2004 Annual Science Report
Astrobiology Roadmap Objective 7.2 Reports Reporting | JUL 2003 – JUN 2004
Roadmap Objective 7.2—Biosignatures to be sought in nearby planetary systems
Project Reports
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Subsurface Biospheres
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 2.1 2.2 4.3 5.2 5.3 6.1 6.2 7.1 7.2 -
Analysis of and Discrimination of TPF Planetary Spectra Using Bayesian and Artificial Neural Network Techniques
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
Biosustainable Energy and Nutrient Cycles in the Deep Subsurface of Earth and Mars
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 2.1 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 4.3 5.1 5.2 5.3 6.1 6.2 7.2 -
The Planetary Context of Biological Evolution
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 1.2 2.1 4.1 4.2 6.1 7.2 -
Biosignatures in Chemosynthetic and Photosynthetic Systems
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 2.1 4.1 5.1 5.2 6.1 7.1 7.2 -
Planetary Biology, Evolution and Intelligence
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 2.1 2.2 3.1 4.1 4.2 5.1 5.3 6.1 6.2 7.1 7.2 -
An Astronomical Search for the Essential Ingredients for Life: Placing Our Habitable System in Context. Progress Report
Module 1: Building Blocks of Life
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 1.2 3.1 4.1 4.3 7.1 7.2 -
Molecular Survey of Extremophile Microbial Diversity in Hypersaline Ecosystems
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.4 4.1 4.2 5.1 5.2 5.3 6.1 7.1 7.2 -
Characterization of Terrestrial Planets From Disk-Averaged Spectra: Earths Around Other Stars
In this task, we have attempted to understand the nature and detectability of biosignatures and planetary characteristics for Earth-like planets around other stars
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
Ecosystem to Biosphere Modeling
We refined the model of hypersaline mats Microbial BioGeoChemistry (MBGC). Working towards publication of the first version of the model (submitted May), we adopted many improvements into the model, or researched them as future adaptations.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 4.1 5.3 6.1 7.2 -
Characterization of Terrestrial Planets From Disk-Averaged Spectra: Spatially and Spectrally Resolved Planetary Models
his task uses sophisticated spatially and spectrally-resolved radiative transfer models and data from planets in our own Solar System to explore the detectability of surface and atmospheric properties of terrestrial planets from disk-averaged spectra at a number of different spectral resolutions
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
Chemistry Models for Extrasolar Planets
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
Delivery of Organic Materials to Planets
Kress and Brownlee, in collaboration with George Cody, have investigated the thermal alteration of organic material entering the atmosphere in small extraterrestrial particles. An interesting aspect of this process is that even the most severely heated particles eject sublimed compounds that survive.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 1.2 3.1 7.2 -
Post Doc Recruitment – Water and Its Relation to Life in the Universe
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 4.1 5.2 5.3 6.1 6.2 7.1 7.2 -
Biosignatures and Abiosignatures
Rare samples from the Upper Oligocene Enspel Formation in Germany have previously been shown to contain exceptionally well-preserved bacterial fossils.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.2 4.1 5.2 5.3 6.1 7.1 7.2 -
Spectroscopic Databases to Support Extrasolar Planet Modeling
To support efforts to understand the nature and detectability of terrestrial planet characteristics for planets around stars of different spectral type, this task focuses on collecting and preparing full wavelength, continuous stellar spectra for use by the planetary climate and chemistry models (c. f. Task 6).
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 7.2 -
Subglacial Sampling in Iceland
University of Hawaii (UH) NAI-funded preparations for July field work at several sites in Iceland are underway.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.2 5.3 7.2 -
The Abiotic Planetary Model: The Upper and Lower Boundary Condition on the Atmosphere
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 4.1 7.2 -
Prebiotic Organics From Space
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 3.1 3.4 4.3 7.1 7.2 -
First-Stage Biofilm Formation Under Extreme Conditions in Ice
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 5.1 5.3 6.1 6.2 7.2 -
UH NAI Visiting Faculty Scholars Program
The University of Hawaii (UH)-NAI has established a Visiting Faculty Scholars program that brings external collaborators to work with local researchers.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 4.1 4.3 5.1 5.2 5.3 6.1 6.2 7.1 7.2 -
Geopulse
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 4.1 5.2 5.3 7.2 -
The Virtual Planetary Laboratory – Synthesis and Architecture
With many of the core components operating independently or near completion, this past report period focused on interface design, with focus on development of an Application Programming Interface (API) in Fortran to facilitate communication between different model components
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 1.2 4.1 7.2 -
Re-Tracing Steps Towards a Habitable World: The Biogeochemical Evolution of Sulfur on the Early Earth.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 3.1 4.1 4.3 5.2 5.3 6.2 7.1 7.2 -
The Virtual Planetary Laboratory – The Life Modules
Progress has been made with submodels and fieldwork toward supporting a coherent model of how detectable biosignatures may be produced on extrasolar planets:
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 4.1 5.3 6.1 7.2 -
Laboratory Microbial Simulations: Astrobiological Signatures
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 4.1 5.2 5.3 7.2 -
Searching for Ancestral Sequences
A major objective of Astrobiology is to search for signs of life in the Solar System and beyond. While remote sensing of biological signatures is a major target for identifying promising sites for future missions, direct analysis of samples for the presence of biomarkers of interest will continue to be an important area for technology development.
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 7.1 7.2