Abstract:Lower Permian continental deposits of the fault-controlled Orobic Basin (Central Southern Alps; Northern Italy) include alluvial fan facies interfingering with muddy basin-floor deposits, consisting of three facies associations: heterolithic finegrained siliciclastic facies, laminated sandstone facies, and oncoidal limestone facies. Besides oncoidal and microbial limestones, carbonates occur as nodules in sandy tabular beds within the laminated sandstone facies association. Microfacies analyses distinguish sev… Show more
“…In addition, carbonate precipitation in aqueous environments is an excellent mechanism for biosignature preservation (Farmer & Marais, 1999;Horgan et al, 2020). This suitability scoring approach is supported by observations at the Collio Basin (Permian, Italy), which preserves lacustrine carbonates with abundant biostratification ichnofossils (Berra, Felletti & Tessarollo, 2019). In the Collio Basin, oncoids, stromatolites and MISS are associated with lacustrine palaeoenvironments dominated by carbonates, i.e., spring-fed ponds at the toe of alluvial fans (Fig.…”
Section: Water Levelmentioning
confidence: 62%
“…The presence of lacustrine carbonates throughout the region and inside the Jezero crater make this palaeolake a landing site of great interest not only for in-situ studies but also for potential sample return (Ehlmann et al, 2008a;Ehlmann et al, 2008b;Mangold et al, 2020). In fact, lacustrine carbonates have a high potential of preserving morphologic, organic, and isotopic biosignatures (Berra, Felletti & Tessarollo, 2019;Horgan et al, 2020).…”
Ichnofossils, the fossilized products of life-substrate interactions, are among the most abundant biosignatures on Earth and therefore they may provide scientific evidence of potential life that may have existed on Mars. Ichnofossils offer unique advantages in the search for extraterrestrial life, including the fact that they are resilient to processes that obliterate other evidence for past life, such as body fossils, as well as chemical and isotopic biosignatures. The goal of this paper is evaluating the suitability of the Mars 2020 Landing Site for ichnofossils. To this goal, we apply palaeontological predictive modelling, a technique used to forecast the location of fossil sites in uninvestigated areas on Earth. Accordingly, a geographic information system (GIS) of the landing site is developed. Each layer of the GIS maps the suitability for one or more ichnofossil types (bioturbation, bioerosion, biostratification structures) based on an assessment of a single attribute (suitability factor) of the Martian environment. Suitability criteria have been selected among the environmental attributes that control ichnofossil abundance and preservation in 18 reference sites on Earth. The goal of this research is delivered through three predictive maps showing which areas of the Mars 2020 Landing Site are more likely to preserve potential ichnofossils. On the basis of these maps, an ichnological strategy for the Perseverance rover is identified, indicating (1) 10 sites on Mars with high suitability for bioturbation, bioerosion and biostratification ichnofossils, (2) the ichnofossil types, if any, that are more likely to be present at each site, (3) the most efficient observation strategy for detecting eventual ichnofossils. The predictive maps and the ichnological strategy can be easily integrated in the existing plans for the exploration of the Jezero crater, realizing benefits in life-search efficiency and cost-reduction.
“…In addition, carbonate precipitation in aqueous environments is an excellent mechanism for biosignature preservation (Farmer & Marais, 1999;Horgan et al, 2020). This suitability scoring approach is supported by observations at the Collio Basin (Permian, Italy), which preserves lacustrine carbonates with abundant biostratification ichnofossils (Berra, Felletti & Tessarollo, 2019). In the Collio Basin, oncoids, stromatolites and MISS are associated with lacustrine palaeoenvironments dominated by carbonates, i.e., spring-fed ponds at the toe of alluvial fans (Fig.…”
Section: Water Levelmentioning
confidence: 62%
“…The presence of lacustrine carbonates throughout the region and inside the Jezero crater make this palaeolake a landing site of great interest not only for in-situ studies but also for potential sample return (Ehlmann et al, 2008a;Ehlmann et al, 2008b;Mangold et al, 2020). In fact, lacustrine carbonates have a high potential of preserving morphologic, organic, and isotopic biosignatures (Berra, Felletti & Tessarollo, 2019;Horgan et al, 2020).…”
Ichnofossils, the fossilized products of life-substrate interactions, are among the most abundant biosignatures on Earth and therefore they may provide scientific evidence of potential life that may have existed on Mars. Ichnofossils offer unique advantages in the search for extraterrestrial life, including the fact that they are resilient to processes that obliterate other evidence for past life, such as body fossils, as well as chemical and isotopic biosignatures. The goal of this paper is evaluating the suitability of the Mars 2020 Landing Site for ichnofossils. To this goal, we apply palaeontological predictive modelling, a technique used to forecast the location of fossil sites in uninvestigated areas on Earth. Accordingly, a geographic information system (GIS) of the landing site is developed. Each layer of the GIS maps the suitability for one or more ichnofossil types (bioturbation, bioerosion, biostratification structures) based on an assessment of a single attribute (suitability factor) of the Martian environment. Suitability criteria have been selected among the environmental attributes that control ichnofossil abundance and preservation in 18 reference sites on Earth. The goal of this research is delivered through three predictive maps showing which areas of the Mars 2020 Landing Site are more likely to preserve potential ichnofossils. On the basis of these maps, an ichnological strategy for the Perseverance rover is identified, indicating (1) 10 sites on Mars with high suitability for bioturbation, bioerosion and biostratification ichnofossils, (2) the ichnofossil types, if any, that are more likely to be present at each site, (3) the most efficient observation strategy for detecting eventual ichnofossils. The predictive maps and the ichnological strategy can be easily integrated in the existing plans for the exploration of the Jezero crater, realizing benefits in life-search efficiency and cost-reduction.
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