Chemistry of Rocks and Soils in Gusev Crater from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer

Gellert, R.; Rieder, R.; Anderson, Robert C.; Brückner, J.; Clark, B. C.; Dreibus, G.; Economou, T.; Klingelhöfer, G.; Lugmair, G. W.; Ming, D. W.; Squyres, S. W.; d’Uston, C.; Wänke, H.; Yen, A. S.; Zipfel, J.

doi:10.1126/science.1099913

Cited by 290 publications

(247 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Further biochemical and genetic investigations are necessary to determine whether LCMS is a methanogen or methanotroph and to resolve the issues of very limited DIC concentrations at the LCHF and the ambiguous evidence for syntrophic SRB associated with LCMS biofilms. Considering the widespread global distribution of ultramafic subsurface environments (16) and the possibility of their existence on other planetary bodies such as Mars (18,22), exploration of serpentinite-hosted ecosystems has the potential to yield profound discoveries with implications for understanding the linkages between abiotic water-rock reactions and microbial evolution. Model of biogeochemical zonation at the Lost City hydrothermal field.…”

Section: Vol 72 2006 Microbial Communities Of Lost City Hydrothermamentioning

confidence: 99%

Methane- and Sulfur-Metabolizing Microbial Communities Dominate the Lost City Hydrothermal Field Ecosystem

Brazelton

Schrenk

Kelley

et al. 2006

Appl Environ Microbiol

345

394

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Hydrothermal venting and the formation of carbonate chimneys in the Lost City hydrothermal field (LCHF) are driven predominantly by serpentinization reactions and cooling of mantle rocks, resulting in a highly reducing, high-pH environment with abundant dissolved hydrogen and methane. Phylogenetic and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses of 16S rRNA genes in fluids and carbonate material from this site indicate the presence of organisms similar to sulfur-oxidizing, sulfate-reducing, and methane-oxidizing Bacteria as well as methanogenic and anaerobic methane-oxidizing Archaea. The presence of these metabolic groups indicates that microbial cycling of sulfur and methane may be the dominant biogeochemical processes active within this ultramafic rock-hosted environment. 16S rRNA gene sequences grouping within the Methylobacter and Thiomicrospira clades were recovered from a chemically diverse suite of carbonate chimney and fluid samples. In contrast, 16S rRNA genes corresponding to the Lost City Methanosarcinales phylotype were found exclusively in high-temperature chimneys, while a phylotype of anaerobic methanotrophic Archaea (ANME-1) was restricted to lower-temperature, less vigorously venting sites. A hyperthermophilic habitat beneath the LCHF may be reflected by 16S rRNA gene sequences belonging to Thermococcales and uncultured Crenarchaeota identified in vent fluids. The finding of a diverse microbial ecosystem supported by the interaction of high-temperature, high-pH fluids resulting from serpentinization reactions in the subsurface provides insight into the biogeochemistry of what may be a pervasive process in ultramafic subseafloor environments.The Lost City hydrothermal field (LCHF) is located near the summit of the Atlantis Massif at a water depth of ϳ750 m (37, 38). Long-lived faulting and extensive uplift at the massif have resulted in the exposure of magnesium-rich, variably altered ultramafic rocks with lesser gabbroic material that is 1.5 to 2 million years of age. Fluid circulation within the massif is driven by serpentinization reactions and the cooling of the underlying mantle rocks. These reactions result in a combination of extreme conditions never before seen in the marine environment, which include venting of high-pH (from pH 9 to 11), 40 to 91°C hydrothermal fluids with high concentrations of dissolved hydrogen (H 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and other lowmolecular-weight hydrocarbons (38). Mixing of the warm, high-pH fluids with seawater results in carbonate precipitation and growth of chimneys, which tower up to 60 m above the surrounding seafloor (38). Carbon-14 radioisotopic dating indicates that hydrothermal activity has been ongoing for at least 30,000 years (17). A large percentage of exposed seafloor on and near slow-and ultraslow-spreading ridges is likely to contain ultramafic rocks similar to those that host the LCHF (4, 12, 14). Therefore, this system offers a unique opportunity to study an ultramafic-rock-hosted submarine ecosystem that may be both widespread and ...

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Section: Vol 72 2006 Microbial Communities Of Lost City Hydrothermamentioning

confidence: 99%

Methane- and Sulfur-Metabolizing Microbial Communities Dominate the Lost City Hydrothermal Field Ecosystem

Brazelton

Schrenk

Kelley

et al. 2006

Appl Environ Microbiol

345

394

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Observations by previous Mars missions (Banin et al 1992) show that the surface has a widely developed salt-rich crust, dominated by sulphates (Cooper & Mustard 2002), which have been identified by both Mars Exploration Rovers (MER), Spirit and Opportunity (Gellert et al 2004;Squyres et al 2004). Spirit encountered ferric sulfate-rich crusts in Gusev crater, which are likely to be associated with the hydrothermal activity (Arvidson et al 2010) and are evidently accessible by a rover.…”

Section: Crusts On Marsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface mineral crusts: a potential strategy for sampling for evidence of life on Mars

Brolly

Parnell

Bowden

2018

International Journal of Astrobiology

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Surface mineral crusts on Earth are highly diverse and usually, contain microbial life. Crusts constitute an attractive target to search for life: they require water for their formation, they efficiently entrap organic matter and are relatively easy to sample and process. They hold a record of life in the form of microbial remains, biomolecules and carbon isotope composition. A miniaturized Raman spectrometer is included in the ExoMars 2020 payload as it is sensitive to a range of photosynthetic pigments. Samples from the Haughton Impact Structure, Canadian High Arctic and others, shows the preservation of pigments in a range of crust types, especially supra-permafrost carbonate crusts and cryptogamic crusts. The Raman spectral signatures of these crusts are shown along with biomarker analysis to showcase these techniques prior to the ExoMars 2020 mission. Carotenoids and other photoprotective microbial pigments are identified in the Haughton surface crusts using Raman spectroscopy. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses show a distribution of fatty acids which are most likely from a cyanobacterial source. The successful demonstration of these analyses in the Haughton Impact structure shows the biosignature of surface mineral crusts can be easily extracted and provides an excellent target for sampling evidence of life on Mars.

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“…However, there are also regional and trace components in Martian soil, such as carbonate, chlorohydrocarbon, and glassy spherules identified at the Gale Crater (Blake et al 2013;Leshin et al 2013;Minitti et al 2013). In situ measurements of soil samples indicate that Martian soil contains approximately 43-45 wt% SiO 2 , 16-20 wt% FeO, 7-10 wt% Al 2 O 3 , 6-9 wt% MgO, 6-8 wt% CaO, 0.7-0.9 wt% P 2 O 5 , and 5-8 wt% SO 3 (Banin et al 1992;Foley et al 2003;Gellert et al 2004;Rieder et al 2004;Blake et al 2013). As shown in Table 1, compared to Martian soil, JMSS-1 has higher levels of SiO 2 (49.28 wt%) and Al 2 O 3 (13.64 wt%) and lower levels of SO 3 and P 2 O 5 (0.3 wt%).…”

Section: Comparison With Martian Soilmentioning

confidence: 99%

JMSS-1: a new Martian soil simulant

Zeng

Wang

et al. 2015

Earth Planet Sp

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It is important to develop Martian soil simulants that can be used in Mars exploration programs and Mars research. A new Martian soil simulant, called Jining Martian Soil Simulant (JMSS-1), was developed at the Lunar and Planetary Science Research Center at the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The raw materials of JMSS-1 are Jining basalt and Fe oxides (magnetite and hematite). JMSS-1 was produced by mechanically crushing Jining basalt with the addition of small amounts of magnetite and hematite. The properties of this simulant, including chemical composition, mineralogy, particle size, mechanical properties, reflectance spectra, dielectric properties, volatile content, and hygroscopicity, have been analyzed. On the basis of these test results, it was demonstrated that JMSS-1 is an ideal Martian soil simulant in terms of chemical composition, mineralogy, and physical properties. JMSS-1 would be an appropriate choice as a Martian soil simulant in scientific and engineering experiments in China's Mars exploration in the future.

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Chemistry of Rocks and Soils in Gusev Crater from the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer

Cited by 290 publications

References 9 publications

Methane- and Sulfur-Metabolizing Microbial Communities Dominate the Lost City Hydrothermal Field Ecosystem

Methane- and Sulfur-Metabolizing Microbial Communities Dominate the Lost City Hydrothermal Field Ecosystem

Surface mineral crusts: a potential strategy for sampling for evidence of life on Mars

JMSS-1: a new Martian soil simulant

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