"Why do plants grow against gravity and have you tried to answer that question yet by tests in outter space? Have any of those test failed? "
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Sediment-buried basement deep biosphere
Project Investigators: Jan Amend, James Cowen, Brian Glazer, Michael Rappe
Other Project Members
Huei-Ting Lin (Doctoral Student)Sean Youndbluth (Doctoral Student)Micheal Matzinger (Doctoral Student)Ryan Matsumoto (Undergraduate Student)Lisa Nakata (Research Staff)Soo Huey Teh (Undergraduate Student)Amanda Ricardo (Undergraduate Student)Kristina Mojica (Doctoral Student)Summary
There is growing evidence that a substantial subseafloor biosphere extends throughout the immense volume of aging basement (basaltic rock) of the ocean crust. Since most ocean basement rock is buried under thick, impermeable layers of sediment, the fluids circulating within the underlying ocean basement are usually inaccessible for direct studies. Circulation Obviation Retrofit Kit (CORK) observatories affixed to Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) boreholes offer an unprecedented opportunity to study biogeochemical properties and microbial diversity in circulating fluids from deep ocean basement. UH-NAI post doctoral fellows (e.g., Brian Glazer, Andrew Boal)
Astrobiology Roadmap Objectives:
- Objective 1: Determine whether the atmosphere of the early Earth, hydrothermal or exogenous matter were significant sources of organic matter.
- Objective 3: Replicating, catalytic systems capable of evolution, and construct laboratory models of metabolism in primitive living systems.
- 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.
- Objective 5: Describe the sequences of causes and effects associated with the development of Earth's early biosphere and the global environment.
- Objective 5: Describe the sequences of causes and effects associated with the development of Earth's early biosphere and the global environment.
- Objective 5: Describe the sequences of causes and effects associated with the development of Earth's early biosphere and the global environment.
- Objective 6: Define how ecophysiological processes structure microbial communities, influence their adaptation and evolution, and affect their detection on other planets.
- Objective 6: Define how ecophysiological processes structure microbial communities, influence their adaptation and evolution, and affect their detection on other planets.
Project Progress
A. We have secured major funding ($1.2 M) from NSF-Microbial Research (a Microbial Observatory grant) to continue our investigation into the deep-subsurface biosphere via CORK Observatories at the Juan de Fuca Ridge flanks. We were able to leverage UH-NAI research funds and personnel, as well as EO opportunities to obtain this NSF funding. We have significantly modified our existing seafloor CORK instrumentation sled (the GeoMICROBE sled).
Cartoon illustrating hypothetical relationship among fluid flow, temperature and redox zones within the buried basement crust, as influenced by the recharge and discharge zones associated with exposed rocky outcrops on the flanks of a mid-ocean ridge such as JFR. Dashed arrows represent advective fluid flow and small solid arrows indicate diffusive flow. (modified from Wheat et al. 2002)
Photo of GeoMICROBE instrument sled setting on CORK observatory installed in IODP borehole on flanks of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. GeoMICROBE instruments are sampling deep basement fluids flowing up a PVDF fluid delivery line.
Cartoon depicting the tracer transport project on Juan de Fuca Ridge flanks. Particles (microbe proxies) and dissolved tracers will be injected into single injection well and then their appearance monitored at several observation wells.
- Editor: Wendy Dolci
- NASA Official: Wendy Dolci
- Last Updated November 21, 2009
