Dissertations / Theses: 'Astrobiology'

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Geller, Harold. "Astrobiology the integrated science curriculum." Saarbrücken VDM Verlag Dr. Müller, 2005. http://d-nb.info/991461398/04.

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Coelho, Luciene da Silva. "Formação de moléculas orgânicas em ambientes interestelares." Universidade de São Paulo, 2012. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/14/14131/tde-22112012-211332/.

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Este trabalho apresenta o estudo de algumas moléculas do meio interestelar úteis para o levantamento do conteúdo de matéria orgânica do universo e para as condições pré-bióticas na Terra e em outros ambientes no universo. Utilizamos como objeto-teste a Nebulosa Cabeça de Cavalo, devido à sua geometria simples, à sua distância moderada até nós, ao seu campo de radiação ultravioleta bem conhecido resultante da iluminação por uma estrela próxima, $\\sigma$ Orionis, e por ter sido extensivamente estudada por diversos trabalhos. Desse modo, podemos investigar com segurança diversos processos físicos e químicos no meio interestelar. O principal instrumento utilizado neste trabalho foi o código PDR Meudon devido ao fato de que é amplamente utilizado por ser um dos programas de análise de dados de projetos recentes de astronomia, como o projeto Herschel, e por ser público. O código pode ser utilizado para modelizar com confiabilidade a Nebulosa Cabeça de Cavalo, visto que ela mesma é uma PDR (região de fotodissociação) prototípica. Atualizamos o setor de química do código para testar diversos cenários de formação de moléculas. Consideramos o impacto nas abundâncias derivadas das moléculas de várias suposições em relação ao estado do gás (modelos isocórico, isotérmico e isobárico), decidindo em favor de um modelo isobárico. Verificou-se o papel dos raios cósmicos e de vários conjuntos de dados das reações químicas. Obtivemos as abundâncias de várias moléculas, incluindo algumas de potencial importância pré-biótica: CN e seus íons, HCN, HNC, nitrilas e seus íons, hidretos de nitrogênio, benzeno. Investigamos o papel dos ânions e dos PAHs. Finalmente, exploramos canais de produção para heterocíclicos nitrogenados com relevância em astrobiologia: pirrol e piridina. As presentes simulações apresentaram como a exploração de uma pequena gama de possíveis canais de produção de heterocíclicos já resultou em abundâncias significativas para ao menos uma espécie de heterocíclicos nitrogenados, a piridina. Dessa forma, excursões sistemáticas pelos diversos canais de produção deverão revelar mais espécies para serem alvos de buscas.
This work presents the study of some molecules of the interstellar medium that are useful for the bookkeeping of the molecular content of the universe and for prebiotic conditions on Earth and in other environments in the universe. The Horsehead Nebula was chosen as test object, due to its simple geometry, its moderate distance to us, its well-known ultraviolet radiation field resulting from the star $\\sigma$ Orionis, and due the fact that it has been extensively studied in several works. In this way, we can safely investigate several physical and chemical processes on the interstellar medium. The main tool used in the present work was the Meudon PDR code due the fact that it is widely used as one of the legacy data analysis programs of current astronomy projects, e.g. the Herschel project, and it is public. The code can reliably model the Horsehead Nebula, since this nebula is a prototypic PDR (photodissociation region). We updated the chemical sector of the code in order to test several scenarios for molecule production. We considered the impact on the derived molecule abundances of several assumptions relative to the gas state (isochoric, isothermal and isobaric models), and the isobaric model was found to be the most plausible. We checked the role of cosmic rays and several datasets of chemical reactions. We derived the abundances of several molecules, including some of potential prebiotic importance: CN and their ions, HCN, HNC, nitriles and their ions, nitrogen hydrides, and benzene. We investigated the role of anions and PAHs. Finally, we explored production channels for astrobiologically relevant nitrogenated heterocycles: pyrrole and pyridine. This presents simulations show us how the exploration of a small quantities of possibles path of prodution of heterocycles resulted already in significants abundances at least one n-heterocycle specie, the pyridine. Thereby, systemact tours for the many productions paths should show more species to be targe of searches.

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Szenay, Brian Craig. "Modeling Potential Chemical Environments: Implications for Astrobiology." Scholar Commons, 2013. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/4847.

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Modeling chemical environments is an important step to understanding the diversity of prebiotic systems that may have formed on the early earth or potentially can occur on other worlds. By using the modern Earth as a test case, these models predict scenarios with systems more conducive to the formation of the organic molecules that are important to life. Here we use the equilibrium thermodynamic modeling program HSC Chem to investigate prebiotic environments. This program uses the raw material that the user inputs into the system in order to calculate the change in amounts of chemical species forming as a function of temperature and pressure using equilibrium (batch reactor) chemistry. Our results show that that ferrous ion (Fe2+), which may be important in the early formation of organic molecules on Earth, is most abundant in the aqueous phase where the atmosphere contains carbon dioxide as a major constituent. A pure methane atmosphere exhibits the lowest concentrations of this ion, and mixtures tend to end up in between the two extremes. Additionally, we have determined the pH of early oceans, which has implications for biomineralization, chemical reactions, and mineral chemistry. We see that the CO2 atmosphere, and to some extent, the mixtures and CH4 atmospheres, exhibit near neutral pHs. These results allow prediction of processes that might have taken place and could have impacted the development of life on the early earth.

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Henry, Olivier Yves Frederic. "Robust molecular sensor array for astrobiology applications." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.426073.

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Lafuente, Valverde Barbara, and Valverde Barbara Lafuente. "Architecture of Databases for Mineralogy and Astrobiology." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/621774.

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This dissertation is focused on the design of the Open Data Repository's Data Publisher (ODR), a web-based central repository for scientific data, primarily focused on mineralogical properties, but also applicable to other data types, including for instance, morphological, textural and contextual images, chemical, biochemical, isotopic, and sequencing information. Using simple web-based tools, the goal of ODR is to lower the cost and training barrier so that any researcher can easily publish their data, ensure that it is archived for posterity, and comply with the mandates for data sharing. There are only a few databases in the mineralogical community, including RRUFF (http://rruff.info) for professionals, and mindat.org (http://www.mindat.org) for amateurs. These databases contain certain specific mineral information, but none, however, provide the ability to include, in the same platform, any of the many datatypes that characterize the properties of minerals. The ODR framework provides the flexibility required to include unforeseen data without the need for additional software programming. Once ODR is completed, the RRUFF database will be migrated into ODR and populated with additional data using other analytical techniques, such as Mössbauer data from Dr. Richard Morris and NVIR data from Dr. Ralf Milliken. The current ODR pilot studies are also described here, including 1) a database of the XRD analysis performed by the CheMin instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity, 2) the NASA-AMES Astrobiology Habitable Environments Database (AHED), which aims to provide a central, high quality, long-term data repository for relevant astrobiology information, 3) the University of Arizona Mineral Museum (UAMM), with over 21,000 records of minerals and fossils from the museum collection, and 4) the Mineral Evolution Database (MED), that uses the ages of mineral species and their localities to correlate the diversification of mineral species through time with Earth's physical, chemical and biological processes. A good database design requires understanding the fundamentals of its content, so part of this thesis is also focused on developing my skills in mineral analysis and characterization, through the study of the crystal-chemistry of diverse minerals using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and microprobe analysis, as principal techniques.

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Fornaro, Teresa. "Spectroscopic Studies of Molecular Systems Relevant in Astrobiology." Doctoral thesis, Scuola Normale Superiore, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11384/86210.

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In the Astrobiology context, the study of the physico-chemical interactions involving “building blocks of life” in plausible prebiotic and space-like conditions is fundamental to shed light on the processes that led to emergence of life on Earth as well as to molecular chemical evolution in space. In this PhD Thesis, such issues have been addressed both experimentally and computationally by employing vibrational spectroscopy, which has shown to be an eﬀective tool to investigate the variety of intermolecular interactions that play a key role in self-assembling mechanisms of nucleic acid components and their binding to mineral surfaces. In particular, in order to dissect the contributions of the diﬀerent interactions to the overall spectroscopic signals and shed light on the intricate experimental data, feasible computational protocols have been developed for the characterization of the spectroscopic properties of such complex systems. This study has been carried out through a multi-step strategy, starting the investigation from the spectroscopic properties of the isolated nucleobases, then studying the perturbation induced by the interaction with another molecule (molecular dimers), towards condensed phases like the molecular solid, up to the case of nucleic acid components adsorbed on minerals.

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Oliver, Carol Ann Biotechnology &amp Biomolecular Sciences Faculty of Science UNSW. "Communicating astrobiology in public: A study of scientific literacy." Publisher:University of New South Wales. Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences, 2008. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/42878.

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The majority of adults in the US and in Europe appear to be scientifically illiterate. This has not changed in more than half a century. It is unknown whether the Australian public is also scientifically illiterate because no similar testing is done here. Public scientific illiteracy remains in spite of improvements in science education, innovative approaches to public outreach, the encouraging of science communication via the mass media, and the advent of the Internet. Why is it that there has been so little change? Is school science education inadequate? Does something happen between leaving high school education and becoming an adult? Does Australia suffer from the same apparent malady? The pilot study at the heart of this thesis tests a total of 692 Year Ten (16-year-old) Australian students across ten high schools and a first year university class in 2005 and 2006, using measures applied to adults. Twenty-six percent of those tested participated in a related scientific literacy project utilising in-person visits to Macquarie University in both years. A small group of the students (64) tested in 2005 were considered the best science students in seven of the ten high schools. Results indicate that no more than 20% of even the best high school science students - on the point of being able to end their formal science education - are scientifically literate if measured by adult standards. Another pilot test among 150 first year university students supports that indication. This compares to a scientific literacy rate of 28% for the US public. This thesis finds that the scientific literacy enterprise ?? in all its forms ?? fails scrutiny. Either we believe our best science students are leaving high school scientifically illiterate or there is something fundamentally wrong in our perceptions of public scientific illiteracy. This pilot study ?? probably the first of its kind ?? indicates we cannot rely on our current perceptions of a scientifically illiterate public. It demonstrates that a paradigm shift in our thinking is required about what scientific literacy is and in our expectations of a scientifically literate adult public. In the worst case scenario, governments are pouring millions of dollars into science education and public outreach with little or no basis for understanding whether either is effective. That is illogical, even irresponsible. It also impacts on the way astrobiology ?? or any science ?? is communicated in public.

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Neitzel, Clifford Luciano Vinícius. "Aplicação da astronomia ao ensino de física com ênfase em astrobiologia." reponame:Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UFRGS, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10183/12437.

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Neste trabalho, criticamos a forma como alguns temas básicos da Física são expostos e são estudados ao longo do Ensino Médio. O assunto escolhido por nós foi a “Aplicação da Astronomia ao Ensino de Física com ênfase em Astrobiologia”. Este projeto tem como objetivo introduzir e estimular os alunos do 2º ano do Ensino Médio ao campo da Astronomia, utilizando-se de conhecimentos pré-adquiridos de Física da primeira série do Ensino Médio, e com ênfase em um tema bastante atual e em forte desenvolvimento, a Astrobiologia. O desenvolvimento do projeto proporcionou então o aprendizado de novos conceitos e áreas de Física, ainda não formalmente estudados. O projeto aborda desde um histórico da Astronomia, passando por um panorama geral da Astronomia contemporânea, até a sua relação com outras disciplinas, como Física, Química e Biologia, usando como eixo a Astrobiologia. Nestes contextos foram introduzidos conceitos básicos de diferentes áreas da Física, incluindo aquelas que são abordadas no decorrer dos dois últimos anos do Ensino Médio. Este projeto resultou na produção de um CD, onde está contido todo o material aplicado nas aulas com o formato “PowerPoint”. O CD inclui também explicações detalhadas para o professor sobre cada aula, sendo que estas notas de aula estão no formato de texto mais usual, “Microsoft Word”. Dessa forma, professores terão em mãos um roteiro de fácil acesso para que possam se orientar em suas aulas. Obtivemos resultados bastante significativos após a aplicação deste projeto. Tais resultados são demonstrados nas tabelas e gráficos apresentados no decorrer desta dissertação, e foram considerados satisfatórios por nós, demonstrando com clareza que a necessidade de atualizarmos e inovarmos o conhecimento em Física torna-se um fato notório. Com este trabalho, esperamos poder contribuir estimulando a criatividade e a curiosidade dos alunos para um tema merecedor de toda a nossa atenção.
In this work, we criticize the way some basic themes of Physics are presented and studied during High School. The subject chosen was “Use of Astronomy in the Physics Teaching with emphasis in Astrobiology”. This project´s goal is to introduce and stimulate junior High School students to the Astronomy field, making use pre-acquired knowledge from the previous series, and with emphasis in a current theme undergoing rapid growth: Astrobiology. The project development was meant to lead to learning of new concepts and areas of Physics, not studied previously. The project has started with the History of Astronomy, passed through a broad view of contemporary Astronomy, stressing its relation with other disciplines, such as Physical and Chemical sciences and Biology and always using Astrobiology as a defining axis. In these contexts basic concepts of different areas of Physics are introduced, including those that are taught during the two last years of High School. This project has led to the production of a CD, which contains the multimedia material applied in the classroom, in “PowerPoint” format. The CD includes full explanations about each class to interested teachers; these lecture notes are in the more usual “Microsoft Word” format. Thus, teachers will have in hands an easy access script to guide themselves through their lectures. The results we obtained with the application of this project are significant. They are shown as tables and graphs throughout the text. The very satisfactory outcome of the project clearly shows the need for an updated and innovative way of learning and teaching Physics. We hope this work may have stimulated the curiosity and creativity of students towards learning such an important theme.

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Bounama, Christine. "Thermische Evolution und Habitabilität erdähnlicher Exoplaneten." Phd thesis, Universität Potsdam, 2007. http://opus.kobv.de/ubp/volltexte/2008/1648/.

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In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden Methoden der Erdsystemanalyse auf die Untersuchung der Habitabilität terrestrischer Exoplaneten angewandt. Mit Hilfe eines parametrisierten Konvektionsmodells für die Erde wird die thermische Evolution von terrestrischen Planeten berechnet. Bei zunehmender Leuchtkraft des Zentralsterns wird über den globalen Karbonat-Silikat-Kreislauf das planetare Klima stabilisiert. Für eine photosynthetisch-aktive Biosphäre, die in einem bestimmten Temperaturbereich bei hinreichender CO2-Konzentration existieren kann, wird eine Überlebenspanne abgeschätzt. Der Abstandsbereich um einen Stern, in dem eine solche Biosphäre produktiv ist, wird als photosynthetisch-aktive habitable Zone (pHZ) definiert und berechnet. Der Zeitpunkt, zu dem die pHZ in einem extrasolaren Planetensystem endgültig verschwindet, ist die maximale Lebenspanne der Biosphäre. Für Supererden, massereiche terrestrische Planeten, ist sie umso länger, je massereicher der Planet ist und umso kürzer, je mehr er mit Kontinenten bedeckt ist. Für Supererden, die keine ausgeprägten Wasser- oder Landwelten sind, skaliert die maximale Lebenspanne mit der Planetenmasse mit einem Exponenten von 0,14. Um K- und M-Sterne ist die Überlebensspanne einer Biosphäre auf einem Planeten immer durch die maximale Lebensspanne bestimmt und nicht durch das Ende der Hauptreihenentwicklung des Zentralsterns limitiert. Das pHZ-Konzept wird auf das extrasolare Planetensystem Gliese 581 angewandt. Danach könnte die 8-Erdmassen-Supererde Gliese 581d habitabel sein. Basierend auf dem vorgestellten pHZ-Konzept wird erstmals die von Ward und Brownlee 1999 aufgestellte Rare-Earth-Hypothese für die Milchstraße quantifiziert. Diese Hypothese besagt, dass komplexes Leben im Universum vermutlich sehr selten ist, wohingegen primitives Leben weit verbreitet sein könnte. Unterschiedliche Temperatur- und CO2-Toleranzen sowie ein unterschiedlicher Einfluss auf die Verwitterung für komplexe und primitive Lebensformen führt zu unterschiedlichen Grenzen der pHZ und zu einer unterschiedlichen Abschätzung für die Anzahl der Planeten, die mit den entsprechenden Lebensformen besiedelt sein könnten. Dabei ergibt sich, dass komplex besiedelte Planeten heute etwa 100-mal seltener sein müssten als primitiv besiedelte.
In this thesis methods of Earth system analysis are applied to the investigation of the habitability of terrestrial exoplanets. With the help of parameterized convection models for the Earth the thermal evolution of terrestrial planets is calculated. Under increasing central star luminosity the global carbonate-silicate cycle stabilizes the planetary climate. The life span of a photosynthetic-active biosphere existing in a certain temperature interval under adequate CO2 concentration is estimated. The range of orbital distances within which such a biosphere is productive is defined as the photosynthetic-active habitable zone (pHZ) and is calculated. The maximum life span of the biosphere is the point in time when the pHZ of an extrasolar planetary system finally disappears. For super-Earths, i.e. massive terrestrial planets, it is as longer as more massive the planet is and as shorter as more the planet is covered with continents. For super-Earths, which are not pronounced land or water worlds, the maximum life span scales with the planetary mass with an exponent of 0.14. The life span of the biosphere on a planet around K- or M-stars is always determined by the maximum life span and not limited by the end of the main-sequence evolution of the central star. The pHZ approach is applied to the extrasolar planetary system Gliese 581. Accordingly the super-Earth of 8 Earth masses Gliese 581d could be habitable. Based on the presented pHZ concept the Rare Earth Hypothesis established by Ward and Brownlee 1999 is quantified for the Milky Way. This hypothesis claims that complex life may be very rare in the Universe while primitive life is likely common and widespread. Different temperature and CO2 tolerances as well as a different influence on weathering of complex and primitive life forms result different boundaries of the pHZ and a different estimate of the number of planets potentially harboring these different life forms. It arises that planets with complex life might be 100 times rarer than primitive life bearing planets.

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Berry, Bonnie. "GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF BACTERIA IN SIMULATED MARTIAN CONDITIONS." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2008. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/3190.

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Escherichia coli and Serratia liquefaciens, two common microbial spacecraft contaminants known to replicate under low atmospheric pressures of 25 mb, were tested for growth and survival in simulated martian conditions. Stressors of high salinity, low temperature, and low pressure were screened alone and in combination to determine how they might affect microbial activity. Growth and survival of E. coli and S. liquefaciens under low temperatures (30, 20, 10, or 5 °C) with increasing concentrations (0, 5, 10, or 20 %) of three salts believed to be present on the surface of Mars (MgCl2, MgSO4, NaCl) were monitored over 7 d. Results indicated higher growth rates for E. coli and S. liquefaciens at 30 and 20 °C and in solutions without salt or in 5 % concentrations. No increase in cell density occurred under the highest salt concentrations at any temperatures tested; however, survival rates were high, especially at 10 and 5 °C. Growth rates of E. coli and S. liquefaciens with and without salts at 1013, 100, or 25 mb of total atmospheric pressure were robust under all pressures. In a final experiment, E. coli was maintained in Mars-simulant soils in a Mars Simulation Chamber. Temperatures within the chamber were changed diurnally from -50 °C to 20 °C; UV light was present during daytime operation (8 hrs), and pressure was held at a constant 7.1 mb in a Mars atmosphere for 7 d. Results from the full-scale Mars simulation indicated that E. coli failed to increase its populations under simulated Mars conditions, but was not killed off by the low pressure, low temperature, or high salinity conditions. Escherichia coli, and potentially other bacteria from Earth, may be able to survive on Mars. Surviving bacteria may interfere with scientific studies or, if future conditions become more favorable for microbial growth, modify the martian atmosphere and biogeochemistry.
M.S.
Department of Biology
Sciences
Biology MS

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Cataldi, Gianni. "Debris disks and the search for life in the universe." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för astronomi, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-127263.

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Circumstellar debris disks are the extrasolar analogues of the asteroid belt and the Kuiper belt. These disks consist of comets and leftover planetesimals that continuously collide to produce copious amounts of circumstellar dust that can be observed as infrared excess or in resolved imaging. As an obvious outcome of the planet formation process, debris disks can help us constrain planet formation theories and learn about the history of our own solar system. Structures in the disks such as gaps or warps can hint at the presence of planets. Thus, the study of debris disks is an important branch of exoplanetary science. In this thesis, some aspects of debris disks are considered in detail. A handful of debris disks show observable amounts of gas besides the dust. One such case is the edge-on debris disk around the young A-type star β Pictoris, where the gas is thought to be of secondary origin, i.e. derived from the dust itself. By observing this gas, we can thus learn something about the dust, and therefore about the building blocks of planets. In paper I, spectrally resolved observations of C II emission with Herschel/HIFI are presented. The line profile is used to constrain the spatial distribution of carbon gas in the disk, which helps understanding the gas producing mechanism. In paper II, we analyse C II and O I emission detected with Herschel/PACS and find that the oxygen must be located in a relatively dense region, possibly similar to the CO clump seen by ALMA. An upcoming analysis of our ALMA C I observations will give us a clearer picture of the system. Another famous debris disk is found around the nearby, 440 Myr old A-star Fomalhaut. Its morphology is that of an eccentric debris belt with sharp edges, suggesting shaping by a planet. However, gas-dust interactions may result in a similar morphology without the need to invoke planets. We test this possibility in paper III by analysing non-detections of C II and O I emission by Herschel/PACS. We find that there is not enough gas present to efficiently sustain gas-dust interactions, implying that the morphology of the Fomalhaut belt is due to a yet unseen planet or alternatively stellar encounters. One of the biggest challenges in exoplanetary research is to answer the question whether there are inhabited worlds other than the Earth. With the number of known rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone increasing rapidly, we might actually be able to answer this question in the coming decades. Different approaches exist to detect the presence of life remotely, for example by studying exoplanetary atmospheres or by analysing light reflected off the surface of an exoplanet. In paper IV, we study whether biosignatures (for example, certain minerals or microorganisms) ejected into a circumstellar debris disk by an impact event could be detected. We consider an impact similar to the Chicxulub event and model the collisional evolution of the ejected debris. Dust from such an event can potentially be detected by current telescopes, but analysis of the debris composition has to wait for future, advanced instruments.

At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted. Paper 4: Submitted.

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Pereira, Felipe Nóbrega. "Além da Antártica: os limites da vida ao frio e à dessecação no âmbito da astrobiologia." Universidade de São Paulo, 2016. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/87/87131/tde-26052017-093541/.

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Na Antártica e no Ártico, a vida microbiana é presente e diversificada, tendo se adaptado a condições similares às encontradas em mundos que despertam interesse à astrobiologia. Este estudo investigou as alterações fisiológicas e fenotípicas do extremófilo psicrotrófico Exiguobacterium antarcticum B7 sob diferentes temperaturas. Foram utilizadas técnicas de eletroforese de proteínas em duas dimensões associada a espectrometria de massa, juntamente com técnicas de microscopia. E. antarcticum foi também submetida a condições físicas encontradas em Marte e no ambiente interplanetário. Seguindo evidências de que micro-organismos psicrotróficos podem também ser resistentes a períodos prolongados de dessecação, foi investigada a presença de linhagens microbianas resistentes a anidrobiose em solos da Antártica e permafrost do Ártico. Por fim, voltando-se à ecologia microbiana de solos polares permanentemente congelados, foi estudada a diversidade microbiana de três estratos de permafrost do ártico canadense com o uso de sequenciamento de DNA de nova geração.
In Antarctica and the Arctic, microbial life is present and diverse, having adapted to low temperature and low humidity conditions, similar to the worlds that arouse more interest to astrobiology. This study investigated the physiological changes of the psychrotrophic extremophile Exiguobacterium antarcticum B7 at different temperatures. Two dimensional protein electrophoresis techniques was used for proteome analysis in conjunction with mass spectrometry, as well as microscopy techniques. E. antarcticum was also subjected to physical parameters found on Mars and in the interplanetary environment. Following evidence that psychrotrophic microorganisms may also be resistant to prolonged periods of desiccation, it was investigated the presence of microbial strains resistant to anhydrobiosis on Antarctic soils and Arctic permafrost. At last, turning the attention to the microbial ecology of permanently frozen polar soils, it was studied the bacterial diversity of three Arctic permafrost strata with next-generation high throughput DNA sequencing.

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He, Jing. "Physicochemical characterisation of organic materials of interest for astrobiology : Titan's aerosols analogues." Phd thesis, Ecole Centrale Paris, 2013. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01000229.

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Since the achievement of the first results from the Cassini Huygens mission, Titan's aerosols present an astrobiological interest as their characterization enables to evaluate the prebiotic chemistry that occurred on the primitive Earth. To better understand the physical chemistry of the aerosols of Titan is important for scientists. The laboratory via analyzing the properties of tholins (analogues of Titan's aerosols) overcomes the difficulties for analyzing Titan's aerosols directly. In this thesis work, the research object is tholins produced by the PAMPRE experiment. Pyr-GC-MS analysis technique was used to characterize the composition and structure of tholins. The thermal stability and the properties change with the temperature have been realized by thermal degradation study. Finally, the evolution of organic aerosols after precipitation on the surface of Titan was also investigated through GC-MS analysis of tholins. The results obtained can be used to interpret data collected by observations of Titan from Earth or by the Cassini-Huygens probe, to better characterize the satellite and its evolution.

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De, Toffoli Barbara. "Gas emission centres on Mars surface and putative biological contribution: insights on hydrothermal fluid circulation in the upper crust." Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Padova, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3425754.

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The herein presented work aims to develop and expand Mars geological exploration in a search for life prospective and, accordingly, water resurgence features and possible degassing centers have been given a central role in the target selection and process investigation. Hydrothermal fluid circulation in the Martian crust is among the natural processes characterized by the combined involvement of fluids such water and methane so defining a potential set of environments prone to biosphere growth and flourish. Subsurface fluid flow is a key area of planetary science research because fluids affect almost every physical, chemical, mechanical and thermal property of the upper crust. Hydrothermal systems are closely bond to the transport of mass, heat, nutrients and chemical species in hydrogeological systems making these mechanisms central in fields such as volcano-tectonic, deep-biosphere and water/ice cycle. To step forward toward a new generation of planetary exploration that aims, not only to analyse and map the surfaces of planetary bodies other than Earth, but also to push the survey down in depth, in the first chapter we successfully test the efficiency of a rising technique that allows to probe the subsurface starting from surface case studies: fractal analysis. This method was firstly applied on many different study cases on Earth to investigate the location at depth of magma chambers and sediment source layers beneath volcanic vent and mud volcano fields. We thus took this technique and applied it to many different well-known morphologically convergent features on Mars, but with very different inferred formation process, in order to test if fractal analysis were an efficient methodology to identify spatial patterns linked to system of percolating connected fractures and drained material source depth by outputting the expected outcomes for the different cases. Thanks to the successfully obtained results we fostered the implementation of such method in the planetary exploration research field. In the second chapter is reported the produced work concerning the exploration and investigation aimed to identify new regions on Mars with a high astrobiological potential through the usage of classic and fractal analyses. Since the main objective of the herein presented work is to spot emission centers linked to water and methane release, we set our starting point on the search for fields of pitted mounds, which are good candidate morphologies for our purposes. Many different areas, with large coverages and very different geological context showed a relationship with systems of connected fractures extending many kilometres beneath the surface. We were not just able to profitably analyse different areas and locate several interesting vast regions, but we observed a systematic linkage between large fields of pitted mounds on the surface and the shallowest interface between gas hydrate-rich cryosphere and hydrosphere hypothesised for the Martian subsurface, so discovering the potential key role of clathrates on a, geologically speaking, recent Mars. The intriguing results produced and displayed in the first two chapters of this work led to a spectrum of unsolved questions concerning the processes that could be involved in such kind of phenomena. We thus choose to approach this topic from the structural side aiming to produce structural asset interpretations based on fluid circulation evidence, where information is available. In the third chapter, we hence face a propaedeutic explorative study which has the objective to compare sulfate vein networks on several locations on Earth with sulfate veins outcropping in the Gale crater (Curiosity Rover landing site, Mars), that represent the only case of close up acquisitions of Martian features that surely experienced fluid circulation. A better understanding of the structural asset on portions of the Martian surface will progressively lead to a contextualisation of the forces that could have contributed to drive the fluid flows in the upper Martian crust and again pushing the exploration toward the subsurface realm and to the identification of outgassing and water related environments. In the fourth chapter are exposed preliminary works that further pursue the aim of identify and investigate environments that experienced fluid circulation, backbone of this thesis. On one side, we moved on in exploring the Martian surface throughout the observation of the freshly acquired four-colours images of the CaSSIS camera we are involved in, with remarkable outcomes thanks to the location of light-toned ridges possibly linked to hydrothermal fluid percolation and connected rocks alteration. Contextually, we also approached the question from the compositional side by enhancing spectral libraries with the production of spectral signatures, on ultraviolet- far infrared wavelength span, of minerals belonging to environments that, on Earth, are linked to low temperature hydrothermal circulation and of rare bio-mineralisation features that are siliceous stromatolites.
Il lavoro presentato ha lo scopo di sviluppare ed espandere l'esplorazione geologica di Marte nell’ottica di ricerca di ambienti adatti allo sviluppo della vita e, di conseguenza, centri di risalita di acqua e centri di degassamento hanno avuto un ruolo centrale nella selezione degli obiettivi di indagine. La circolazione idrotermale nella crosta marziana è tra i processi naturali caratterizzati dal coinvolgimento combinato di fluidi quali acqua e metano, definendo così un potenziale insieme di ambienti inclini alla crescita e allo sviluppo della biosfera. La circolazione di fluidi nel sottosuolo è un'area chiave nel contesto delle scienze planetarie perché essi influenzano quasi ogni proprietà fisica, chimica, meccanica e termica della crosta superiore. I sistemi idrotermali sono strettamente legati al trasporto di massa, calore, sostanze nutritive e specie chimiche nei sistemi idrogeologici, rendendo questi meccanismi centrali in campi quali il ciclo vulcano-tettonico, la biosfera profonda e il ciclo acqua / ghiaccio. Per sviluppare una nuova generazione di esplorazione planetaria che mira non solo ad analizzare e mappare le superfici dei corpi planetari diversi dalla Terra, ma anche a sondarne le profondità, nel primo capitolo testiamo con successo l'efficienza di una nuova tecnica che permette di investigare il sottosuolo partendo dalle osservazioni di superficie: l’analisi frattale. Questo metodo è stato applicato per la prima volta sulla Terra per indagare la profondità delle camere magmatiche e degli strati sorgente che alimentano vulcanesimo magmatico e vulcani di fango. Abbiamo quindi applicato questa tecnica a diverse strutture di superficie su Marte con caratteristiche morfologicamente convergenti, ma con processi di formazione molto diversi, al fine di verificare se l'analisi frattale fosse una metodologia efficiente per identificare la presenza di un sistema percolante di fratture connesse e la profondità della sorgente del materiale drenato. I risultati sono stati positivi promuovendone così l'implementazione nel processo di esplorazione planetaria. Nel secondo capitolo viene riportato il lavoro prodotto relativo all'esplorazione volto a identificare nuove regioni ad alto potenziale su Marte attraverso l'uso di analisi classiche e frattali. Poiché l'obiettivo principale del presente lavoro presentato è quello di individuare i centri di emissione legati al rilascio di acqua e metano, poniamo il nostro punto di partenza nella ricerca di campi di pitted mounds, che sono ottimi candidati per i nostri scopi. Varie aree, con grandi coperture e un contesto geologico molto diverso, hanno mostrato una relazione con sistemi di fratture connesse con estensioni fino svariati chilometri di profondità. Non solo siamo stati in grado di analizzare proficuamente aree diverse e localizzare vaste regioni ad alto interesse, ma abbiamo osservato un collegamento sistematico tra grandi campi di pitted mounds sulla superficie e l'interfaccia più superficiale tra la criosfera ricca in clatrati e l'idrosfera ipotizzata per il sottosuolo marziano, scoprendo così il ruolo chiave che i clatrati potrebbero aver avuto su Marte i un passato geologicamente recente. I risultati promettenti prodotti e mostrati nei primi due capitoli di questo lavoro hanno portato a uno spettro di domande riguardanti i processi che potrebbero essere coinvolti in questo tipo di fenomeni. Scegliamo quindi di affrontare questo argomento tramite l’interpretazione dell’assetto strutturale basato su evidenze di circolazione di fluidi, in aree in cui tali informazioni sono disponibili. Nel terzo capitolo, quindi, affrontiamo uno studio esplorativo propedeutico che ha l'obiettivo di confrontare sistemi di vene a solfati in diverse località sulla Terra con le vene a solfati affioranti nel Gale crater, che rappresentano l'unico caso di acquisizioni ravvicinate di strutture marziane che sicuramente hanno sperimentato circolazione di fluidi. Una migliore comprensione dell’assetto strutturale su porzioni della superficie marziana può portare progressivamente ad una contestualizzazione delle forze che potrebbero aver contribuito a guidare i flussi di fluido nella crosta superiore marziana e inoltre a migliorare la corrente conoscenza del sottosuolo marziano nonché all’identificazione di ambienti legati all'acqua. Nel quarto capitolo sono esposti i lavori preliminari che hanno come obiettivo quello di identificare e indagare ambienti che hanno subito la circolazione di fluidi, spina dorsale di questa tesi. Da un lato, siamo andati avanti nell'esplorazione della superficie marziana attraverso l'osservazione delle immagini a quattro colori appena acquisite della camera CaSSIS, con esiti notevoli grazie all’individuazione di creste probabilmente legate alla percolazione di fluido idrotermale e all'alterazione delle rocce incassanti. Contestualmente, abbiamo anche affrontato la questione dal lato composizionale migliorando le librerie spettrali con la produzione di firme spettrali, in lunghezze d'onda dall'ultravioletto al lontano infrarosso, di minerali appartenenti ad ambienti che, sulla Terra, sono legati alla circolazione idrotermale a bassa temperatura e di rare bio-mineralizzazioni quali le stromatoliti silicee.

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Derveni, Maria Elisavet. "Development of antibodies for life-detection experiment in extreme environments : implications for astrobiology." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2010. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/5574.

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The Life Marker Chip (LMC) instrument is an antibody assay-based system which will attempt to detect molecular signatures of Life in the Martian subsurface as part of the payload on board the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars mission rover, currently scheduled for launch in 2018. The LMC will have the ability to detect up to 25 different molecular targets of different origins that are associated with meteoritic in-fall, extinct or extant Life, prebiotic chemistry and spacecraft contamination. Regolith / crushed rock samples will be collected for the LMC by the rover and subjected to solvent extraction to extract organic molecules for analysis by the immunoassays. One of the key stages in the development of the LMC is the selection of antibodies to be used in the flight instrument. The challenge lies in the nature of the molecules or classes of molecules that are LMC targets and the need for antibodies that remain functional in the extreme conditions during a planetary exploration mission, especially the radiation environments. The work described within focuses on two main aspects of the search for LMC-relevant antibodies; the effect of space radiation on antibody performance [in the form of both ground-based and Low Earth Orbit (LEO)-set studies] and the development of ―customised‖antibodies against some of the molecules that are being investigated as potential LMC targets. The need to study the effects of space radiation on antibodies arose due to lack of any heritage of their use in interplanetary missions. For all the antibodies in the LMC, the ability to resist inactivation due to space radiation seen during a Mars mission will be a prerequisite. The objective of the ground-based radiation studies was to expose a number of LMC-relevant antibodies to simulated Mars mission radiation in the form of proton and neutron radiation which are the components of the mission radiation environment that are expected to have the dominant effect on the operation of the LMC. Cont/d.

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Chan, Wai Olivia, and 陳卉. "Molecular microbial ecology of Mars-like environments on earth, for application in astrobiology." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2012. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B4832999X.

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Astrobiology is a multidisciplinary topic that addresses the origin, distribution and evolution of life in the universe. One of the key questions relates to whether life could have evolved on other planetary bodies, and Mars has been the major focus. Biologists contribute to this question by studying the ecology of extreme environments on Earth that share closest analogy to Mars’ past or present environment. In this thesis, molecular-level interrogations were used to address some aspects of microbial biodiversity, ecology and stress tolerance in two such extreme environments. The high-altitude cold and intense UV irradiance of central Tibet was selected as an analogue for Mars surface today, whilst cold alkaline high-carbonate freshwater lakes were chosen as an analogue for Mars’ previous late wet phase. Biological soil crusts from central Tibet supported a diverse microflora and these were variously bacteria or eukarya dominated. The relatively well-developed eukarya-dominated crusts were characterized and showed they comprised of Stichococcus bacillaris, plus alphaproteobacteria, betaproteobacteria, bacteroidetes and gemmatimonadetes. In order to evaluate the diversity of radiation-tolerant taxa in these soils, samples were exposed to ionizing radiation and viability, physiology and phylogenetic identity determined. The most radio-tolerant taxa isolated and characterized were from the radiation tolerant phylum Deinococci (15kGy), whilst a relatively diverse range of Actinobacteria, Bacilli, Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria were also recovered after exposure to doses up to 10kGy. This implies the high-radiation environment has selected for tolerance among diverse phyla, with tolerances that far exceed environmental exposure. It is not known at this stage if they all employ similar protective strategies. Microbial reefs that have developed in cold alkaline lakes in British Columbia were studied as analogues for a late-wet Mars environment. Molecular ecological analysis revealed that communities consisted largely of of Proteobacteria (alpha), Cyanobacteria (Leptolyngbya) and Acidobacteria, with similarities in community assembly to marine stromatolites. Microbial diversity varied spatially and temporally within microbialites, and indicated that geographically proximal structures can develop with different communities. Significant changes also occur between summer and winter when the lake surface is frozen. Investigation of other nearby lakes with similar geochemistry but not supporting microbialites revealed extensive microbial mats. These developed in the presence of relatively high concentrations of methane or sulfate, and their biodiversity reflected this with several putative methanotrophic and sulphate utilizing taxa identified. No obvious cues that inhibit or promote microbialite formation were observed in this study.
published_or_final_version
Biological Sciences
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy

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17

Hannel, Thaddaeus S. "PATTERN RECOGNITION INTEGRATED SENSING METHODOLOGIES (PRISMS) IN PHARMACEUTICAL PROCESS VALIDATION, REMOTE SENSING AND ASTROBIOLOGY." UKnowledge, 2009. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_diss/751.

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Modern analytical instrumentation is capable of creating enormous and complex volumes of data. Analysis of large data volumes are complicated by lengthy analysis time and high computational demand. Incorporating real-time analysis methods that are computationally efficient are desirable for modern analytical methods to be fully utilized. The use of modern instrumentation in on-line pharmaceutical process validation, remote sensing, and astrobiology applications requires real-time analysis methods that are computationally efficient. Integrated sensing and processing (ISP) is a method for minimizing the data burden and sensing time of a system. ISP is accomplished through implementation of chemometric calculations in the physics of the spectroscopic sensor itself. In ISP, the measurements collected at the detector are weighted to directly correlate to the sample properties of interest. This method is especially useful for large and complex data sets. In this research, ISP is applied to acoustic resonance spectroscopy, near-infrared hyperspectral imaging and a novel solid state spectral imager. In each application ISP produced a clear advantage over the traditional sensing method. The limitations of ISP must be addressed before it can become widely used. ISP is essentially a pattern recognition algorithm. Problems arise in pattern recognition when the pattern-recognition algorithm encounters a sample unlike any in the original calibration set. This is termed the false sample problem. To address the false sample problem the Bootstrap Error-Adjusted Single-Sample Technique (BEST, a nonparametric classification technique) was investigated. The BEST-ISP method utilizes a hashtable of normalized BEST points along an asymmetric probability density contour to estimate the BEST multidimensional standard deviation of a sample. The on-line application of the BEST method requires significantly less computation than the full algorithm allowing it to be utilized in real time as sample data is obtained. This research tests the hypothesis that a BEST-ISP metric can be used to detect false samples with sensitivity > 90% and specificity > 90% on categorical data.

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Zetterlind, Alexandra. "Methods and Approaches for Biogenicity Determination in Geological Samples - Implications for Extraterrestrial Search for Life." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för geovetenskaper, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-352515.

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For a better understanding of how to search for an extraterrestrial life, scientists study hidden biospheres on Earth. The subseafloor crust is recognized as a vast microbial habitat and it is hypothesized that extremophilic microorganisms, occurring there, can be the first living organisms on Earth. Those extremophiles does not require oxygen due their ability to derive bioavailable energy from fluid-rock interactions, resembling conditions on Mars. Hence, in this study, geological samples from such environments are analysed. Overall, this report examines a concept of biogenicity and evaluates a set of methods used for the determination of biologic origin. Fossilized microbial remains were discovered in unconsolidated sediments from the volcaniclastic apron of Gran Canaria and in aragonite veins in ultramafic rocks from the North Pond at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Mentioned sediments and rocks were collected during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 157 and 209. The fossil record from Gran Canaria is consistent with Foraminifera. The microbial remains from North Pond are consistent with Frutexites microstromatolites. Both fossilized communities have characteristic compositions associated with carbonaceous matter (CM) and different configurations of trace elements such as Si, Al, Mg, Mn, Ni, Fe, and Co. This study confirms the biologic origin of the fossilized remains and shows that the applied methods are suitable for astrobiological application.
För en bättre förståelse på hur man söker efter utomjordiskt liv, studerar forskare dem dolda biosfärer på jorden. Djuphavsbotten är uppskattad att vara ett stort mikrobiellt habitat och det antas att extremofila mikroorganismer, som förekommer där, kan vara de första levande organismerna på jorden. Dessa extremofiler kräver inte syre på grund av deras förmåga att härleda biologiskt tillgänglig energi från vätske-bergartsinteraktioner, vilket liknar förhållandena på Mars. I denna studie analyseras därför geologiska prover från sådana miljöer. Övergripande, granskar denna rapport begreppet biogenecitet och utvärderar en uppsättning av metoder, som används för bestämning av biologiskt ursprung. Fossiliserade mikrobiella lämningar återfanns i okonsoliderat sediment från Gran Canarias vulkaniklastiska förkläde och i aragonitåror i ultramafiska bergarter från North Pond vid Mittatlantiska ryggen. Nämnda sediment och bergarter samlades in under Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 157 och 209. Det fossila arkivet från Gran Canaria överensstämmer med Foraminifera. Dem mikrobiella resterna från North Pond är förenliga med Frutexites mikrostromatoliter. Båda dem fossiliserade samhällena har karakteristiska kompositioner associerade med kolhaltiga ämnen (CM) och olika konfigurationer av spårämnen, såsom Si, Al, Mg, Mn, Ni, Fe och Co. Denna studie bekräftar biologiska ursprungen hos dem fossila lämningarna och visar att applicerade metoder är lämpliga för astrobiologisk tillämpning.

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Allen, Michelle Ann Biotechnology &amp Biomolecular Sciences Faculty of Science UNSW. "An astrobiology-focused analysis of Microbial Mat communities from Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay, Western Australia." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, 2006. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/26194.

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A unique opportunity to study both benthic microbial mats and modern stromatolites from a common niche is presented by the hypersaline environment of Hamelin Pool, Shark Bay, Australia. However, prior to this study, the microbial mat communities have not been well characterised. To investigate the taxonomic and functional diversity of Hamelin Pool pustular and smooth mats, and their similarity to Hamelin Pool stromatolites, culturing, culture-independent, and lipid analysis methods were employed. The cultured isolates obtained included heterotrophic bacteria similar to those obtained from other hypersaline environments, and 19 strains of cyanobacteria including potentially novel species. For the first time archaeal isolates were obtained from the pustular and smooth mats, and further characterisation of two strains indicated they might represent novel species of the genus Haloferax. Total DNA was extracted from the mats and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were generated targeting the bacteria, cyanobacteria, archaea and eukarya. Both the pustular and smooth mat bacterial clone libraries were highly diverse, with 11 bacterial divisions represented, and Chao1 estimates of total species richness indicating ~3000 ??? 6000 species. Cyanobacterial and archaeal clone libraries revealed unique phylotypes associated with sediments of differing morphology. Statistically significant differences between the mat populations and Hamelin Pool stromatolite communities were identified using !-LIBSHUFF, a program designed to compare two 16S rRNA gene libraries. Signature lipid biomarkers were assessed for the pustular and smooth mats and an intertidal stromatolite from Hamelin Pool. Fatty acids (as methyl esters), wax esters, hydrocarbons, ether-bound lipids, hopanoids and sterols indicated the presence of oxygenic phototrophs, anoxygenic phototrophs, sulfate-reducing bacteria, sulfur-oxidising bacteria, heterotrophic bacteria and archaea in each of the sediment types. Limited contributions from diatoms, bivalves and their dinoflagellate symbionts, and from higher plant aerosols were also detected. Significantly, 2-methyl hopanoids and eight pseudohomologous series of branched alkanes with quaternary carbon centers were identified in the mats and stromatolites. Although differing in lithification status and precise microbial composition, the pustular and smooth mats are excellent analogues for the extant stromatolites of Hamelin Pool, and by corollary, provide a fascinating link to Precambrian microbial communities.

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Toporski, Jan. "The preservation and detection of morphological and molecular bacterial biomarkers and their implications for astrobiological research." Thesis, University of Portsmouth, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.369436.

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21

Modica, Paola. "From astrophysics to astrobiology : significance of laboratory organic residues from photo-irradiation of cosmic ice analogs." Thesis, Paris 11, 2014. http://www.theses.fr/2014PA112329/document.

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Les expériences de laboratoire ont montré que la photo-irradiation ultraviolette d'analogues de glaces astrophysiques suivie de leur réchauffement à température ambiante mène à la formation de résidus organiques réfractaires. Ces résidus, solubles dans l'eau, consistent en un riche mélange de composés organiques incluant entre autres des acides aminés, molécules potentiellement importantes pour la chimie prébiotique. Ces résidus sont considérés comme des analogues de la matière organique réfractaire que l'on pense être synthétisée sur les grains de poussière dans les nuages moléculaires et/ou dans les disques protoplanétaires, produit de l'évolution des glaces, et qui pourra être accrétée plus tard en comètes ou en astéroïdes et finalement délivrée sur la Terre primitive. Ainsi, l'étude de ces analogues, produits dans des conditions astrophysiques pertinentes, représente un outil efficace pour explorer les processus à l'origine de la formation des molécules organiques complexes dans le Système Solaire et en particulier la possible introduction d'excès énantiomériques dans les molécules chirales.Ce travail de thèse est consacré à l'étude de ces résidus organiques, leur caractérisation et les applications astrophysiques de ces résultats. Nous avons utilisé différentes techniques d'analyse comme la chromatographie en phase gazeuse couplée à la spectrométrie de masse (GC MS, classique et multidimensionnelle), la spectrométrie de masse par résonnance cyclotronique ionique à transformée de Fourier (FT ICR MS) ou encore la spectroscopie infrarouge. Nous avons mesuré les excès énantiomériques induits dans cinq acides aminés par irradiation de nos analogues avec de la lumière UV polarisée circulairement (UV CPL) et insérons nos résultats dans le cadre d'un scénario astrophysique cohérent pour expliquer l'origine des excès énantiomériques observés dans les acides aminés météoritiques. Nous avons étudié le contenu en acides aminés de la météorite de "Paris" et montré des similarités avec la distribution en acides aminés de nos résidus organiques. Nous avons également produit des analogues plus réalistes de grains interstellaires en incluant une surface silicatée, afin de tester l’effet potentiel de cette surface sur la formation et la nature des résidus organiques. Enfin, nous effectuons une discussion générale à propos de la pertinence de ces résultats dans le contexte astrophysique et soulignons le possible lien entre astrochimie et chimie prébiotique
Laboratory experiments have shown that ultraviolet photo-irradiation of astrophysical ice analogs and their following warm-up until room temperature lead to the formation of refractory organic residues. These residues consist of rich mixtures of organic compounds, including amino acids, which have a potential importance for prebiotic chemistry. They are considered as analogs of the organic refractory materials that are thought to be synthesized on dust grains in molecular clouds and/or in protoplanetary disks, as a product of ices evolution, and that could be later accreted into comets and asteroids and eventually be delivered to the early Earth. Hence, the study of these analogs, produced under astrophysically relevant conditions, represents a valid tool to investigate the processes at work for the origin of complex organic molecules in the Solar System and in particular the possible introduction of enantiomeric excesses in chiral molecules. This PhD work is devoted to the study of these laboratory organic residues, their characterization and the astrophysical applications of the results. We used different analytical techniques such as gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC MS, classical and multidimensional), Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT ICR MS), and infrared spectroscopy. We measured the enantiomeric excesses induced in five chiral amino acids by UV circularly polarized light (UV CPL) irradiation of our analogs and insert our result in a coherent astrophysical scenario for the origin of the enantiomeric excesses observed in meteoritic amino acids. We studied the amino acid content of the Paris meteorite and evidence some similarities with the distribution of the amino acids in our organic residues. We also produced more realistic analogs of interstellar grains, including a silicate surface, to test the potential effect of such a surface on the formation and nature of organic residues. Finally, we discuss the significance of these results in the astrophysical context and the possible relationship between astrochemistry and prebiotic chemistry

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Alvarez, David A. "The development of time-of-flight mass spectrometry techniques for studying the surface of Europa for astrobiology." Birmingham, Ala. : University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2009. https://www.mhsl.uab.edu/dt/2009m/alvarez.pdf.

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23

Battison, Leila. "Exceptional preservation of cells in phosphate and the early evolution of the biosphere." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2012. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:a9cbd8d3-7b2f-461e-9f19-9901d2764ba5.

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The Proterozoic period saw some of the most fundamental revolutions in the biological and geological world. During this period, life diversified and set the stage for the radiation of multicellular life, altering the face of the planet in the process. The fossil record of this time is not yet fully understood, and a revisitation of a historically reported fossil deposit in the 1 Ga Torridon rocks of northwest Scotland shows that they host the fossils of the earliest non-marine eukaryotes, as well as a full and diverse fossil assemblage preserved in sedimentary phosphates and shales. Fine scale sedimentology of the fluvio-lacustrine rocks of the Torridon Group reveals them to be laid down in a laterally variable basin with distinctly different palaeoenvironments. The resident biota is seen to be similarly variable between lithofacies. New criteria for classifying taphonomic effects are presented, and used to characterise assemblages from different palaeoenvironments, with broader applications beyond this study. The Torridon rocks are also host to macrostructures on the surfaces and soles of beds, and these are interpreted as of likely biological origin, with their variability mapped between different lithofacies. High-resolution studies of both the preserved biota and the mineralogy of the preserving medium reveal in detail not only the fine scale structure of the fossil organisms, but also the reasons for their exceptional preservation. Phosphate is analysed in detail to explain its enigmatic occurrence in Proterozoic lakes. To place the Torridon deposits in context, both older and younger rocks were examined in comparison, from the 2 Ga Gunflint Formation of Ontario, Canada, and the Precambrian-Cambrian successions of eastern Newfoundland respectively. New finds of phosphate in these rocks help to reveal biochemical interactions and evolution on the early Earth, with implications for further understanding life on our own planet and elsewhere.

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Gangidine, Andrew. "Trace Element Concentrations in Microbial Fossils as a Novel Biosignature for Life on Ancient Earth and Beyond." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1584015501312535.

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Van, Laerhoven Christa Lynn. "Multi-planet Extra-solar Systems: Tides and Classical Secular Theory." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/321296.

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In a multi-planet system, gravitational interactions cause orbital eccentricity variations. For non-resonant systems, classical secular theory reveals that the eccentricities are vector sums of contributions from several eigenmodes. Examination of the eigenvectors often reveals subsets of planets that interact especially strongly as dynamical groups. Perturbations from other sources, such as tides, are shared among the planets through the secular interactions. If one planet's eccentricity is tidally damped, all the eigenmodes damp so as to leave a signature on their amplitudes. Therefore, if one desires to include some a priori tidal damping in an orbital fit, solutions should not assume the current eccentricity of that planet to be low, but rather for the eigenmodes that damp quickly to have low amplitude. The tidally perturbed planet may retain a substantial eccentricity, because some eigenmodes will be longer-lived. The secular eigenmodes, including relative damping rates, have been calculated for all 72 non-resonant extra-solar systems with adequate data. Tides also affect evolution of planets' semi-major axes, which is coupled with eccentricity evolution. A planet that, alone, would be quickly circularized so as to not experience much semi-major axis migration, could rapidly be forced into the star in the presence of an outer planet. Also, though such an inner planet may now be gone, the eccentricity of the outer planet could have been damped due to tides that acted on the inner planet. Any inferences about the primordial orbits of observed planets must consider these effects. For systems where the inner planet has not yet reached the star, the planets' eccentricities can be constrained for any particular assumed tidal dissipation factor Q', e.g. for the KOI-543 system, if the inner planet is rocky, the eccentricities must be<0.001. The habitable zone around low-mass stars is close to the star, precisely where tides are important. Low-mass stars are very long lived, and can be very old currently. A habitable planet likely needs tectonics for cycles that regulate the atmosphere, but a planet's internal heat will decay over long timescales. However, an outer planet could maintain the inner planet's eccentricity, allowing tidal heating to maintain long-term habitability. Secular interactions, coupled with tidal effects, may be critical for planetary habitability.

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Milam, Stefanie Nicole. "Following Carbon's Evolutionary Path: From Nucleosynthesis to the Solar System." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/194067.

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Studies of carbon's evolutionary path have been conducted via millimeter and submillimeter observations of circumstellar envelopes (CSEs), planetary nebulae (PNe), molecular clouds and comets. The 12C/13C isotope ratio was measured in Galactic molecular clouds using the CN isotopologs. A gradient of 12CN/13CN was determined to be 12C/13C = 6.01 DGC +12.28, where DGC is distance from the Galactic center. The results of CN are in agreement with those of CO and H2CO indicating a true ratio not influenced by fractionation effects or isotope-selective photodissociation. The 12C/13C isotope ratios in the envelopes of various types of stars were also measured from both CO and CN isotopologs. Such objects as carbon and oxygen-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, supergiants, planetary nebulae, and S-type stars were observed. Results from this study indicate 12C/13C values for supergiants ~ 10 and AGB stars 12C/13C ~ 20- 76. Theory would suggest a lower ratio for objects undergoing third dredge-up, though this is seemingly not the case. Multiple carbon-bearing species including CO, HCN, HNC, CN, CS, and HCO+ have also been observed towards the oxygen-rich supergiant, VY CMa. This object has recently revealed a unique chemistry where carbon is not solely contained in CO, and may play a more important role in the chemical network of oxygen-rich circumstellar envelopes. Additionally, observations of species with carbon- carbon bonds, such as CCH and c-C3H2, have been conducted towards evolved planetary nebulae, such as the Helix and Ring nebulae. There is a close agreement in the inventories of species found in PNe and diffuse clouds, suggesting a potential molecular precursor to the interstellar medium. Observations of carbon-bearing species (H2CO and CO) in comets C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp), C/2001 Q4 (NEAT), and C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) have been conducted. Formaldehyde is known to have an extended distribution in these objects, likely arising from silicate-organic grains. Evidence of cometary fragmentation was also obtained for H2CO in comet T7 LINEAR as well as for HNC and HCO+ in Hale-Bopp. Such events could contribute to planetary distribution of organics.

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Smith, Heather D. "Designing an Instrument Based nn Native Fluorescence to Determine Soil Microbial Content at a Mars Analog Site." DigitalCommons@USU, 2009. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/614.

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For this research project we designed an instrument to detect bacteria via biomolecular fluorescence. We introduce the current understanding of astrobiology, our knowledge of life beyond Earth, and the commonality of Earth life as it pertains to the search for life on Mars. We proposed a novel technique for searching for direct evidence of life on the surface of Mars using fluorescence. We use the arid region of the Mojave Desert as an analog of Mars. Results indicate the fluorescence of the biotic component of desert soils is approximately as strong as the fluorescence of the mineral component. Fluorescence laboratory measurements using the portable instrument reveal microbial concentration in the Mojave Desert soil is 107 bacteria per gram of soil. Soil microbial concentrations over a 50 meter area in the Mojave Desert, determined in situ via fluorescence, show that the number varies from 104 to 107 cells per gram of soil. We then designed an instrument for detection of biomolecular fluorescence, and considered also fluorescence from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and minerals on the Martian surface. The majority of the instrument is designed from Mars surface operation flight qualified components, drastically reducing development costs. The basic design adapts the ChemCam instrument package on-board Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity to detect organics via fluorescence. By placing frequency multipliers in front of the 1064 nm laser, wavelengths suitable for fluorescence excitation (266 nm, 355 nm, and 532 nm) will be achieved. The emission system is modified by the addition of band pass filters in front of the existing spectrometers to block out the excitation energy. Biomolecules and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are highly fluorescent at wavelengths in the ultra violet (266 nm, 355 nm), but not as much in the visible 532 nm range. Preliminary results show minerals discovered, such as perchlorate, fluoresce highest when excited by 355 nm. Overall, we conclude the fluorescent instrument described is suitable to detect soil microbes, organics, biomolecules, and some minerals via fluorescence, offering a high scientific return for minimal cost with non-contact applications in extreme environments on Earth and on future missions to Mars.

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Silva, Evandro Pereira da. "Estudo espectroscópico da intercalação de aminoácidos em hidróxidos duplos lamelares: perspectivas astrobiológicas." Universidade de São Paulo, 2017. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/46/46136/tde-16082017-112050/.

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Entender como se originou a vida é um dos desafios propostos pela astrobiologia. Este trabalho busca compreender como argilas aniônicas do tipo hidróxidos duplos lamelares (LDH) interagem com alguns aminoácidos quando submetido a condições presentes no passado do nosso planeta. Para tanto, foi estudada a interação dos aminoácidos cisteína (cys), cistina (cyss) e ácido glutâmico (glu) com duas variações de LDHs: hidrotalcita, que consistem em um LDH de Mg e Al (LDHal), e as piroauritas, um LDH de Mg e Fe III (LDHfe). Os LDHs foram sintetizados com cada um dos três aminoácidos por coprecipitação (cop) e reconstrução (rec). Todos os compostos produzidos foram submetidos a irradiação com UV-C (254 nm), longa exposição à temperatura de 70 °C e ciclos de hidratação e dessecação a 70 °C, tentando simular condições próximas à Terra primitiva. Os resultados obtidos indicam que os aminoácidos estão presentes no espaço interlamelar dos LDHs. Sendo que os LDHfe e os LDHal_glu se mostraram mais inertes, não sofrendo variações significativas com as simulações prebióticas. Para os LDHal_cys ocorreu a formação de ligações do tipo S-S durante a síntese; a irradiação UV-C afetou de maneira distinta os LDHs cop e rec, sendo que apenas nos reconstruídos ocorreu a formação de SO4-2. A simulação de temperatura causou o rompimento das ligações S-S e a formação de ligações S-H, enquanto os ciclos de hidratação, ao que tudo indicam, acarretam a liberação da cisteína do meio interlamelar. Essas características presentes no LDHal_cys estão, em partes, também presentes para os LDHal_cyss. De maneira geral, os LDHs são eficientes na intercalação de aminoácidos e estáveis quanto à temperatura e, em alguns casos, a radiação UV-C. Desta forma os LDHs se mostram como um mineral que pode ter tido a sua importância na Terra prebiótica, sendo aptos a atuar na retenção de aminoácidos, resistência a algumas das condições presentes e com a possibilidade de liberar estas biomoléculas novamente no ambiente, tornando-as disponíveis para o aumento de complexidade química
Understanding how life originated is one of the challenges proposed by astrobiology. This work aims to understand how layered double hydroxides (LDH), a type of anionic clay, may interact with amino acids when submitted to conditions present in prebiotic Earth. It was studied the interaction between amino acids cysteine (cys), cystine (cyss) and glutamic acid (glu) with two LDHs variations: hydrotalcite, LDH of Mg and Al (LDHal), and pyroaurite, a LDH of Mg and Fe III (LDHfe). LDHs were synthesized with each of the three amino acids by coprecipitation (cop) and reconstruction (rec). All the LDHs produced were submitted to UV-C irradiation (254 nm), long exposure to the temperature of 70 °C and cycles of hydration and desiccation at 70 °C, trying to simulated the conditions presents in primordial Earth. The results indicate that amino acids are present in the interlayer region of LDHs. Since LDHfe and LDHal_glu were shown to be more inert, they did not undergo significant variations with the prebiotic simulations. For LDHal_cys the formation of S-S type bonds occurred during the synthesis; the UV-C irradiation differently affected the LDHs cop and rec, being that only in the reconstructed the formation of SO4-2 occurred. The temperature simulation induced breakage of the S-S bonds and formation of S-H bonds, whereas the hydration cycles leaded to the release of cysteine from the interlamellar space. These features present in LDHal_cys are, partially, also present for the LDHal_cyss. In general, LDHs are efficient in the intercalation of amino acids, stable in temperature and, in some cases, to UV-C radiation. In this manner, the LDHs may have been important minerals in the prebiotic Earth, being able to act in the retention of amino acids, resisting to some of the prevailing conditions and possibly releasing these biomolecules back into the environment, making them available for increasing chemical complexity

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Page, Kristian. "Evaluation of Raman spectroscopy for application in analytical astrobiology : the application of Raman spectroscopy for characterisation of biological and geological materials of relevance to space exploration." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/5716.

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In 2018 ESA and NASA plan to send the ExoMars rover to the Martian surface. This rover is planned to have a suite of analytical equipment that includes a Raman spectrometer. In this context, an evaluation of Raman spectroscopy as an analytical tool for interplanetary studies is investigated. The preparation techniques for appropriate inorganic and organic mixtures are interrogated. Methods are investigated to optimize the homogeneity of over 50 samples involving mineral phases; calcite, gypsum and goethite and selected organic biomolecular systems; anthracene, naphthalene and beta-carotene. From mixtures produced of these organic and inorganic materials differences between homogeneity of the samples is observed. Different mixing techniques are investigated to reduce this, however all the samples display variation on a micron scale. To resolve this issue a grid system of 9 points is implemented on solid samples and solutions are used to produce standards. The standards are devised using a range of instrument validation parameters for comparison between commercially available spectrometers and the prototype instrument. From these standards a prototype instrument is optimized for data acquisition and an evaluation procedure for instrument performance is established. The prototype Raman spectrometer is evaluated to match the specifications of the spectrometer on board ExoMars rover. A range of astrobiological relevant samples are interrogated; geological samples, biomarkers, cellular systems and bio-geological inclusions. From these samples detection of organics is observed to be only possible, with Raman spectroscopy where organics are localised in high concentrations, upon grinding and mixing geological inclusions Raman spectroscopy is unable to detect the organic components.

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Souza, Claudio Mendes Dias de. "Contribuições químicas à astrobiologia: estudo da interação entre biomoléculas e minerais por espectroscopia raman." Universidade de São Paulo, 2017. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/46/46136/tde-14122017-134902/.

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Esta tese se insere no contexto da química prebiótica, que estuda a evolução química que ocorreu antes do surgimento da vida na Terra. Tal área pertence ao ramo de pesquisa da Astrobiologia, que estuda o surgimento, a evolução, distribuição e futuro da vida na Terra ou em outro lugar do Universo. Dentre as várias hipóteses abordadas na química prebiótica, a hipótese mineral é foco de estudo deste trabalho, ou seja, se os minerais podem ter agido como preconcentradores ou protetores de moléculas biologicamente relevantes para a química prebiótica e como catalisadores de reações. A classe mineral de hidróxidos duplo lamelares (HDL) é estudada inicialmente considerando se sua síntese seria possível em um ambiente prebiótico. Desta forma, o HDL foi sintetizado por dois métodos de síntese (coprecipitação e reconstrução) e em quatro composições distintas de água do mar sintética, que mimetizam diferentes fases geológicas da Terra, os resultados mostraram a formação deste mineral em todas as composições de água do mar analisadas. Posteriormente, o estudo da interação de biomoléculas com HDL foi feito visando caracterizar se estas poderiam estar inseridas no espaço interlamelar deste mineral. O íon tiocianato, precursor de biomoléculas, e as bases nitrogenadas adenina, timina, e uracila mostraram-se presentes nas amostras de HDL sintetizadas pelos dois métodos, coprecipitação e reconstrução. As amostras foram caracterizadas por difratometria de raios X, análise termogravimétrica, análise elementar e por espectroscopia vibracional, Raman e no infravermelho. Embora os resultados iniciais indiquem que as biomoléculas possam estar interagindo com o mineral por adsorção e não necessariamente estejam intercaladas, estudos com lavagem das amostras com carbonato de sódio mostraram a troca iônica das biomoléculas pelo ânion inorgânico e sugerem que estas encontravam-se realmente no espaço interlamelar do mineral. Foram feitas então simulações de ambientes extremos nos sistemas HDL + biomoléculas para avaliar se a presença do mineral aumenta a estabilidade das biomoléculas frente a aquecimento, radiação UVC e radiação ionizante já que tais condições extremas estariam presentes na Terra primitiva
This thesis subject is related to prebiotic chemistry, which studies the chemical evolution that happened before the origin of life on Earth. This subject belongs to the Astrobiology research area, which studies the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life on Earth and elsewhere in the Universe. Among the many hypothesis that prebiotic chemistry encompass, the mineral hypothesis is the aim of this thesis, that is, if minerals could have had a role in preconcentrating and protecting molecules relevant to prebiotic chemistry, and also if they could have acted as catalists. The layered double hydroxide (LDH) minerals are studied and the first question is if they could have been synthetized in a prebiotic environment. Four different seawater compositions are analyzed, considering many geological periods of Earth, and two synthesis methods were studied: coprecipitation and reconstruction. The results showed that the LDHs are formed in all seawater types studied. Following these studies, we discuss whether biomolecules could be in the interlayer space of this mineral. Thiocyanate, a biomolecule precursor, and the nucleic acids adenine, thymine and uracil were present in the LDH samples synthetized either by coprecipitation and reconstruction, and they were characterized by X-Ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis and by vibrational spectroscopy: IR and Raman. Although the preliminary results showed that the biomolecules are not necessarily intercalated, but may simply be adsorbed on the minerals, after washing with a sodium carbonate solution, the biomolecules were replaced by the inorganic anion, suggesting that the former was in fact intercalated in the mineral. Extreme conditions simulations were then performed on the LDH plus biomolecules systems to evaluate whether the mineral may act as a protector and stabilize the biomolecules when these were heated or irradiated with UV-C and ionizing radiation, since such scenarios would be common on early Earth

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Whitaker, Darren Andrew. "Method development for the application of vibrational spectroscopy to complex organic-inorganic materials in astrobiology : a systematic development of Raman spectroscopy and related analytical methods to the structural chemistry at organic (biological) and inorganic (mineralogical) interfaces of material assemblies relevant to astrobiology and inter-planetary science." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/7332.

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In the search for the conformation of extant or extinct life in an extraterrestrial setting the detection of organic molecular species which may be considered diagnostic of life is a key objective. These molecular targets comprise a range of distinct chemical species, with recognisable spectroscopic features. This project aims to use these features to develop an in-situ molecular specific Raman spectroscopic methodology which can provide structural information about the organic–inorganic interface. The development of this methodology identified a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic technique, that required minimal sample preparation, allowed for the detection of selected organic species immobilised on an inorganic matrix and was effective for quantities below those which conventional dispersive Raman spectroscopy would detect. For the first time spectral information was gained which allowed analysis of the organic–inorganic interface to be carried out, this gave an insight into the orientation with which molecules arrange on the surfaces of the matrices. Additionally a method for the detection of organic residues intercalated into the interlamellar space of smectite type clays was developed. An evaluation of the effectiveness of uni and multivariate methods for the analysis of large datasets containing a small number of organic features was also carried out, with a view to develop an unsupervised methodology capable of performing with minimal user interaction. It has been shown that a novel use of the Hotellings T2 test when applied to the principal component analysis of the datasets combined with SERS allows identification of a small number of organic features in an otherwise inorganic dominated dataset. Both the SERS and PCA methods hold relevance for the detection of organic residues within interplanetary exploration but may also be applied to terrestrial environmental chemistry.

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Whitaker, Darren A. "Method Development for the Application of Vibrational Spectroscopy to Complex Organic-Inorganic Materials in Astrobiology. A Systematic Development of Raman Spectroscopy and Related Analytical Methods to the Structural Chemistry at Organic (Biological) and Inorganic (Mineralogical) Interfaces of Material Assemblies Relevant to Astrobiology and Inter-Planetary Science." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/7332.

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In the search for the conformation of extant or extinct life in an extraterrestrial setting the detection of organic molecular species which may be considered diagnostic of life is a key objective. These molecular targets comprise a range of distinct chemical species, with recognisable spectroscopic features. This project aims to use these features to develop an in-situ molecular specific Raman spectroscopic methodology which can provide structural information about the organic–inorganic interface. The development of this methodology identified a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic technique, that required minimal sample preparation, allowed for the detection of selected organic species immobilised on an inorganic matrix and was effective for quantities below those which conventional dispersive Raman spectroscopy would detect. For the first time spectral information was gained which allowed analysis of the organic–inorganic interface to be carried out, this gave an insight into the orientation with which molecules arrange on the surfaces of the matrices. Additionally a method for the detection of organic residues intercalated into the interlamellar space of smectite type clays was developed. An evaluation of the effectiveness of uni and multivariate methods for the analysis of large datasets containing a small number of organic features was also carried out, with a view to develop an unsupervised methodology capable of performing with minimal user interaction. It has been shown that a novel use of the Hotellings T2 test when applied to the principal component analysis of the datasets combined with SERS allows identification of a small number of organic features in an otherwise inorganic dominated dataset. Both the SERS and PCA methods hold relevance for the detection of organic residues within interplanetary exploration but may also be applied to terrestrial environmental chemistry.

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Nixon, Sophie Louise. "Microbial iron reduction on Earth and Mars." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/9974.

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The search for life beyond Earth is the driving force behind several future missions to Mars. An essential task in the lead-up to these missions is a critical assessment of the habitability for, and feasibility of, life. However, little research has been conducted on this issue, and our understanding of the plausibility for life on Mars remains unconstrained. Owing to the anoxic and iron-rich nature of Mars, microbial iron reduction (MIR) represents a compelling candidate metabolism to operate in the Martian subsurface, past and present. The objectives of this thesis are to address the feasibility of MIR on Mars by i) better defining the habitability of MIR on Earth, and ii) assessing the range and availability of organic electron donors in the subsurface of Earth and Mars. Samples collected from Mars-relevant environments on Earth were used to initiate MIR enrichment cultures at 4°C, 15°C and 30°C. Results indicate MIR is widespread in riverbed and subglacial sediments but not sediments from desert or recent volcanic plains. The iron-reducing microorganisms in subglacial enrichments are at least psychrotolerant and in some cases psychrophilc. Culture-independent methods highlighted the changes in diversity between temperature conditions for subglacial sediments, and indicated that members of the prolific MIR Geobacteraceae family are common. The genera Geobacter and Desulfosporosinus are responsible for MIR in the majority of enrichments. Long-term anoxia and the availability of redox constituents are the major factors controlling MIR in these environments. A MIR enrichment culture was unable to use shales and kerogens as the sole source of electron donors for MIR, despite the presence of known electron donors. Furthermore, MIR was inhibited by the presence of certain kerogens. The causes of inhibition are unknown, and are likely to be a combination of chemical and physical factors. Experiments were conducted to assess the ability of three pure strains and a MIR enrichment to use non-proteinogenic amino acids common to carbonaceous meteorites as electron donors for MIR. Results demonstrate that γ-aminobutyric acid served as an electron donor for the enrichment culture, but no other amino acids supported MIR by this or other iron-reducing cultures. The D-form of chiral amino acids was found to exert a strong inhibitory effect, which decreased in line with concentration. Theoretical calculations using published meteoritic accretion rates onto the surface of Mars indicate that the build up inhibitory amino acids may place important constrains on habitability over geologic time scales. Contamination of a pure strain of Geobacter metallireducens with a strain of Clostridium revealed a syntrophic relationship between these microorganisms. Anaerobic heterotrophs are likely to play an important role in maintaining an available supply of electron donors for MIR and similar chemoorganic metabolisms operating in the subsurface. This research indicates that MIR remains a feasible metabolism to operate on Mars providing a readily available redox couple is present. However, given the observed inhibition in the presence of bulk carbonaceous material and certain amino acids found in meteorites, the use of extraterrestrial carbonaceous material in the Martian subsurface for microbial iron reduction is questionable, and should be the focus of future research.

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Abramov, Oleg. "Impact-Induced Hydrothermal Activity on Earth and Mars." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/193511.

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While several lines of evidence strongly hint at the biological importance of impact-induced hydrothermal systems during the impact cataclysm at ~3.9 Ga, these systems are not well understood. There is unambiguous evidence of hydrothermal activity at many terrestrial craters, but the available samples represent a very limited number of crater diameters and locations within the crater. Therefore, computer models are crucial for learning how impact-induced hydrothermal systems work, how long they last, and whether they provide suitable environments for thermophilic microorganisms. This dissertation presents detailed simulations of hydrothermal activity at the terrestrial craters Chicxulub and Sudbury, as well as at range of crater sizes on early Mars. A well-established computer code HYDROTHERM was used. The models for terrestrial craters were constrained by seismic, magnetic, and gravity surveys, as well as petrological, mineralogical, and chemical analyses of samples (by others).Sudbury crater is ~180 km in diameter, and 1.85 Ga. Simulation results indicate that a hydrothermal system at Sudbury crater remained active for several hundred thousand to several million years, depending on assumed permeability, and produced habitable volumes of up to ~20,000 km^3.Chicxulub crater is also ~180-km in diameter, but only 65 Ma. The lifetime of the hydrothermal system ranges from 1.5 Ma to 2.3 Ma depending on assumed permeability. The temperatures and fluxes observed in the model are consistent with alteration patterns observed by others in borehole samples.Another set of simulations modeled post-impact cooling of hypothetical craters with diameters of 30, 100, and 180 km in an early Martian environment. System lifetimes, averaged for all permeability cases examined, were 67,000 years for the 30-km crater, 290,000 years for the 100-km crater, and 380,000 for the 180-km crater. Also, an ap-proximation of the thermal evolution of a Hellas-sized basin (~2000 km) suggests poten-tial for hydrothermal activity for ~10 Myr after the impact. The habitable volume reached a maximum of ~6,000 km^3 in the 180-km crater model.Possible morphological and mineralogical signs of hydrothermal activity in Martian craters were observed, both in this work and by others. These observations, while by no means definitive, are generally consistent with model predictions.

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Galante, Douglas. "Efeitos astrofísicos e astrobiológicos de Gamma-Ray Bursts." Universidade de São Paulo, 2009. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/14/14131/tde-19062009-014454/.

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O presente trabalho tem o objetivo principal de compreender os possíveis efeitos da radiação energética de um evento de Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) sobre o meio interestelar no entorno de seu local de geração e em planetas possivelmente iluminados. Gamma-Ray Bursts foram detectados pela primeira vez nos anos 60 e rapidamente atraíram a atenção da comunidade astrofísica, uma vez que as energias emitidas apenas em poderiam alcançar 1054erg, o equivalente a massa de repouso do Sol. Não se conhecia nenhum mecanismo tão eficiente para extrair energia gravitacional para produzir tal evento. Mais tarde, a possibilidade da emissão ser colimada abaixou a energia em para 5x1050erg, mas o mecanismo central de geração ainda não foi completamente desvendado, havendo muito espaço para alternativas exóticas. Estudamos os efeitos de um GRB sobre o meio interestelar, em uma tentativa de distinguir os remanescentes do GRB do gerado por múltiplas supernovas. Usamos argumentos energéticos e sobre a possibilidade de alterações químicas e isotópicas devido a reações fotonucleares. Também trabalhamos com as implicações biológicas da iluminação de planetas por um GRB, concluindo que os efeitos de tais eventos podem afetar seriamente a biosfera de um planeta mesmo a distâncias de ~10kpc.
The present work has the main goal of understanding the possible effects of the hard gamma radiation produced during a Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) event both on the interstellar medium surrounding the source of the burst and on planets possibly illuminated. Gamma-Ray Bursts were first detected on the 60s and quickly have attracted the attention of the astrophysical community, since the energies emitted just in could reach 1054erg, the rest mass of the Sun. No mechanism was known to be so efficient in extracting gravitational energy to produce such emission. Later on, the possibility of the emission being collimated has lowered the energy of the to 5x1051erg, but the central engine has not yet been completely understood, and there is still ample room for exotic alternatives. We have studied the effects of GRB on the ISM, in an attempt to distinguish the candidates of GRB remnants from those generated by multiple supernovae. We have used both energetic arguments and the possibility of chemical alterations due to photonuclear reactions. We have also worked on the biological implications of the illumination of planets by a GRB, concluding that the effects of such event could seriously harm the biosphere of a planet even at distances of ~10kpc.

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Juanes-Vallejo, Clara M. "Engineering design instrumentation for life detection planetary exploration missions." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2011. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/7319.

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The aim of the research documented in this thesis was to explore issues associated with the development of instrumentation for life detection and characterisation in a planetary exploration context. Within this aim, the following objectives had to be achieved: 1. To consider current and near-future single molecule detection (ultra-low lower limit of detection) analytical techniques that would be compatible with development into a Space qualifiable in situ analytical instrument for the detection of biomarkers in a planetary exploration context. 2. To practically consider the consequences of Planetary Protection and Contamination Control on the development of a sample return instrumentation in a planetary exploration context. 3. To consider the implications of flying an in situ instrument on-board a stratospheric balloon platform in order to apply them into a specific planetary exploration mission: In order to achieve the objectives described above, the following work was pursued:  A desk-based European Space Agency (ESA) study was carried out which entailed producing a literature review on single molecule detection technologies that had to be validated by the expert community. This was done by organising an International Workshop on Single Molecule Detection Technologies for Space Applications in March 2009 at Cranfield University, UK. The approved technologies then had to be analysed with standard analytical techniques (i.e., tradeoffs) in order to propose a specific technology for development and present its breadboard implementation and test plans at the end of the study.  A sample return experiment implementing PP&CC constraints and protocols was designed, built, tested and flown on-board the ESA, Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), Swedish National Space Board (SNSB) and German Space Agency (DLR) BEXUS stratospheric balloon platform. The biological and engineering results obtained from the sample return flight were then analysed and lessons learnt obtained for future flights.  Another desk-based study was performed to research future stratospheric balloon platforms for the exploration of Venus’ cloud layer. The in situ instrument previously proposed for the detection of biomarkers for planetary exploration missions was then put forward as a possible payload for a Venusian stratospheric balloon platform and approved by experts during the Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG) conference held in August 2011 in Washington D.C, USA. The first part of the research involved studying ultra-low lower limit of detection technologies as these have the potential to impact significantly on the technological and scientific requirements of future Space missions. Two systems were proposed: one based on Tandem Mass Spectrometry (with Cylindrical Ion Trap analysers) followed by Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering spectroscopy to create an MS/MS-SERS instrument for the detection of astrobiology biomarkers in Martian regolith, Europan ice and samples from Titan’s hydrocarbon lakes; and a second one as a Stand-Alone SERS system for the detection of biomarkers in Enceladean plumes, Venusian clouds and cometary coma. The second part of the research practically explored the design of instrumentation for stratospheric balloon platforms. CASS•E, the Cranfield Astrobiological Stratospheric Sampling Experiment, was a life detection experiment that aimed to be capable of detecting stratospheric microorganisms. The experiment consisted of a pump which drew air from the Stratosphere through a 0.2 μm collection filter which retained any microorganisms and >0.2 μm particulates present in the pumped air. Due to the expected rarity of microbes in the Stratosphere compared to the known levels of contamination at ground level, Planetary Protection and Contamination Control (PP&CC)constraints were introduced. Therefore PP&CC protocols were followed to implement Space qualified cleaning and sterilisation techniques; biobarrier technology was implemented to prevent re-contamination of the instrument after sterilisation; and cleanliness and contamination was monitored throughout assembly, integration and testing. The third part of the research demonstrated how an instrument from the first part of the study could be proposed as a payload on-board a stratospheric balloon platform with a focused mission context, i.e., a life detection mission for Venus. Therefore, the research concluded with the proposal of a payload for a Venus mission based on SERS technology on-board a stratospheric balloon platform to search for life above or in the mid Venusian cloud cover.

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Cataldi, Gianni. "Debris disks from an astronomical and an astrobiological viewpoint." Licentiate thesis, Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för astronomi, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-101234.

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In this licentiate thesis, I consider debris disks from an observational, astronomical viewpoint, but also discuss a potential astrobiological application. Debris disks are essentially disks of dust and rocks around main-sequence stars, analogue to the Kuiper- or the asteroid belt in our solar system. Their observation and theoretical modeling can help to constrain planet formation models and help in the understanding of the history of the solar system. After a general introduction into the field of debris disks and some basic debris disk physics, the thesis concentrates on the observation of gas in debris disks. The possible origins of this gas and its dynamics are discussed and it is considered what it can tell us about the physical conditions in the disk and possibly about the dust composition. In this way, the paper associated with this thesis (dealing with the gas in the β Pic debris disk) is set into context. More in detail, we observed the CII emission originating from the carbon-rich β Pic disk with Herschel HIFI and attempted to constrain the spatial distribution of the gas from the shape of the emission line. This is necessary since the gas production mechanism is currently unknown, but can be constraint by obtaining information about the spatial profile of the gas. The last part of the thesis describes our preliminary studies of the possibility of a debris disk containing biomarkers, created by a giant impact on a life-bearing exoplanet.

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Rouquette, Laura. "Evolution de molécules organiques en conditions martiennes simulées : expériences en laboratoire et en orbite basse terrestre sur la Station Spatiale Internationale." Thesis, Paris Est, 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018PESC1096/document.

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La recherche et la détection de molécules organique à la surface de Mars est l’un des objectifs des missions martiennes actuelles (MSL, Mars Science Laboratory) et futures (ExoMars 2020). Plusieurs sources de matière organique peuvent être considérées telles que les sources abiotiques (milieu interplanétaire, hydrothermalisme, synthèses atmosphériques…) mais également les sources biotiques telles qu’une potentielle activité biologique martienne passée. A ce titre, le rover Curiosity de la mission MSL a permis la détection de composés organiques d’origine martienne chlorés et soufrés, bien que ces molécules ne soient pas liées à une quelconque activité biologique ou bien ne reflètent pas la diversité moléculaire de sources abiotiques avérées telles que le milieu interplanétaire. L’une des hypothèses pour expliquer cette faible diversité consiste à considérer que l’environnement martien n’est pas favorable à la préservation de la matière organique. Afin de comprendre l’évolution des molécules organiques à la surface de Mars et donc de guider et aider les interprétations des analyses menées in situ, j’ai travaillé sur deux expériences de simulation simulant certains paramètres de la surface de Mars (rayonnement UV, pression, température, composition minérale). La première, MOMIE (Mars Organic Matter Irradiation and Evolution), est une simulation de laboratoire mise en place au LISA (Créteil, France). La seconde est l’expérience PSS (Photochemistry on the Space Station), mise en place sur la plateforme EXPOSE R2 sur la Station Spatiale Internationale (ISS) en orbite basse terrestre, utilisant directement le flux de photons UV du Soleil filtré.J’ai étudié l’évolution de quatre molécules organiques susceptibles d’être présentes sur Mars, pures ou en présence de phases minérales analogues martiennes : la glycine (un acide aminé), l’adénine et l’uracile (deux bases azotées), et le chrysène (un hydrocarbure aromatique polycyclique). La glycine, l’adénine et le chrysène se dégradent en surface directe de Mars avec des rendements quantiques de photodissociation ϕ200-280 compris entre 6,4 ± 1,4 x 10-6 et 2,3 ± 1,0 x 10-3 molécule.photon-1. L’uracile forme des photoproduits plus stables, selon un rendement de production élevé de 1,64 ± 1,43 x 10-1 molécule.photon-1. Quatre dimères d’uracile ont pu être identifiés comme des photoproduits. Pour finir, l’ajout de phases minérales amorphe et riche en fer ou bien de perchlorates accélère la dégradation ou l’évolution des molécules organiques
Organic molecule detection at Mars is one of the main goals of the current and future Mars exploration space missions, Mars Science Laboratory (MSL, NASA) and ExoMars 2020 (ESA). Several organic sources exist : abiotic sources (interplantary medium, hydrothermalism and atmospheric synthesis) but also biotic sources such as potential past biological activity. Curiosity from the MSL mission detected chlorinated and sulfur organic compounds. However these compounds can not be linked to any biological activity and do not represent the meteoritical organic diversity.The main hypothesis to explain the low diversity of detected organic compounds at Mars is that the martian environment degrade organic matter. In order to understand organic molecule evolution at the Martian surface and be able to guide and help interpret in situ analysis, I worked on two experimental simulations mimicking some of the martian environmental conditions (UV radiation, pressure, temperature and mineral composition). MOMIE, for Mars Organic Matter Irradiation at Mars, is a laboratory experiment set up at the LISA laboratory (Créteil, France). PSS, for Photochemistry on the Space Station, has been set up on the International Space Station (ISS) in low Earth orbit, using directly filtered UV photons from the Sun.I studied the evolution of four organic molecules likely to be present at Mars with ou without a mineral phase : glycine (an amino acid), adenine and uracil (two nucleobases), and chrysene (a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon). Glycine, adenine and chrysene are degraded at Mars surface with quantum efficiencies of photodecomposition from 6,4 ± 1,4 x 10-6 to 2,3 ± 1,0 x 10-3 molecule.photon-1. Uracil evolve into more stable photoproducts with a production efficiency of 1,64 ± 1,43 x 10-1 molécule.photon-1. Four uracil dimers have been identified as uracil photoproducts. Finally, the studied mineral phases, an amorphous iron-rich phase and perchlorates, accelerate organics evolution or degradation

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Rix, Catherine S. "Detecting life on Mars and the life marker chip : antibody assays for detecting organic molecules in liquid extracts of Martian samples." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2012. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/7250.

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The Life Marker Chip instrument, which has been selected to fly as part of the 2018 ExoMars rover mission payload, aims to detect up to 25 organic molecules in martian rocks and regolith, as markers of extant life, extinct life, meteoritic in-fall and spacecraft contamination. Martian samples will be extracted with a solvent and the resulting liquid extracts will be analysed using multiplexed microarray-format immunoassays. The LMC is under development by an international consortium led by the University of Leicester and the work described within this thesis was carried out at Cranfield University as part of the consortium’s broader program of work preparing the LMC instrument for flight in 2018. Within this thesis four specific areas of LMC instrument development are addressed: the investigation of immunoassay compatible liquid extraction solvents, the study of likely interactions of martian sample matrix with immunoassays, the development of antibodies for the detection of markers of extinct life and demonstration of solvent extraction and immunoassay detection in a flight representative format. Cont/d.

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Nicholson, Natasha Elizabeth. "Gravitational geomicrobiology : biofilms and their mineral interactions under terrestrial and altered gravity." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/33256.

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Experiments with microbial biofilms in microgravity and simulated microgravity have revealed altered growth kinetics, but geomicrobial biofilms have not yet been studied in low gravity environments. No characterisation of biofilms, geomicrobial or otherwise, have been conducted at hypergravity. This thesis explores factors affecting microbe-mineral interactions under terrestrial conditions, lays the groundwork for a scheduled microgravity experiment, and provides the first data on biofilms grown at hypergravity. As a first step in understanding microbe-mineral interactions in altered gravity environments, experiments were undertaken to identify factors that constrain attachment in a terrestrial environment. The model organism Sphingomonas desiccabilis and basaltic rock from Iceland were selected, and the minerals that make up the basalt were identified and procured in their pure form. The relative significance of physical factors such as hydrophobicity, surface charge, porosity and nutritional value were examined in relationship to the success with which biofilms colonised the mineral surfaces. Growth was measured by the quantity of biofilm biomass after a ifxed time period, using Crystal Violet stain, in order to draw conclusions about the most influential physical conditions on biofilm attachment to a substrate. It was found that mineral attachment is influenced more by porosity and nutritional value than by hydrophobicity or surface charge. To explore how reduced gravity affects biofilm formation and weathering rates, a European Space Agency experiment, BioRock, is underway. Samples of basalt, with monocultures of three different organisms, will be sent to the International Space Station in 2019 for long-term exposure to Martian and micro-gravity. Research testing proof of concepts, material compatibility, and experimental procedure and equipment is described. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to image the biofilms, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) experiments were conducted to compare biotic and abiotic elemental release rates from basalt. Both of these methods will be employed for post-flight analysis of BioRock. Preliminary terrestrial ICP-MS experiments indicated that rare Earth elements (REEs) showed the most reliable reflection of leaching patterns overall, as a consequence of their high molecular weight and low volatility during the ashing procedure. To fully understand gravity's effect on microbiological processes it is important to investigate what occurs when its influences are removed, but also to establish what occurs when extra gravitational force is applied. Using simulated hypergravity, achieved through hyper-acceleration on a geotechnical centrifuge, the effects of 10 x g on biofilm development and the leaching of basalt were investigated. As this was the first time that biofilms had been studied under hypergravity, additional substrates were included with the basalt, to enable characterisation of the more general response of biofilms to hypergravity. In contrast to previous experiments conducted on planktonic bacteria, which found decreased population sizes, the biofilms grown at 10 x g showed greater biomass than the 1 x g samples. ICP-MS showed no difference in the average weathering rates, but greater variability in the higher gravity samples. The data collected here advances our understanding of microbial interactions with geologically important substrates, with implications for an ISS microgravity experiment and future human space exploration. It also presents new intelligence on the previously unstudied effects of hypergravity on biofilms and rock weathering.

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O'Malley-James, Jack T. "Life at the end of worlds : modelling the biosignatures of microbial life in diverse environments at the end of the habitable lifetimes of Earth-like planets." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/5549.

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This thesis investigates how increased global mean temperatures on Earth, induced by the increase in the luminosity of the Sun as it ages, change the types of habitable environments on the planet at local scales over the next 3 Gyr. Rising temperatures enhance silicate weathering rates, reducing atmospheric CO₂ levels to below the threshold for photosynthesis, while simultaneously pushing environments past the temperature tolerances of plant and animal species. This leads to the end of all plant life and animal life (due to reduced food, O₂ and H₂O availability, as well as higher temperatures) within the next 1 Gyr. The reduction in the extent of the remaining microbial biosphere due to increasing temperatures and rapid ocean evaporation is then modelled, incorporating orbital parameter changes until all known types of life become extinct; a maximum of 2.8 Gyr from the present. The biosignatures associated with these changes are determined and the analysis extended to Earth-like extrasolar planets nearing the end of their habitable lifetimes. In particular, the stages in the main sequence evolutions of Sun-like stars within 10 pc are evaluated and used to extrapolate the stage that an Earth-analogue planet would be at in its habitable evolution, to determine the best candidate systems for a far-future Earth-analogue biosphere, highlighting the Beta Canum Venaticorum system as a good target. One of the most promising biosignatures for a microbial biosphere on the far-future Earth (and similar planets) may be CH₄, which could reach levels in the atmosphere that make it more readily detectable than it is for a present-day Earth-like atmosphere. Determining these biosignatures will help expand the search for life to the wider range of environments that will be found as the habitable exoplanet inventory grows and planets are found at different stages in their habitable evolution.

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Benneke, Björn, Michael Werner, Erik Petigura, Heather Knutson, Courtney Dressing, Ian J. M. Crossfield, Joshua E. Schlieder, et al. "SPITZER OBSERVATIONS CONFIRM AND RESCUE THE HABITABLE-ZONE SUPER-EARTH K2-18b FOR FUTURE CHARACTERIZATION." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/624028.

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The recent detections of two transit events attributed to the super-Earth candidate K2-18b have provided the unprecedented prospect of spectroscopically studying a habitable-zone planet outside the solar system. Orbiting a nearby M2.5 dwarf and receiving virtually the same stellar insolation as Earth, K2-18b would be a prime candidate for the first detailed atmospheric characterization of a habitable-zone exoplanet using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Here, we report the detection of a third transit of K2-18b near the predicted transit time using the Spitzer Space Telescope. The Spitzer detection demonstrates the periodic nature of the two transit events discovered by K2, confirming that K2-18 is indeed orbited by a super-Earth in a 33 day orbit, ruling out the alternative scenario of two similarly sized, long-period planets transiting only once within the 75 day Kepler Space Telescope (K2) observation. We also find, however, that the transit event detected by Spitzer occurred 1.85 hr (7 sigma) before the predicted transit time. Our joint analysis of the Spitzer and K2 photometry reveals that this early occurrence of the transit is not caused by transit timing variations, but the result of an inaccurate ephemeris due to a previously undetected data anomaly in the K2 photometry. We refit the ephemeris and find that K2-18b would have been lost for future atmospheric characterizations with HST and JWST if we had not secured its ephemeris shortly after the discovery. We caution that immediate follow-up observations as presented here will also be critical for confirming and securing future planets discovered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), in particular if only two transit events are covered by the relatively short 27-day TESS campaigns.

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Alajtal, Adel I. "Raman spectroscopic application for the analysis of organic compounds and minerals of astrobiological significance. The detection and discrimination of organic compounds and mineral analogues in pure and mixed samples of astrobiological significance using raman spectroscopy, XRD and scanning electron microscopy." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/4425.

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Raman spectroscopy has been used to characterise both organic and geological samples in order to build a database for the future characterization of biomarker molecules that are of astrobiological relevance. Characteristic geological features and hydrated minerals recently found on the surface of Mars by the NASA planetary rovers Spirit and Opportunity suggest that a possible biosphere could have once existed there. Analytical instrumentation protocols for the unequivocal detection of biomarkers in suitable geological matrices are critical for future unmanned explorations, including the forthcoming ESA ExoMars mission scheduled for 2018. Several geological features found on the surface of Mars by planetary rovers suggest that a possible extinct biosphere could exist based on similar sources of energy as occurred on Earth. For this reason, analytical instrumental protocols for the detection of isolated biomarkers preserved in suitable geological matrices unequivocally and non-destructively have to be evaluated for future unmanned missions. Raman spectroscopy is currently part of the Pasteur instrumentation suite of the ExoMars mission for the remote detection of extant or extinct life signatures in the Martian surface and subsurface. Terrestrial analogues of Martian sites have been identified and the biogeological modifications resulting from extremophilic survival activity have been studied. Here we present the Raman spectral characterization of several examples of organic compounds which have been recorded using 785 nm, 633 nm and 514 nm laser excitation -polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organic acids, chlorophyll and carotenoids. Experimental mixtures of ß-carotene in usnic acid, PAHs in usnic acid and PAHs in mineral matrices have also been investigated. Organic compounds and PAHs located under crystalline minerals samples were identified using a 5x objective lens and 785 nm III excitation. The pure compounds and compound mixtures were also analysed using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results of this study indicate that near infrared laser at 785 nm provided the clearest and the most informative spectra due to the reduction of fluorescence emission. Higher energy lasers operating in the visible region have resulted in the emission of significant background fluorescence. Few samples fluoresce even with the use of 785 nm excitation and FT-Raman spectroscopy remains the instrument of choice for the analysis of these samples.

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Alajtal, Adel Imhemed. "Raman spectroscopic application for the analysis of organic compounds and minerals of astrobiological significance : the detection and discrimination of organic compounds and mineral analogues in pure and mixed samples of astrobiological significance using raman spectroscopy, XRD and scanning electron microscopy." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/4425.

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Raman spectroscopy has been used to characterise both organic and geological samples in order to build a database for the future characterization of biomarker molecules that are of astrobiological relevance. Characteristic geological features and hydrated minerals recently found on the surface of Mars by the NASA planetary rovers Spirit and Opportunity suggest that a possible biosphere could have once existed there. Analytical instrumentation protocols for the unequivocal detection of biomarkers in suitable geological matrices are critical for future unmanned explorations, including the forthcoming ESA ExoMars mission scheduled for 2018. Several geological features found on the surface of Mars by planetary rovers suggest that a possible extinct biosphere could exist based on similar sources of energy as occurred on Earth. For this reason, analytical instrumental protocols for the detection of isolated biomarkers preserved in suitable geological matrices unequivocally and non-destructively have to be evaluated for future unmanned missions. Raman spectroscopy is currently part of the Pasteur instrumentation suite of the ExoMars mission for the remote detection of extant or extinct life signatures in the Martian surface and subsurface. Terrestrial analogues of Martian sites have been identified and the biogeological modifications resulting from extremophilic survival activity have been studied. Here we present the Raman spectral characterization of several examples of organic compounds which have been recorded using 785 nm, 633 nm and 514 nm laser excitation -polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organic acids, chlorophyll and carotenoids. Experimental mixtures of ß-carotene in usnic acid, PAHs in usnic acid and PAHs in mineral matrices have also been investigated. Organic compounds and PAHs located under crystalline minerals samples were identified using a 5x objective lens and 785 nm III excitation. The pure compounds and compound mixtures were also analysed using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results of this study indicate that near infrared laser at 785 nm provided the clearest and the most informative spectra due to the reduction of fluorescence emission. Higher energy lasers operating in the visible region have resulted in the emission of significant background fluorescence. Few samples fluoresce even with the use of 785 nm excitation and FT-Raman spectroscopy remains the instrument of choice for the analysis of these samples.

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Bolmont, Emeline. "Evolution et habitabilité de systèmes planétaires autour d’étoiles de faible masse et de naines brunes." Thesis, Bordeaux 1, 2013. http://www.theses.fr/2013BOR14897/document.

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La découverte de plus de 900 planètes autour d’autres étoiles que le Soleil rend notre époque excitante. Ces systèmes planétaires nous ont fait changer notre perception du monde qui était jusqu’alors basée sur nos connaissances du système solaire. Certains systèmes détectés sont beaucoup plus compacts que notre système solaire et les planètes se trouvent extrêmement proches de leur étoile. Pour comprendre la structure de ces systèmes et leur évolution, il est important d’étudier les effets de marée.Les missions d’observations des exoplanètes commencent à détecter des planètes de moins en moins massives dans la zone autour d’une étoile appelée zone habitable. La zone habitable est définie comme la plage de distances orbitales pour laquelle une planète ayant une atmosphère peut avoir de l’eau liquide à sa surface. L’étude du climat des exoplanètes, étant donné un flux et un spectre stellaire, est importante pour la caractérisation de l’atmosphère de ces exoplanètes (que JWST sera en mesure de faire).Dans cette thèse, ces problématiques d’évolution dynamique de systèmes planétaires et de climats de planètes sont développées pour le cas de systèmes planétaires orbitant des naines brunes et des étoiles de faible masse dans le but futur de contraindre des paramètres des modèles de marée ou des observations. Dans un premier temps, j’ai traité le cas de l’évolution par effet de marée d’une planète orbitant une naine brune, une naine M ou une étoile de type solaire dont l’évolution du rayon est prise en compte. L’objectif était d’étudier l’influence de la contraction de l’étoile (ou naine brune) sur l’évolution orbitale des planètes. Dans un deuxième temps, j’ai cherché à étudier l’influence des effets de marée sur l’évolution dynamique d’un système multiplanétaire orbitant une naine brune, une naine M ou une étoile de type solaire dont l’évolution du rayon est aussi prise en compte.Ces deux projets permettent d’aborder le problème de l’habitabilité des planètes au- tour de ces objets, en particulier autour des naines brunes qui refroidissent avec le temps. En effet, une planète se trouvant dans la zone habitable d’une naine brune se situe suffisamment proche de la naine brune pour ressentir l’influence des effets de marée. Ainsi, des paramètres importants pour l’étude des climats sont en partie déterminés par les effets de marée – paramètres comme l’excentricité et l’obliquité entre autres. Dans cette thèse, cette problématique est succinctement abordée en vue d’une poursuite en post-doctorat
The discovery of more than 900 planets orbiting other stars than our Sun makes this period very exciting. Our knowledge which was based on the Solar System has been challenged by new planetary systems which are very different from our system. Some of them are much more compact than the Solar System. Some planets are located extremely close-in from their star, within the orbital distance of Mercury, in a region where tidal effects are important. Understanding the structure of the known exoplanetary systems and the future ones requires to take into account the physics of tidal evolution.The missions dedicated to the finding of exoplanets are beginning to detect less massive planets in the habitable zone of their host star. The habitable zone is here defined as the range of orbital distances where a planet with an atmosphere can sustain liquid water at its surface. The study of the climate of exoplanets, given a stellar flux and spectra, is important for the characterization of planetary atmosphere – which JWST will make possible.This thesis provides a study of the dynamical and tidal evolution of planetary systems orbiting evolving brown dwarfs and low mass stars in order to constrain some tidal parameters and in the case of planets around brown dwarfs put some constrains on observability. First, I studied the tidal evolution of single-planet systems orbiting a brown dwarf, a M-dwarf or a Sun-like star whose radius evolution is taken into account. The aim of this study was to study the influence of the contraction of the brown dwarf or star on the orbital evolution of the planets. Second, I endeavored to study the tidal evolution of multiple-planet systems orbiting a brown dwarf, a M-dwarf or a Sun-like star whose radius evolution is also taken into account.These two projects allow me to study the question of the habitability of planets orbiting those objects, in particular orbiting brown dwarfs which are known to cool down with time. A planet orbiting a brown dwarf in its habitable zone is sufficiently close to the brown dwarf to feel tidal effects. So parameters such as the eccentricity or obliquity, which are important for the climate are partially determined by tides. In this thesis, this question is briefly addressed but will be deepened in a future post-doc

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Saiagh, Kafila. "Photochimie de la matière organique dans le système solaire : application aux grains cométaires." Thesis, Paris Est, 2014. http://www.theses.fr/2014PEST1159.

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L'étude de la photochimie dans le système solaire est de toute première importance pour appréhender la chimie organique complexe au sein d'un environnement extraterrestre. Parmi ces environnements, les comètes revêtent un intérêt particulier en exobiologie puisqu'elles ont pu, ainsi que leurs grains, être des vecteurs de matière organique sur la Terre primitive et ainsi contribuer à l'émergence de la vie. Mais dans quelle mesure, la matière organique potentiellement présente au sein des grains survit-elle face aux rayonnements solaires? Ma thèse porte sur l'étude de la dégradation photochimique de trois bases azotées (adénine, guanine et uracile) et d'un acide aminé (glycine) dans les conditions du système solaire, c'est à dire soumis à des rayonnements énergétiques VUV/UV ( <300 nm). Les études conduites lors de ce travail peuvent aussi être appliquées à l'interprétation des mesures du le spectromètre de masse COSIMA présent sur l'orbiteur de la mission cométaire ROSETTA et dont l'objectif est l'analyse de la surface de grains cométaires capturés dans l'environnement de la comète 67P/Churyomov-Gerasimenko. Ce travail présente les spectres de sections efficaces d'absorption mesurés dans les domaines VUV/UV pour des films organiques purs. Ces spectres ont mené à la déduction de constantes de photolyse, ainsi qu'à l'élaboration d'un modèle simulant la cinétique de destruction globale d'un film organique optiquement épais. La confrontation entre ce modèle et les données expérimentales d'irradiation en orbite basse terrestre ainsi qu'en laboratoire a permis d'estimer les temps de vie des molécules considérées à 1 ua puis extrapolés à différentes distances héliocentriques. Les résultats obtenus ont montré que la glycine, l'adénine et la guanine, potentiellement présentes au sein des grains cométaires, seraient totalement détruites entre le moment de l'éjection des grains du noyau cométaire et l'arrivée sur Terre si elles sont en surface. En sous-surface, elles sont au contraire très stables, de part la protection efficace que leur confèrent les minéraux constitutifs du grain contre les rayonnements solaires. Dans le cadre de la mission ROSETTA, les résultats diffèrent. Au plus loin du soleil, à 3,5 ua, l'abondance des molécules ne diminuerait pas de façon significative pendant le temps de parcours des grains entre le noyau et l'orbiteur. Au périhélie, la "survie" des molécules dépendra fortement de la distance noyau-orbiteur. Les pertes significatives des 3 molécules par photochimie n'auraient lieu que si l'orbiteur se situe au moins à quelques centaines de kilomètres du noyau
The study of photochemistry in the solar system is of prime importance to assess complex organic chemistry in an extraterrestrial environment. Among those environments, comets are subject to a particular interest in the context of exobiology, along with their grains, as they could have bring organic matter on the primitive earth, and hence contribute to the emergence of life. But to what extent does the organic matter potentially with in grains survive face to solar radiation? My thesis deals with the study of photochemical degradation of three nitrogenous bases (adenine, guanine and uracil) and one amino acid ( glycine) in the conditions of the solar system, which means subject to VUV/UV energetically radiations ( <300 nm). Studies performed during this work can also be applied to the interpretation of COSIMA mass spectrometer, present on the cometary mission ROSETTA, which aims to analyze the surface of cometary grains captured in the environment of the 67P/Churyomov-Gerasimenko comet. This work present absorption cross section spectrum measured in the VUV/UV range, for pure organic films. These spectrum led to the deduction of photolysis rate constants, and to the elaboration of a model simulating the global kinetic of destruction of a optically thick organic film. The comparison between this model and experimental data of low earth orbit irradiation as well as laboratory data allowed to estimates lifetimes for the considered molecules at 1 AU, and then extrapolated at different heliocentrically distances. Results show that glycine, adenine and guanine, potentially existing inside the cometary grains, would be entirely destroyed between the ejection of the grains and the arrival on earth if they exist at the surface. Below the surface, they are at the contrary very stable, thanks the effective protection of the mineral constitutive of the grain against solar radiations. In the frame of ROSETTA mission, results differ. At the farther of the sun, at 3.5 AU, the abundance of the molecule would not significantly decrease during the time of travel of grains between the core and the orbiter. At the perihelia, the survival of molecule strongly depends of the core-orbiter distance. Significant loss of the 3 molecules by photochemistry would only occurred if the orbiter is at more than hundred of kilometers from the core

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Bardyn, Anaïs. "Caractérisation de la matière organique contenue dans les particules de la comète 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko par spectrométrie de masse avec l’instrument COSIMA de la sonde Rosetta." Thesis, Paris Est, 2016. http://www.theses.fr/2016PESC1083/document.

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La sonde spatiale européenne Rosetta, après un voyage de dix années, a rejoint le 6 août 2014 son objet d’étude, la comète 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P/C-G). Afin de l’étudier de manière intensive durant deux ans, un total de 21 instruments était embarqué sur l’orbiteur Rosetta et l’atterrisseur Philae. Le spectromètre de masse d’ions secondaires à temps de vol, COSIMA (COmetary Secondary Ions Mass Analyzer), était l’un des instruments de l’orbiteur et a été conçu pour analyser in situ la composition chimique des particules solides éjectées de la comète 67P/C-G. L’objectif de cette thèse est de caractériser la composante organique réfractaire contenue dans les poussières cométaires, à l’aide de l’instrument COSIMA. Dans le cadre de ces travaux, j’ai mis au point au point et appliqué une méthodologie pour analyser les spectres de masse cométaires, plus particulièrement dans le mode positif de l’instrument. A l’aide de cette méthodologie, cinq ions organiques d’origine cométaire ont été détectés et identifiés : C+ (m/z = 12,00), CH+ (m/z = 13,01), CH2+ (m/z = 14,02), CH3+ (m/z = 15,02) et C2H3+ (m/z = 27,02). La caractérisation de cette composante organique a été effectuée à l’aide de spectres de masse de calibration. Les composés de référence utilisés dans ces travaux de thèse incluent des molécules organiques pures et des analogues de la matière organique cométaire, tels que des échantillons naturels (des météorites carbonées, une micrométéorite ultracarbonée, de la matière organique insoluble extraite de météorites carbonées) et un échantillon synthétisé en laboratoire. La matière organique insoluble extraite des chondrites carbonées est, à ce jour, le meilleur analogue à la matière organique réfractaire contenue dans les particules de 67P/C-G. Ainsi, la matière organique cométaire serait de haut poids moléculaire et le carbone lié dans de grandes structures macromoléculaires. Le carbone est également l’un des éléments le plus abondant dans les particules avec un rapport C⁄Si = 5,5 (+1,4/-1,2). La comète 67P/C-G figure ainsi parmi les corps les plus riches en carbone du système solaire. Enfin, un composé spécifique a été recherché, le polyoxyméthylène. Cependant, les indicateurs développés et appliqués aux données cométaires ne permettent pas de conclure quant à sa présence dans les particules analysées par COSIMA
After a ten-year journey, the European spacecraft Rosetta arrived at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gersasimenko (67P/C-G) on August 6, 2014. In order to conduct intensive research for two years, a total of 21 instruments were on board the Rosetta orbiter and the Philae lander. The time-of-flight secondary ions mass spectrometer, COSIMA (COmetary Secondary Ions Mass Analyzer), was one of the orbiter instruments and was designed for in situ analysis of the chemical composition of cometary particles ejected from the comet 67P/C-G. This thesis aims to characterize the refractory organic component of the cometary dust, with the COSIMA instrument. As part of this work, I have developed and applied a methodology to analyze the cometary mass spectra, more specifically in the positive mode of the instrument. Using this methodology, five organic ions of cometary origin were detected and identified: C+ (m/z = 12.00), CH+ (m/z = 13.01), CH2+ (m/z = 14.02), CH3+ (m/z = 15.02) and C2H3+ (m/z = 27.02). The characterization of this organic component has been carried out with calibration mass spectra. The reference compounds used during this thesis include pure organic molecules and cometary organic matter analogs, such as natural samples (carbonaceous chondrites, ultracarbonaceous micrometeorite, insoluble organic matter extracted from carbonaceous chondrites) and one sample synthetized in the laboratory. The best analogue found so far to the refractory component of 67P/C-G particles is the insoluble organic matter extracted from carbonaceous chondrites. The cometary organic matter would be of high-molecular-weight and the carbon bounded in very large macromolecular compounds. Carbon is also one of the most abundant element in the dust particles with an elemental ratio of C⁄Si = 5.5 (+1.4/-1.2). Comet 67P/C-G is among the most carbon-rich bodies of the solar system. Finally, a specific compound was sought, the polyoxymethylene. However, indicators developed and applied to the cometary data do not allow to conclude on the presence of polyoxymethylene in the particles analyzed by COSIMA

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Anderson, Peter M. "Encephalization in Commensal Raccoons: A Unique Test of the Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2020. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3720.

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This study investigated selective pressures associated with encephalization in mammals and discussed broader implications. Relative brain size as measured by EQ (Encephalization Quotient) was compared between ecological categories. Omnivores had higher average EQ than ecological specialists. Since specialists are disproportionately affected by extinction events, selection for ecological generalism is proposed as encephalization mechanism. This mechanism may reinforce the more widely known Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH)—the idea that possessing relatively large brains has buffered lineages against environmental change. CBH is tested here by comparing EQs in Procyon lotor (raccoon) in urban and rural environments. CBH predicts that raccoons in the most radically altered environment, the city, experience the strongest selection for encephalization. Urban raccoons studied here exhibit a higher EQ. Although results are preliminary, data suggest that encephalization is accelerated during abrupt periods of environmental change. Finally, implications for the evolution of biological complexity more generally are discussed.

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Athayde, Saladina Amoedo. "Processo educacional no ensino de Ci?ncias e Biologia na perspectiva da Astrobiologia." Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, 2015. http://localhost:8080/tede/handle/tede/245.

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This paper presents a proposal of educational process, developed through applied research in order to seek the improvement about teaching Science and Biology in Basic School implementing current themes and concepts, interrelated to cross-cutting issues, going back to the origin of life, living beings, their interaction with the physical environment and the prospects for life elsewhere other than Earth. The project had as target students from elementary and high school from two public schools in the district of Feira de Santana-BA. It is justified by the low rates of our schools PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) and IDEB (Education Development Index Basic) evaluations. The Vigotsky Knowledge Theory and Ausubel Learning Theory were used to guiding the educational process and pedagogical actions. Questionnaires were used as a data collection tool and the structured work by the construction and application of four activities, developed from the perspective of life on Mars. The choice of this planet is because of its importance for the study and teaching of astronomy through discoveries made since the first civilizations in search of understanding about planetary evolution and pre and post biotic ecosystems. Data analysis showed satisfactory results, it was possible to detect an improvement in the recognition of current concepts as a source of technological knowledge and as a result it expected to occur changes on educational indicators. Due to dissemination among teacher were demand applications in schools out of the winning ones, allowing viewing this proposal as reference in the quest for improving the teaching of Science and Biology.
Este trabalho apresenta uma proposta de processo educacional, elaborado por meio de pesquisa aplicada, no intuito de buscar a melhoria do ensino de Ci?ncias e Biologia da Escola B?sica implementando temas e conceitos atuais, interrelacionados a temas transversais, remontando a origem da vida, seres vivos, sua intera??o com o ambiente f?sico e as perspectivas de vida em outros lugares al?m da Terra. O projeto teve como p?blico alvo estudantes do Ensino Fundamental e M?dio de duas escolas p?blicas do munic?pio de Feira de Santana-BA. Est? justificado pelos baixos ?ndices das nossas escolas nas avalia??es do PISA (Programa Internacional de Avalia??o de Estudantes) e do IDEB (?ndice de Desenvolvimento da Educa??o B?sica). O Processo Educacional utilizado est? fundamentado na teoria do conhecimento Vigotsky e da aprendizagem de Ausubel, as quais nortearam as a??es pedag?gicas. Foram usados question?rios como ferramenta de coleta de dados e o trabalho estruturado pela constru??o e aplica??o de quatro atividades, desenvolvidas a partir da perspectiva de vida em Marte. A escolha deste planeta se deve ao fato da import?ncia dele para o estudo e ensino da Astronomia, mediante descobertas realizadas desde as primeiras civiliza??es em busca do entendimento sobre evolu??o planet?ria e ecossistemas pr? e p?s bi?ticos. A an?lise dos dados mostrou resultados satisfat?rios, foi poss?vel detectar uma melhora no reconhecimento dos conceitos atuais como fonte de conhecimento tecnol?gico e em decorr?ncia disto esperar que ocorra mudan?a dos ?ndices educacionais. Devido a divulga??o entre os professores, foram geradas demandas de aplica??o em escolas n?o contempladas, permitindo visionar esta proposta como refer?ncia na busca pela melhoria do ensino de Ci?ncias e Biologia.

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Souza, Jonas Garcia de [UNESP]. "Astrobiologia: obstáculos e possibilidades, a (re)ligação com o cosmos e o ensino de ciências." Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/90981.

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Fruto de um saber fragmentado, a humanidade só pode assistir perplexa aos problemas complexos e intrincados, que o pensamento simples é incapaz de conceber. Frente nossa impotência para com as possibilidades iminentes, até mesmo de extinçãoda espécie humana, naturalmente se espera que busquemos ações diferentes, novos olhares, novos paradigmas para ir além das limitações que o paradigma conservador deixou como legado. Para tanto, resgatar uma já esquecida reflexão de unidade como todo o Cosmos, compreendendo cada vez mais os ciclos da natureza e seu delicado equilíbrio, em contraste com o nosso atual modo de vida predatóri torna-se fundamental. Dentre as atuais propostas do ensino de ciências integradoras, que tratam da formação de professores buscando a interdisciplinaridade como ferramenta contra a fragmentação do ensino, aliado a uma desejada mudança no paradigma de visão de mundo de professores e alunos, encontra-se a educação em astronomia. Hoje, talvez sua vertente mais excitante seja a astrobiologia. Esta investiga principalmente a origem da vida, sua evolução e distribuição no Universo, sendo considerada por muitos pesquisadores também como muito adequada para o ensino de ciências integrador. No entanto, tal abordagem inserida no contexto do paradigma inovador, implica numa elevada competência científica e didática dos professores, mas a própria escola nos ensinou a separar, compartimentar, isolar e a não ligar os conhecimentos. Frente a esta situação controversa, fica a questão: uma proposta científica de fronteira, baseada nos avanços importantes das ciências da vida e do Universo, dotada de princípios de natureza interdisciplinar, ainda muito distante do cotidiano escolar, pode ser inserida num ensino de ciências marcado por situações ainda tão deficientes em nosso país? Com relação aos pontos levantados anteriormente, este trabalho teve por objetivo: Investigar a relação dos...
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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Astrobiology'

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