From Habitability to Life on Mars explores the current state of knowledge and questions on the past habitability of Mars and the role that rapid environmental changes may have played in the ability of prebiotic chemistry to transition to life. It investigates the role that such changes may have played in the preservation of biosignatures in the geological record and what this means for exploration strategies. Throughout the book, the authors show how the investigation of terrestrial analogs to early Martian habitats under various climates and environmental extremes provide critical clues to understand where, what and how to search for biosignatures on Mars.
The authors present an introduction to the newest developments and state-of-the-art remote and in situ detection strategies and technologies that are being currently developed to support the upcoming ExoMars and Mars 2020 missions. They show how the current orbital and ground exploration is guiding the selection for future landing sites. Finally, the book concludes by discussing the critical question of the implications and ethics of finding life on Mars.
1. Cover image - p. iv 2. Title page - p. iv 3. Table of Contents - p. iv 4. Copyright - p. iv 5. List of Contributors - p. xi 6. Foreword - p. xvii 7. Color Plate 1 - p. xix 8. Color Plate 2 - p. xx 9. Chapter 1: Habitability as a Tool in Astrobiological Exploration - p. xx 10. Chapter 2: An Origin of Life on Mars? - p. 12 11. Chapter 3: Remote Detection of Phyllosilicates on Mars and Implications for Climate and Habitability - p. 35 12. Chapter 4: Martian Habitability as Inferred From Landed Mission Observations - p. 75 13. Chapter 5: Archean Lakes as Analogues for Habitable Martian Paleoenvironments - p. 126 14. Chapter 6: Evolution of Altiplanic Lakes at the Pleistocene/Holocene Transition: A Window Into Early Mars Declining Habitability, Changing Habitats, and Biosignatures - p. 152 15. Chapter 7: Siliceous Hot Spring Deposits: Why They Remain Key Astrobiological Targets - p. 177 16. Chapter 8: Habitability and Biomarker Preservation in the Martian Near-Surface Radiation Environment - p. 209 17. Chapter 9: UV and Life Adaptation Potential on Early Mars: Lessons From Extreme Terrestrial Analogs - p. 231 18. Chapter 10: Are Recurring Slope Lineae Habitable? - p. 248 19. Chapter 11: The NASA Mars 2020 Rover Mission and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life - p. 274 20. Chapter 12: Searching for Traces of Life With the ExoMars Rover - p. 308 21. Chapter 13: Concluding Remarks: Bridging Strategic Knowledge Gaps in the Search for Biosignatures on Mars—A Blueprint - p. 347 22. Index - p. 361
From Habitability to Life on Mars explores the current state of knowledge and questions on the past habitability of Mars and the role that rapid environmental changes may have played in the ability of prebiotic chemistry to transition to life. It investigates the role that such changes may have played in the preservation of biosignatures in the geological record and what this means for exploration strategies. Throughout the book, the authors show how the investigation of terrestrial analogs to early Martian habitats under various climates and environmental extremes provide critical clues to understand where, what and how to search for biosignatures on Mars.
The authors present an introduction to the newest developments and state-of-the-art remote and in situ detection strategies and technologies that are being currently developed to support the upcoming ExoMars and Mars 2020 missions. They show how the current orbital and ground exploration is guiding the selection for future landing sites. Finally, the book concludes by discussing the critical question of the implications and ethics of finding life on Mars.
1. Cover image - p. iv 2. Title page - p. iv 3. Table of Contents - p. iv 4. Copyright - p. iv 5. List of Contributors - p. xi 6. Foreword - p. xvii 7. Color Plate 1 - p. xix 8. Color Plate 2 - p. xx 9. Chapter 1: Habitability as a Tool in Astrobiological Exploration - p. xx 10. Chapter 2: An Origin of Life on Mars? - p. 12 11. Chapter 3: Remote Detection of Phyllosilicates on Mars and Implications for Climate and Habitability - p. 35 12. Chapter 4: Martian Habitability as Inferred From Landed Mission Observations - p. 75 13. Chapter 5: Archean Lakes as Analogues for Habitable Martian Paleoenvironments - p. 126 14. Chapter 6: Evolution of Altiplanic Lakes at the Pleistocene/Holocene Transition: A Window Into Early Mars Declining Habitability, Changing Habitats, and Biosignatures - p. 152 15. Chapter 7: Siliceous Hot Spring Deposits: Why They Remain Key Astrobiological Targets - p. 177 16. Chapter 8: Habitability and Biomarker Preservation in the Martian Near-Surface Radiation Environment - p. 209 17. Chapter 9: UV and Life Adaptation Potential on Early Mars: Lessons From Extreme Terrestrial Analogs - p. 231 18. Chapter 10: Are Recurring Slope Lineae Habitable? - p. 248 19. Chapter 11: The NASA Mars 2020 Rover Mission and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life - p. 274 20. Chapter 12: Searching for Traces of Life With the ExoMars Rover - p. 308 21. Chapter 13: Concluding Remarks: Bridging Strategic Knowledge Gaps in the Search for Biosignatures on Mars—A Blueprint - p. 347 22. Index - p. 361
