Biological potential of low-temperature aqueous environments on Mars

International Journal of Astrobiology

Volumn 4, Issue 2, 2005, Pages 155-164

  Link, Lindsey S ^a   Jakosky, Bruce M ^a   Thyne, Geoffrey D ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO   (United States)

^b Department of Geology and Geological Engineering   (United States)

Author keywords

chemical weathering; Gibbs free energy; life; Mars; water rock reactions

Indexed keywords

EID: 84983434985     PISSN: 14735504     EISSN: 14753006     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S1473550405002648     Document Type: Article

References (36)

1. Baker, V.R. (2001). Water and the martian landscape. Nature 412, 228–236.
2. Bandfield, J.L. (2002). Global mineral distribution on Mars. J. Geophys. Res. 107(E6), 5042, doi:10.1029/2001JE001510.
3. Bethke, C.M. (1996). Geochemical Reaction Modeling. Oxford University Press.
4. Carr, M.H. & Clow, G.D. (1981). Martian channels and valleys: their characteristics, distribution and age. Icarus 48, 91–117.
5. Carr, M.H. & Malin, M.C. (2000). Meter-scale characteristics of martian channels and valleys. Icarus 146, 366–386.
6. Christensen, P.R., Bandfield, J.L., Smith, M.D., Hamilton, V.E. & Clark, R.N. (2000a). Identification of a basaltic component on the martian surface from Thermal Emission Spectrometer data. J. Geophys. Res. 105, 9609–9621.
7. Christensen, P.R. et al. (2000b). Detection of crystalline hematite mineralization on Mars by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer: evidence for near-surface water. J. Geophys. Res. 105, 9263–9642.
8. Christensen, P.R. (2003). Formation of recent martian gullies through melting of extensive water-rich snow deposits. Nature 422, 45–48.
9. Costard, F. et al. (2002). Formation of recent martian debris flows by melting of near-surface ground ice at high obliquity. Science 295, 110–113.
10. D'Hondt, S. et al. (2004). Distributions of microbial activities in deep sub-seafloor sediments. Science 306, 2216–2221.
11. Fisk, M.R. & Giovannoni, S.J. (1999). Sources of nutrients and energy for a deep biosphere on Mars. J. Geophys. Res. 104, 11805–11815.
12. Gaidos, E.J. (2001). Cryovolcanism and the recent flow of liquid water on Mars. Icarus 153, 218–223.
13. Gooding, J.L. (1978). Chemical weathering on Mars: thermodynamic stabilities of primary minerals (and their alteration products) from mafic rocks. Icarus 33, 483–513.
14. Gooding, J.L. (1992). Soil mineralogy and chemistry on Mars: possible clues from salts and clays in SNC meteorites. Icarus 99, 28–41.
15. Hamilton, V.E., Christensen, P.R., McSween, H.Y. & Bandfield, J.L. (2003). Searching for the source regions of martian meteorites using MGS TES: integrating martian meteorites into the global distribution of igneous materials on Mars. Meteoritics Planet. Sci. 38, 871–885.
16. Heldmann, J.L. & Mellon, M.T. (2004). Observations of martian gullies and constraints on potential formation mechanisms. Icarus 168, 285–304.
17. Hoefen, T.M., Clark, R.N., Bandfield, J.L., Smith, M.D., Pearl, J.C. & Christensen, P.R. (2003). Discovery of Olivine in the Nili Fossae region of Mars. Science 302, 627–630.
18. Hynek, B.M. (2004). Implications for hydrologic processes on Mars from extensive bedrock outcrops throughout Terra Meridiani. Nature 431, 156–159.
19. Jakosky, B.M., Nealson, K.H., Bakermans, C., Ley, R.E. & Mellon, M.T. (2003). Subfreezing activity of microorganisms and the potential habitability of Mars' polar regions. Astrobiology 3, 2003.
20. Jakosky, B.M. & Phillips, R.J. (2001). Mars' volatile and climate history. Nature 412, 237–244.
21. Jakosky, B.M. & Shock, E.L. (1998). The biological potential of Mars, the early Earth and Europa. J. Geophys Res. 103, 19359–19364.
22. Kasting, J.F. (1991). CO2 condensation and the climate of early Mars. Icarus 94, 1–13.
23. King, P.L., Lescinsky, D.T. & Nesbitt, H.W. (2004). The composition and evolution of primordial solutions on Mars, with application to other planetary bodies. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 68, 4993–5008.
24. Malin, M.C. & Edgett, K.S. (2000). Evidence for recent ground water seepage and surface runoff on Mars. Science 288, 2330–2335.
25. McCollom, T.M. & Shock, E.L. (1997). Geochemical constraints on chemolithoautotrophic metabolism by microorganisms in seafloor hydrothermal systems. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 61, 4375–4391.
26. McSween, H.Y. (1994). What we have learned from Mars from the SNC meteorites. Meteoritics 29, 757–779.
27. Mellon, M.T. & Phillips, R.J. (2001). Recent gullies on Mars and the source of liquid water. J. Geophys. Res. 106, 23165–23180.
28. Mittlefehldt, D.W.(1994). ALH84001. A cumulate orthopyroxenite member of the martian meteorite group. Meteoritics 29, 214–221.
29. Pace, N.R. (1997). A molecular view of microbial diversity and the biosphere. Science 276, 734–740.
30. Shock, E.L. (1990). Geochemical constraints on the origin of organic compounds in hydrothermal systems. Orig. Life Evol. Biosphere 20, 331–367.
31. Squyres, S.W. et al. (2004a). Initial results from the MER ATHENA science investigation at Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum. Lunar Planet. Sci. Conf. XXXV, 2187.
32. Squyres, S.W. et al. (2004b). In situ evidence for an ancient aqueous environment at Meridiani Planum, Mars. Science 306, 1709–1714.
33. Stevens, T.O. & McKinley, J.P.(1995). Lithoautotrophic microbial ecosystems in deep basalt aquifers. Science 270, 450–455.
34. Tosca, N.J., McLennan, S.M., Lindsley, D.H. & Schoonen, M.A.A. (2004). Acid-sulfate weathering of synthetic Martian basalt: the acid fog model revisited. J. Geophys. Res. 109(E5), E05003, doi:10.1029/2003JE002218.
35. Treiman, A.H., Gleason, J.D. & Bogard, D.D. (2000). The SNC meteorites are from Mars. Planet. Space Sci. 48, 1213–1230.
36. Varnes, E.S., Jakosky, B.M. & McCollom, M.T. (2003). Biological potential of Martian hydrothermal systems. Astrobiology 3, 407–414.