Physical Sciences and Mathematics | Open Access Articles

Surface Morphologies In A Mars-Analog Ca-Sulfate Salar, High Andes, Northern Chile, Nancy W. Hinman, Michael H. Hofmann, Kimberly Warren-Rhodes, Michael S. Phillips, Nora Noffke, Nathalie A. Cabrol, Guillermo Chong Diaz, Cecilia Demergasso, Cinthya Tebes-Cayo, Oscar Cabestro, Janice L. Bishop, Virginia C. Gulick, David Summers, Pablo Sobron, Michael Mcinenly, Jeffrey Moersch, Constanza Rodriguez, Philippe Sarazzin, Kevin L. Rhodes, Camila Javiera Riffo Contreras, David Wettergreen, Victor Parro

OES Faculty Publications

Salar de Pajonales, a Ca-sulfate salt flat in the Chilean High Andes, showcases the type of polyextreme environment recognized as one of the best terrestrial analogs for early Mars because of its aridity, high solar irradiance, salinity, and oxidation. The surface of the salar represents a natural climate-transition experiment where contemporary lagoons transition into infrequently inundated areas, salt crusts, and lastly dry exposed paleoterraces. These surface features represent different evolutionary stages in the transition from previously wetter climatic conditions to much drier conditions today. These same stages closely mirror the climate transition on Mars from a wetter early Noachian to …

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Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures In Clastic Deposits: Implication For The Prospection For Fossil Life On Mars, Nora Noffke

OES Faculty Publications

Abundant and well-preserved fossil microbenthos occurs in siliciclastic deposits of all Earth ages, from the early Archean to today. Studies in modern settings show how microbenthos responds to sediment dynamics by baffling and trapping, binding, biostabilization, and growth. Results of this microbial-sediment interaction are microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS). Successful prospection for rich MISS occurrences in the terrestrial lithological record requires unraveling genesis and taphonomy of MISS, both of which are defined only by a narrow range of specific conditions. These conditions have to coincide with high detectability which is a function of outcrop quality, bedding character, and rock type. …

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Microtextures Of Cyanobacterial Mats In Siliciclastic Sedimentary Environments (Modern & Ancient): Applications To The Search For Life On Mars, Dina M. Bower

OES Theses and Dissertations

The current Mars Exploration Rover Program (MER) is one of NASA's most successful missions. The aim of the MER is to explore for possible life on the surface of Mars. My thesis developed new methods of how to detect and to identify microbial mats in siliciclastic sediments (modern and ancient), and to make recommendations on the applicability of MISS as biosignatures. Predominantly, I employed instrumentation portable by future rovers. To search for life on other planets, we need to have information on how this life might look. Most astrobiological studies therefore focus on Earthly analogues of life and its habitats. …

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OES Faculty Publications

Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures In Clastic Deposits: Implication For The Prospection For Fossil Life On Mars, Nora Noffke

OES Faculty Publications

Microtextures Of Cyanobacterial Mats In Siliciclastic Sedimentary Environments (Modern & Ancient): Applications To The Search For Life On Mars, Dina M. Bower

OES Theses and Dissertations