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Project Reports

• Impact Frustration and Subsequent Generation of Biologically Tenable Climates on Earth and Mars

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 11.0 12.0 14.0

• Astrobiology at UCLA: An Integrated Multidisciplinary Approach to Research and Education

  RESEARCH at UCLA is now focused on six main themes: (1) extrasolar planetary systems; (2) geobiology and geochemistry of early Earth and Mars; (3) evolution of Earth’s early life; (4) genomic evolution and the tree of life; (5) celestial influences on the terrestrial environment; and (6) exploration for life in the Solar System. Over the past year, some of these themes have grown significantly; the thrust of the last has been seriously compromised by the successive losses of both the Mars Climate Orbiter and the Mars Polar Lander.

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0

• Redox-Sensitive Metals and Environmental Evolution

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.0 12.0 14.0

• Rapid Rates of Change

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 14.0

• Molecular Analysis of Microbial Ecosystems in Extreme Environments

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 14.0 16.0 17.0

• Habitability of Planets

  The goal of our research is to understand the factors that influence the long- term habitability of planets.

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.0 12.0 14.0

• Coevolution of Life and Planets

  The Kirschvink lab has focused on several aspects of interest to the National Astrobiology Institute during the past 1.5 years, including evaluation and identification of Precambrian biosignatures, testing the Panspermia hypothesis with the Martian Meteorite ALH84001, placing constraints on Life on Europa, assessing effect of the Paleoproterozoic â??Snowball Earth’. Members of the group include Postdoctoral Scholar J.W. Hagadorn, JPL Postdoctoral visitor Eric Gaidos, Graduate Student Benjamin Weiss, and Undergraduate Students Francis Macdonald and Tim Raub.

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 14.0 17.0

• Evolution of Atmospheric O2, Climate, and the Terrestrial Biosphere: Approaches From Field-Oriented Geochemical Investigations – Lee R. Kump 1

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.0 7.0 12.0 14.0 15.0

• Task V: Neoproterozoic Variations in Carbon and Sulfur Cycling

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 12.0 14.0

• Causes and Consequences of the Diversification and Extinction of Metasoans: Field, Geochemical and Paleontological Investigations – Mark E. Patzkowsky (Co-PI)

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.0 7.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 15.0

• Evolution of Atmospheric O2, Climate, and the Terrestrial Biosphere/Causes and Consequences of the Diversification and Extinction of Metazoans – Rosemary C. Capo, Brian W. Stewart

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.0 6.0 7.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 14.0 15.0

• Astrobiology Education and Public Outreach

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 13.0 14.0 15.0

• Evolution of Atmospheric O2, Climate, and the Terrestrial Biosphere: Approaches From Field-Oriented Geochemical Investigations – Lee R. Kump 2

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.0 7.0 12.0 14.0 15.0

• Evolution of Atmospheric O2, Climate, and the Terrestrial Biosphere: Approaches From Field-Oriented Geochemical Investigations – Lee R. Kump 3

  ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.0 7.0 12.0 14.0 15.0