.R., Ruff, S.W., Moersch, J., Roush, T., Horton, K., Bishop, J., Cabrol, N.A., Cockell, C., Gazis, P., Newsom, H.E., and Stoker, C. (2001) Geological characterization of remote field sites using visible and infrared spectroscopy: results from the 1999 Marsokhod field test. J. Geophys. Res. 106:7683-7711.
36. Jones, C.E. (1991) Characteristics and origin of rock varnish from the hyperarid coastal deserts of northern Peru. Quaternary Research 35:116-129.
37. Kerr, R.A. (2004) Mars rock crud gets in the way. Science 304:196-197.
38. Khak-mun, T. (1973) Participation of microorganisms in the formation of manganese-iron concretions in soils of the brown forest zone of the Far East. Soviet Soil Science 5:96-99.
39. Klingelhöfer, G. (2004) Mössbauer in situ studies of the surface of Mars. Hyperfine Interact. 158:117-124.
40. Klingelhöfer, G., Morris, R.V., DeSouza, Jr. P.A., Rodionov, D., and Schröder, C. (2005) Two earth years of Mössbauer studies of the surface of Mars with MIMOS II. Hyperfine Interact. 170:169-177.
41. Klute, F. and Krasser, L.M. (1940) Über wüstenlackbildung im Hochgebirge. Petermanns geographische Mitteilungen 86:21-22.
42. Krauskopf, K.B. (1957) Separation of manganese from iron in sedimentary processes. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 12:61-84.
43. Krinsley, D. (1998) Models of rock varnish formation constrained by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Sedimentology 45:711-725.
44. Krinsley, D. and Dorn, R.I. (1991) New eyes on eastern California rock varnish. California Geology 44:107-115.
45. Krinsley, D. and Rusk, B.G. (2000) Bacterial presence in layered rock varnish-possible Mars analog? Mars Polar Science 2000:4001.pdf.
46. Krinsley, D., Dorn, R.I., and Anderson, S. (1990) Factors that may interfere with the dating of rock varnish. Physical Geography 11:97-119.
47. Krinsley, D.H., Dorn, R.I., and Tovey, N.K. (1995) Nanometer-scale layering in rock varnish: implications for genesis and paleoenvironmental interpretation. J. Geol. 103:106-113.
48. Krumbein, W.E. (1969) Über den Einfluss der Mikroflora auf die Exogene Dynamik (Verwitterung und Krustenbildung). Geo-logische Rundschau 58:333-363.
49. Kuhlman, K. and Abrecht, M. (2008) Oxidation state of manganese in rock varnish. Astrobiology 8:429.
50. Kuhlman, K.R., Allenbach, L.B., Ball, C.L., Fusco, W.G., La Duc, M.T., Kuhlman, G.M., Anderson, R.C., Stuecker, T., Erickson, I.K., Benardini, J., and Crawford, R.L. (2005) Enumeration, isolation, and characterization of ultraviolet (UV-C) resistant bacteria from rock varnish in the Whipple Mountains, California. Icarus 174:585-595.
51. Kuhlman, K.R., Fusco, W.G., Duc, M.T.L., Allenbach, L.B., Ball, C.L., Kuhlman, G.M., Anderson, R.C., Erickson, K., Stuecker, T., Benardini, J., Strap, J.L., and Crawford, R.L. (2006) Diversity of microorganisms within rock varnish in the Whipple Mountains, California. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 1708-1715.
52. Landis, G.A. (2001) Martian water: Are there extant halobacteria on Mars? Astrobiology 1: 161-164.
53. Linck, G. (1900) Über die dunkel rindin der Gesteine der Wüs-ten. Jenaische Zeitschrift Naturwissenschaft 35:1-8.
54. Linck, G. (1930) Die Schutzrinden. Handbuch der Bodenlehre 3:490-505.
55. Liu, T. and Broecker, W.S. (2000) How fast does rock varnish grow? Geology 28:183-186.
56. Longwell, C.R., Knopf, A., and Flint, R.F. (1950) Physical Geology, 3rd ed., Wiley, New York.
57. Lucas, A. (1905) The Blackened Rocks of the Nile Cataracts and of the Egyptian Deserts, National Printing Department, Cairo.
58. Madden, A.S. and Hochella, M.F. (2005) A test of geochemical reactivity as a function of mineral size: manganese oxidation promoted by hematite nanoparticles. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 69:389-398.
59. Mahaney, W.C., Milner, M.W., Netoff, D., Dohm, J., Kalm, V., Krinsley, D., Sodhi, R.N.S., Anderson, R.C., Boccia, S., Malloch, D., and Kapran, B. (2008) Blueberries on Earth and Mars: correlations between concretions in Navajo sandstone and Terra Meridiani on Mars. Eos Trans. AGU 89(53): Fall Meet. Suppl., abstract #P33B-1440.
60. Mancinelli, R.L., Bishop, J.L., and De, S. (2002) Magnetite in desert varnish and applications to rock varnish on Mars [abstract 1046]. In 33rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, LSunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
61. McAdam, A.C., Leshin, L.A., and Harvey, R.P. (2002) Investigation of weathering products of martian meteorite analog materials on Earth and applications to martian dust analysis. Astrobiology 2:577-578.
62. McKeown, D.A. and Post, J.E. (2001) Characterization of manganese oxide mineralogy in rock varnish and dendrites using X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Am. Mineral. 86:701-713.
63. McLoughlin, N., Wilson, L.A., and Brasier, M.D. (2008) Growth of synthetic stromatolites and wringle structures in the absence of microbes-implications for the early fossil record. Geobiology 6:95-105.
64. Moore, H.J., Hutton, R.E., Clow, G.D., and Spitzer, C.R. (1987) Physical properties of the surface materials at the Viking landing sites on Mars. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1389, US Geological Survey, Reston, VA.
65. Murchie, S., Barnouin-Jha, O., Barnouin-Ja, K., Bishop, J., Johnson, J., McSween, H., and Morris, R. (2004) Old desert varnish-like coatings and young breccias at the Mars Pathfinder landing site [abstract 1740]. In 35th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Science Institute, Houston.
66. Navarro-González, R., Rainey, F.A., Molina, P., Bagaley, D.R., Hollen, B.J., de la Rosa, J., Small, A.M., Quinn, R.C., Grun-thaner, F.J., Cáceres, L., Gomez-Silva, B., and McKay, C.P. (2003) Mars-like soils in the Atacama Desert, Chile, and the dry limit of microbial life. Science 302:1018-1021.
67. Palmer, F.E., Staley, J.T., Murray, R.G.E., Counsell, T., and Adams, J.B. (1985) Identification of manganese-oxidizing bacteria from desert varnish. Geomicrobiol. J. 4:343-360.
68. Perry, R.S. and Kolb, V.M. (2004) From Darwin to Mars: desert varnish as a model for preservation of complex (bio)chemical systems. Proc. Soc. Photo. Opt. Instrum. Eng. 5163:136-144.
69. Perry, R.S. and Lynne, Y.B. (2006) New insights into natural records of planetary surface environments: the role of silica in the formation and diagenesis of desert varnish and siliceous sinter [abstract 1292]. In 37th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Science Institute, Houston.
70. Perry, R.S. and Sephton, M.A. (2006) Desert varnish: an environmental recorder for Mars. Astronomy and Geophysics 47:434-435.
71. Perry, R.S., Dodsworth, J., Staley, J.T., and Gillespie, A. (2002) Molecular analyses of microbial communities in rock coatings and soils from Death Valley, California. Astrobiology 2:539.
72. Perry, R.S., Dodsworth, J., Staley, J.T., and Engel, M.H. (2004a) Bacterial diversity in desert varnish. In Third European Workshop on Exo=Astrobiology, Mars: The Search for Life, edited by SP-545, European Space Agency Publications, Noordwijk, the Netherlands, pp 259-260.
73. Perry, R.S., Gorbushina, A.A., Engel, M.H., Kolb, V.M., Krum-bein, W.E., and Staley, J.T. (2004b) Accumulation and deposition of inorganic and organic compounds by microcolonial fungi. In Third European Workshop on Exo=Astrobiology, Mars: The Search for Life, edited by SP-545, European Space Agency Publications, Noordwijk, the Netherlands, pp 55-58.
74. Perry, R.S., Lynne, B.Y., Sephton, M.A., Kolb, V.M., Perry, C.C., and Staley, J.T. (2006) Baking black opal in the desert sun: the importance of silica in desert varnish. Geology 34:537-540.
75. Perry, R.S., McLoughlin, N., Lynne, B.Y., Sephton, M.A., Oliver, J.D., Perry, C.C., Campbell, K., Engel, M.H., Farmer, J.D., Brasier, M., and Staley, J.T. (2007) Defining biominerals and organic minerals: direct and indirect indicators of life. Sediment. Geol. 201:157-179.
76. Potter, R.M., (1979) The tetravalent manganese oxides: clarification of their structural variations and relationships and characterization of their occurrence in the terrestrial weathering environment as desert varnish and other manganese oxides. PhD thesis, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.
77. Potter, R.M. and Rossman, G.R. (1977) Desert varnish: the importance of clay minerals. Science 196:1446-1448.
78. Probst, L.W., Allen, C.C., Thomas-Keprta, K.L., Clemett, S.J., Longazo, T.G., Nelman-Gonzalez, M.A., and Sams, C. (2002) Desert varnish-preservation of biofabrics and implications for Mars [abstract 1764]. In 33rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
79. Raymond, R.J., Guthrie, G.D.J., Bish, D.L., Reneau, S.L., and Chipera, S.J. (1992) Biomineralization of manganese within rock varnish. Catena Suppl. 21:321-335.
80. Spilde, M.N., Boston, P.J., Northup, D.E., and Odenbach, K.J. (2008) Rock coatings: potential biogenic indicators [abstract 4045]. In Ground Truth from Mars: Science Payoff from a Sample Return Mission, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston.
81. Staley, J.T., Adams, J.B., and Palmer, F.E. (1991) Desert varnish: a biological perspective. Soil Biochemistry 7:173-195.
82. Sterflinger, K., Krumbein, W.E., Lallau, T., and Rullkötter, J. (1999) Microbially mediated orange patination of rock surfaces. Anc. Biomol. 3:51-65.
83. Taylor-George, S., Palmer, F.E., Staley, J.T., Borns, D.J., Curtiss, B., and Adams, J.B. (1983) Fungi and bacteria involved in desert varnish formation. Microb. Ecol. 9:227-245.
84. Tratebas, A.M., Cerveny, N., and Dorn, R.I. (2004) The effects of fire on rock art: microscopic evidence reveals the importance of weathering rinds. Physical Geography 25:313-333.
85. Villa, N., Dorn, R.I., and Clark, J. (1995) Fine material in rock fractures: aeolian dust or weathering? In Desert Aeolian Processes, edited by V. Tchakerian, Chapman & Hall, London, pp 219-231.
86. von Humboldt, A. (1812) Personal Narrative of Travels to the Equinoctial Regions of America During the Years 1799-1804, Vol.2, translated and edited by T. Ross in 1907, George Bell & Sons, London.
87. Warren-Rhodes, K., Weinstein, S., Pane, D., Cockell, C., Dohm, J., Piatek, J., Moersch, J., Cabrol, N.A., Ernst, L.A., Minkley, E., Fisher, G., Emani, S., Waggoner, A.S., Wettergreen, D.S., Apostolopoulos, D., Smith, T., Wagner, M., Whittaker, R., Wyatt, M., Coppin, P., Diaz, C., Hock, A., Marinangeli, L., Ori, G.G., Stubbs, K., and Thomas, G. (2005) Mars analog habitat surveys and the search for microbial life remotely with autonomous astrobiology rover. Astrobiology 5:239-240.
88. Wei, H., Sparks, R.S.J., Liu, R., Fan, Q., Wang, Y., Hong, H., Zhang, H., Chen, H., Jiang, C., Dong, J., Zheng, Y., and Pan, Y. (2003) Three active volcanoes in China and their hazards. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 21:515-526.
89. Wierzchos, J., Ascaso, C., Sancho, L.G., and Green, A. (2003) Iron-rich diagenetic minerals are biomarkers of microbial activity in Antarctic rocks. Geomicrobiol. J. 20:15-24.