NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI)

University of Hawaii

Executive Summary

Origin, History and Distribution of Water and its Relation to Life in Extreme Environments

Project Reports

A cross-platform software package for efficient data reduction of environmental electrochemical measurements

A Proteomic View of Adaptations to Extreme Environments

A search for H3+ emission from close-in exoplanets

A Search for H3+ from the Atmospheres of Hot Jupiters

Analysis software for in situ voltammetry

Analysis Tools for A Proteomic View of Adaptations to Extreme Environments

Characterizing the Mineral Phases in Placozoans

Chondritic Meteorites as Records of Aqueous Activity on Asteroidal Parent Bodies

D/H Studies - Origin of Earth's Water

Detection of microbial differentiation using high-resolution molecular marker

Development of Laser Ablation Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometer for Planetary Missions

Development of Rotating Field Mass Spectroscopy for Planetary Missions

Early accretion of asteroids and protoplanets

Ecology of a Hawaiian lava cave microbial mat

Formation of astrobiologically important molecules in water-rich environments

Formation of Planetesimals in a Dynamically Evolving Nebula

Geomicrobiology of neutrophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria at Loihi Seamount

Habitability and Water Delivery in Binary-Planetary Systems

Ice in Sublimation Environments

Iceland Subglacial Biology Exploration (ISBOX)

Icelandic Subglacial Volcanic Habitats

Identifying the Missing Young Low-Mass Stars, the Likely Hosts of Most Extrasolar Planets

Important Carbon Oxides in the Planetary Atmospheres and Surfaces

Keck Cosmochemistry Laboratory

Likelihood of a supernova impact on the young solar system

Lunar Ice

Mars Surface Activity

Origin of Irregular Satellites

Placozoa and the Emergence of Animal Life

Rapid response to remotely detected seafloor eruptions

Seafloor eruptions: access to deep hydrothermal biosphere

Search for evidence for the presence of aqueous alteration at the surface of minor bodies of the outer solar system

Searching for water and organic material in the Outer Solar System

Star-Planet Interactions as a Probe of Extrasolar Planetary Magnetic Fields

Subseafloor basement (basalt) biosphere studies

Terrestrial analog study: Sierra Madera impact structure, Texas

TES and THEMIS study of Proposed Paleolake Basins within the Aeolis Quadrangle of Mars

TES/THEMIS study of Valles Marineris, Mars

The Deep Impact Mission and Astrobiology

The evolution of intelligence under environmental change

Unveiling the evolution and interplay of ice and gas in star-forming regions

Variable Young Stellar Objects Survey

Water-Rock Chemistry and Habitats for Life

EPO Reports

2006 ALI'I Program

Astronomy Science Fair Projects

School Visitations

News Media Program

REU Student Mentorship

Death Valley Field Trip

Public Lectures and Demonstrations

Textbook Publication

Science Fair Judging

Teachers At Sea - Exploring the Deep

Girl Scouts and Museum Outreach

Deep Impact/Cratering Workshop

Learning Astronomy with VTT Cosmic Evolution Workshop

Project Reports

Organized by Astrobiology Roadmap Objective

Goal 1: Understand the nature and distribution of habitable environments in the Universe

• Objective 1: Determine whether the atmosphere of the early Earth, hydrothermal or exogenous matter were significant sources of organic matter. (14 reports)

Goal 2: Explore for past or present habitable environments, prebiotic chemistry and signs of life elsewhere in our Solar System

• Objective 2: Develop and test plausible pathways by which ancient counterparts of membrane systems, proteins and nucleic acid were synthesized from simpler precursors and assembled into protocells. (13 reports)

Goal 3: Understand how life originates from cosmic and planetary precursors

• Objective 3: Replicating, catalytic systems capable of evolution, and construct laboratory models of metabolism in primitive living systems. (9 reports)

Goal 4: Understand how past life on Earth interacted with its changing planetary and Solar System environment

• Objective 4: Expand and interpret the genomic database of a select group of key microorganisms in order to reveal the history and dynamics of evolution. (8 reports)

Goal 5: Understand the evolutionary mechanisms and environmental limits of life

• Objective 5: Describe the sequences of causes and effects associated with the development of Earth's early biosphere and the global environment. (25 reports)

Goal 6: Understand the principles that will shape the future of life, both on Earth and beyond

• Objective 6: Define how ecophysiological processes structure microbial communities, influence their adaptation and evolution, and affect their detection on other planets. (10 reports)

Goal 7: Determine how to recognize signatures of life on other worlds and on early Earth

• Objective 7: Identify the environmental limits for by examining biological adaptations to extremes in environmental conditions. (3 reports)