Search for Life Search for Life onon

MARSMARS

Q: Why is water important for Q: Why is water important for life?life?

A: Because it’s such a great solute.A: Because it’s such a great solute.

Who am I?Who am I?• Adrian BrownAdrian Brown• PhD student at the Australian Centre for PhD student at the Australian Centre for

Astrobiology (ACA), Macquarie UniversityAstrobiology (ACA), Macquarie University• Supervisors are Prof. Malcolm Walter, Director Supervisors are Prof. Malcolm Walter, Director

of the ACA, and Dr. Tom Cudahy, CSIROof the ACA, and Dr. Tom Cudahy, CSIRO• Thesis topic – Mapping Ancient Hydrothermal Thesis topic – Mapping Ancient Hydrothermal

Systems on Earth and MarsSystems on Earth and Mars

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview• Finding water in rocksFinding water in rocks• Colours of ancient rocks – Pilbara, WAColours of ancient rocks – Pilbara, WA• NASA’s Mars Exploration LandersNASA’s Mars Exploration Landers• 2004 Mars Landing Sites – how they were 2004 Mars Landing Sites – how they were

chosenchosen• Rover InstrumentsRover Instruments

– Colours of ancient rocks – Gusev Crater, MarsColours of ancient rocks – Gusev Crater, Mars– Investigating Grains of Rock with MicroscopesInvestigating Grains of Rock with Microscopes– Dust: part of the problem or the solution?Dust: part of the problem or the solution?

H

Finding water in rocks!Finding water in rocks!

• Water becomes part of rocks in various Water becomes part of rocks in various ways:ways:– Unbound water, fluid inclusionsUnbound water, fluid inclusions– Bound water in claysBound water in clays– Part of the mineral, in the form of hydroxylPart of the mineral, in the form of hydroxyl

• It can be preserved in these forms It can be preserved in these forms indefinitely, but will be subject to indefinitely, but will be subject to weathering, radiation (evaporation), weathering, radiation (evaporation), diffusion and advection processesdiffusion and advection processes

OH

Ancient Rocks of Earth – a Ancient Rocks of Earth – a Mars Analogue?Mars Analogue?

• ACA scientists are investigating the ACA scientists are investigating the ancient Pilbara region of northern Western ancient Pilbara region of northern Western AustraliaAustralia

• 3.5 billion years old3.5 billion years old

• Contains first signs of life on Earth in the Contains first signs of life on Earth in the form of stromatolitesform of stromatolites

• Could be a good analogue for MarsCould be a good analogue for Mars

North Pole DomeNorth Pole Dome

Colours of Ancient RocksColours of Ancient Rocks

• A spectrometer splits up light into different colours A spectrometer splits up light into different colours • By graphing colour intensities we can record a By graphing colour intensities we can record a

characteristic spectral response of rockscharacteristic spectral response of rocks

Rock Sample

Sun

Diffractometer

Collector

Infrared

Red

Yellow

Blue

Ultraviolet

Colours of rocksColours of rocks

• Mica alteration (left) Mica alteration (left) chlorite alteration (right)chlorite alteration (right)

Mapping colours of rocksMapping colours of rocks

The 2003 Martian The 2003 Martian MissionsMissions

Mars Exploration Rovers Mars Exploration Rovers (MER)(MER)

Landing Site RestrictionsLanding Site Restrictions

• Low latitudes required because the rovers are Low latitudes required because the rovers are solar poweredsolar powered

• Landing site must be 1.3km below ‘Martian Sea Landing site must be 1.3km below ‘Martian Sea level’ so parachutes can functionlevel’ so parachutes can function

• Low winds must be presentLow winds must be present• Not too much dust, lest solar arrays and rocks Not too much dust, lest solar arrays and rocks

are covered, and surface must bear the weight are covered, and surface must bear the weight of a roverof a rover

• Just enough rocks to be interesting, not enough Just enough rocks to be interesting, not enough to be dangerousto be dangerous

GusevGusevIsidisIsidisMeridianiMeridiani

MER InstrumentsMER Instruments

APXS – APXS – alpha particle alpha particle x-ray spectrometerx-ray spectrometer

Mossbauer – Mossbauer – fe fe spectrometerspectrometer

MI – MI – microscope imagermicroscope imager

RAT – RAT – rock abrasion rock abrasion tooltool

PANCAM – PANCAM – panoramic panoramic cameracamera

Mini TES – Mini TES – thermal thermal emission spectrometeremission spectrometer

Magnetic ArraysMagnetic Arrays

Colours of rocks on MarsColours of rocks on Mars

Silicates

Carbonates

CO2

Dust – part of the problem Dust – part of the problem or solution?or solution?

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