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2010 Annual Science Report

NASA Ames Research Center Reporting  |  SEP 2009 – AUG 2010

Executive Summary

The Ames NAI Team addresses the cosmic, planetary, and biological processes that collectively create habitable environments. We trace, spectroscopically, the cosmic evolution of organic molecules from the interstellar medium to protoplanetary disks, planetesimals and finally onto habitable bodies. We characterize the diversity of planetary systems emerging from protoplanetary disks, with a focus on the formation of planets that provide chemical raw materials, energy, and environments necessary to sustain prebiotic chemical evolution and complexity. We develop and evaluate a more quantitative methodology for assessing the habitability of early planetary environments – particularly Mars – via capabilities that will be, or might be, deployed in situ. Finally we identify critical requirements for the emergence of biological complexity in early habitable environments by examining key steps in the origins and early evolution of catalytic functionality and metabolic reaction networks. Our direct involvement in multiple NASA missions provides context, motivation, and ... Continue reading.

Field Sites
19 Institutions
4 Project Reports
62 Publications
2 Field Sites
Roadmap
Objectives

Project Reports

  • Origins of Functional Proteins and the Early Evolution of Metabolism

    The main goal of this project is to identify critical requirements for the emergence of biological complexity in early habitable environments by examining key steps in the origins and early evolution of functional proteins and metabolic reaction networks. In particular, we investigate whether protein functionality can arise from an inventory of polymers with random sequences that might have naturally existed in habitable environments. We attempt the first demonstration of multiple origins of a single enzymatic function, and investigate experimentally how primordial proteins could evolve through the diversification of their structure and function. Building on this work and on our knowledge of ubiquitous protocellular functions and constraints of prebiotic chemistry, we conduct computer simulations aimed at elucidating fundamental principles that govern coupled evolution of early metabolic reactions, their catalysts and transport across cell walls.

    ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.2 3.4
  • Mineralogical Traces of Early Habitable Environments

    The goal of our work is to discern the habitability (potential to support life) of ancient Martian environments, with an emphasis on understanding which environments could have supported more life than others. This information will help to guide the selection of sites on the Martian surface for future missions designed to seek direct evidence of life. Our approach has two main parts: 1. We will use the presence of specific minerals or groups of minerals – an analysis that can be performed robotically on Mars — to constrain the chemical and physical conditions of the ancient environments in which they formed. 2. We will work to understand how the ability of environments on Earth to support more or less biomass depends on these same physical and chemical conditions.

    ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 2.1
  • Cosmic Distribution of Chemical Complexity

    This project is aimed to improve our understanding of the connection between chemistry in space and the origin of life on Earth, and its possibility on other worlds. Our approach is to trace the formation and development of chemical complexity in space, with particular emphasis on understanding the evolution from simple to complex species. The work focuses upon molecular species that are interesting from a biogenic perspective and also upon understanding their possible roles in the origin of life on habitable worlds. We do this by first measuring the spectra and chemistry of materials under simulated space conditions in the laboratory. We then use these results to interpret astronomical observations made with ground-based and orbiting telescopes. We also carry out experiments on simulated extraterrestrial materials to analyze extraterrestrial samples returned by NASA missions or that fall to Earth in meteorites.

    ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2 3.4 4.3 7.1 7.2
  • Disks and the Origins of Planetary Systems

    This task is concerned with understanding the evolution of complexity as primitive planetary bodies form in habitable zones. The planet formation process begins with fragmentation of large molecular clouds into flattened protoplanetary disks. This disk is in many ways an astrochemical “primeval soup” in which cosmically abundant elements are assembled into increasingly complex hydrocarbons and mixed in the dust and gas envelope within the disk. Gravitational attraction among the myriad small bodies leads to planet formation. If the newly formed planet is a suitable distance from its star to support liquid water at the surface, it is in the so-called “habitable zone.” The formation process and identification of such life-supporting bodies is the goal of this project.

    ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 1.2 2.1 4.3

Education & Public Outreach

Publications

  • Alperin, M. J., & Hoehler, T. M. (2009). Anaerobic methane oxidation by archaea/sulfate-reducing bacteria aggregates: 1. Thermodynamic and physical constraints. American Journal of Science, 309(10), 869–957. doi:10.2475/10.2009.01

  • Bajt, S., Sandford, S. A., Flynn, G. J., Matrajt, G., Snead, C. J., Westphal, A. J., & Bradley, J. P. (2009). Infrared spectroscopy of Wild 2 particle hypervelocity tracks in Stardust aerogel: Evidence for the presence of volatile organics in cometary dust. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 44(4), 471–484. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2009.tb00745.x

  • Bauschlicher, C. W., Boersma, C., Ricca, A., Mattioda, A. L., Cami, J., Peeters, E., … Allamandola, L. J. (2010). THE NASA AMES POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC DATABASE: THE COMPUTED SPECTRA. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 189(2), 341–351. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/189/2/341

  • Bera, P. P., Nuevo, M., Milam, S. N., Sandford, S. A., & Lee, T. J. (2010). Mechanism for the abiotic synthesis of uracil via UV-induced oxidation of pyrimidine in pure H[sub 2]O ices under astrophysical conditions. J. Chem. Phys., 133(10), 104303. doi:10.1063/1.3478524

  • Bouwman, J., Cuppen, H. M., Bakker, A., Allamandola, L. J., & Linnartz, H. (2010). Photochemistry of the PAH pyrene in water ice: the case for ion-mediated solid-state astrochemistry. A&A, 511, A33. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200913291

  • Cardace, D., & Hoehler, T. M. (2009). Serpentinizing Fluids Craft Microbial Habitat. Northeastern Naturalist, 16(sp5), 272–284. doi:10.1656/045.016.0520

  • Clemett, S. J., Sandford, S. A., Nakamura-Messenger, K., HÖRZ, F., & McKAY, D. S. (2010). Complex aromatic hydrocarbons in Stardust samples collected from comet 81P/Wild 2. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 45(5), 701–722. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01062.x

  • Davis, S. S. (2009). An analytical model for a transient vapor plume on the Moon. Icarus, 202(2), 383–392. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.03.019

  • Fike, D. A., Finke, N., Zha, J., Blake, G., Hoehler, T. M., & Orphan, V. J. (2009). The effect of sulfate concentration on (sub)millimeter-scale sulfide δ34S in hypersaline cyanobacterial mats over the diurnal cycle. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 73(20), 6187–6204. doi:10.1016/j.gca.2009.07.006

  • Goldblatt, C., Zahnle, K. J., Sleep, N. H., & Nisbet, E. G. (2010). The Eons of Chaos and Hades. Solid Earth, 1(1), 1–3. doi:10.5194/se-1-1-2010

  • Golynskiy, M. V., & Seelig, B. (2010). De novo enzymes: from computational design to mRNA display. Trends in Biotechnology, 28(7), 340–345. doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2010.04.003

  • Gorti, U., Dullemond, C. P., & Hollenbach, D. (2009). TIME EVOLUTION OF VISCOUS CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS DUE TO PHOTOEVAPORATION BY FAR-ULTRAVIOLET, EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET, AND X-RAY RADIATION FROM THE CENTRAL STAR. The Astrophysical Journal, 705(2), 1237–1251. doi:10.1088/0004-637x/705/2/1237

  • Hoehler, T. M. (2010). Innumerable globes like this one?. Nature Geosci, 3(7), 447–447. doi:10.1038/ngeo900

  • Hollenbach, D., & Gorti, U. (2009). DIAGNOSTIC LINE EMISSION FROM EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET AND X-RAY-ILLUMINATED DISKS AND SHOCKS AROUND LOW-MASS STARS. The Astrophysical Journal, 703(2), 1203–1223. doi:10.1088/0004-637x/703/2/1203

  • Meschiari, S., & Laughlin, G. P. (2010). SYSTEMIC: A TESTBED FOR CHARACTERIZING THE DETECTION OF EXTRASOLAR PLANETS. II. NUMERICAL APPROACHES TO THE TRANSIT TIMING INVERSE PROBLEM. The Astrophysical Journal, 718(1), 543–550. doi:10.1088/0004-637x/718/1/543

  • Morris, R. V., Ruff, S. W., Gellert, R., Ming, D. W., Arvidson, R. E., Clark, B. C., … Squyres, S. W. (2010). Identification of Carbonate-Rich Outcrops on Mars by the Spirit Rover. Science, 329(5990), 421–424. doi:10.1126/science.1189667

  • Najita, J. R., Carr, J. S., Strom, S. E., Watson, D. M., Pascucci, I., Hollenbach, D., … Keller, L. (2010). SPITZER SPECTROSCOPY OF THE TRANSITION OBJECT TW Hya. The Astrophysical Journal, 712(1), 274–286. doi:10.1088/0004-637x/712/1/274

  • Nuevo, M., Milam, S. N., Sandford, S. A., Elsila, J. E., & Dworkin, J. P. (2009). Formation of Uracil from the Ultraviolet Photo-Irradiation of Pyrimidine in Pure H 2 O Ices. Astrobiology, 9(7), 683–695. doi:10.1089/ast.2008.0324

  • Parenteau, M. N., & Cady, S. L. (2010). MICROBIAL BIOSIGNATURES IN IRON-MINERALIZED PHOTOTROPHIC MATS AT CHOCOLATE POTS HOT SPRINGS, YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, UNITED STATES. PALAIOS, 25(2), 97–111. doi:10.2110/palo.2008.p08-133r

  • Pohorille, A., Jarzynski, C., & Chipot, C. (2010). Good Practices in Free-Energy Calculations. J. Phys. Chem. B, 114(32), 10235–10253. doi:10.1021/jp102971x

  • Ricca, A., Bauschlicher, C. W., Mattioda, A. L., Boersma, C., & Allamandola, L. J. (2009). THE FAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF VERY LARGE NEUTRAL POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS. The Astrophysical Journal, 709(1), 42–52. doi:10.1088/0004-637x/709/1/42

  • Richard, D. T., Glenar, D. A., Stubbs, T. J., Davis, S. S., & Colaprete, A. (2011). Light scattering by complex particles in the Moon’s exosphere: Toward a taxonomy of models for the realistic simulation of the scattering behavior of lunar dust. Planetary and Space Science, 59(14), 1804–1814. doi:10.1016/j.pss.2011.01.003

  • Roser, J. E., & Allamandola, L. J. (2010). INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF NAPHTHALENE AGGREGATION AND CLUSTER FORMATION IN ARGON MATRICES. The Astrophysical Journal, 722(2), 1932–1938. doi:10.1088/0004-637x/722/2/1932

  • Sandford, S. A., Bajt, S., Clemett, S. J., Cody, G. D., Cooper, G., Degregorio, B. T., … Zolensky, M. E. (2010). Assessment and control of organic and other contaminants associated with the Stardust sample return from comet 81P/Wild 2. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 45(3), 406–433. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01031.x

  • Spencer, M. K., Clemett, S. J., Sandford, S. A., McKAY, D. S., & Zare, R. N. (2009). Organic compound alteration during hypervelocity collection of carbonaceous materials in aerogel. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 44(1), 15–24. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2009.tb00714.x

  • Treiman, A. H., & Essene, E. J. (2011). Chemical composition of magnetite in Martian meteorite ALH 84001: Revised appraisal from thermochemistry of phases in Fe–Mg–C–O. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 75(18), 5324–5335. doi:10.1016/j.gca.2011.06.038

  • Vogel, M. B., Des Marais, D. J., Parenteau, M. N., Jahnke, L. L., Turk, K. A., & Kubo, M. D. Y. (2010). Biological influences on modern sulfates: Textures and composition of gypsum deposits from Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Sedimentary Geology, 223(3-4), 265–280. doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2009.11.013

  • Vogel, M. B., Des Marais, D. J., Turk, K. A., Parenteau, M. N., Jahnke, L. L., & Kubo, M. D. Y. (2009). The Role of Biofilms in the Sedimentology of Actively Forming Gypsum Deposits at Guerrero Negro, Mexico. Astrobiology, 9(9), 875–893. doi:10.1089/ast.2008.0325

  • Wei, C., & Pohorille, A. (2011). Permeation of Nucleosides through Lipid Bilayers. J. Phys. Chem. B, 115(13), 3681–3688. doi:10.1021/jp112104r

  • Wilson, M. A., Wei, C., Bjelkmar, P., Wallace, B. A., & Pohorille, A. (2011). Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Antiamoebin Ion Channel: Linking Structure and Conductance. Biophysical Journal, 100(10), 2394–2402. doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2011.03.054

  • Wirick, S., Flynn, G. J., Keller, L. P., Nakamura-Messenger, K., Peltzer, C., Jacobsen, C., … Zolensky, M. (2009). Organic matter from comet 81P/Wild 2, IDPs, and carbonaceous meteorites; similarities and differences. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 44(10), 1611–1626. doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2009.tb01194.x

  • Anbar, A.D., Boyd, E.S., Buick, R., Claire, M., Des Marais, D., Domagal-Goldman, S., Eigenbrode, J., Erwin, D., Freeman, K., Hazen, R., Johnson, C., Lyons, T., Meadows, V., Ohmoto, H., Ono, S., Peters, J.W., Shapiro, B., Summons, R. & Walter, M.  (2010).  An Archean biosphere initiative [abstract 5593]. Astrobiology Science Conference 2010.
  • Bradford, M., Gorti, U., Hollenbach, D. & et al.  (2010).  The background-limited infrared-submillimeter spectrograph (BLISS) for SPICA:.  Proceedings of SPIE, 7731.
  • Cardace, D. & Hoehler, T.M.  (2010).  Extremophiles in serpentinizing systems: Implications for life on the Early Earth and Other Planets.  In: Harrison, S. & Rajakaruna, N. (Eds.).  Serpentine: A Model for Evolution and Ecology.  University of California Press.
  • Cardace, D. & Hoehler, T.M.  (2010).  Subsurface Investigation of the Coast Range Ophiolite, Northern California: Field Campaign Findings [abstract]. Abstracts of the NASA Astrobiology Science Conference.
  • Davis, S.S.  (2010, Submitted).  On the Location of the Ice Line in Extrasolar Protoplanetary Disks.  Astrophysical Journal.
  • Davis, S.S., Richard, D.R. & Young, E.D.  (2010).  Oxygen Isotope Generation and Transport in a Protoplanetary Disk [Abstract]. NAI Video Workshop 11-12 April, 2010.
  • Davis, S.S., Richard, D.R. & Young, E.D.  (2010).  Oxygen Isotope Generation and Transport in a Protoplanetary Disk [Abstract]. NASA Astrobiology Science Conference League City, TX 26-29, April 2010.
  • Des Marais, D.J.  (2009).  Hints of habitable environments on Mars challenge our studies of Mars-Analog sites on Earth [Abstract].  Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 73(Suppl. 1): A285.
  • Des Marais, D.J.  (2010).  Marine hypersaline Microcoleus-dominated cyanobacterial mats in the saltern at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico.  In: Seckbach, J. (Eds.).  Microbial Mats, Cellular Origins, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology (COLE) Series.  Springer.
  • Des Marais, D.J.  (2010).  Potentially habitable ancient environments in Gusev crater, Mars [Abstract]. Goldschmidt 2010, abstracts, Knoxville, TN.  None, 40: 76.
  • Des Marais, D.J.  (2010).  The proposed 2018 MAX-C rover: Exploring for signs of life and caching samples for potential return [Abstract 5532]. Astrobiology Science Conference 2010.
  • Dueck, S.L., Zachary, S., Michael, D., Parenteau, M., Kubo, M., Jahnke, L., Scalice, D. & Des Marais, D.J.  (2010).  Astrobiology student intern program at Lassen Volcanic National Park [Abstract 5434]. Astrobiology Science Conference.
  • Hoehler, T.M.  (2009).  Life at the common denominator: Mechanistic and quantitative biology for the earth and space sciences [ABSTRACT].  EOS Transactions AGU, 90(52): P32B-01.
  • Hoehler, T.M., Alperin, M.J., McCollom, T.M. & Rogers, K.L.  (2010).  An energy balance model for the habitability of serpentinizing systems [ABSTRACT]. Abstracts of the 2010 Astrobiology Science Conference.
  • Hoehler, T.M., Alperin, M.J., McCollom, T.M. & Rogers, K.L.  (2010).  Modeling energy flow at the cellular level [ABSTRACT]. Abstracts of the 13th International Society for Microbial Ecology Meeting.
  • Hoehler, T.M., Gunsalus, R.P. & McInerney, M.J.  (2010).  Environmental constraints that limit methanogenesis.  In: Timmis, K.N. (Eds.).  Handbook of hydrocarbon and lipid microbiology.  Springer-Verlag.
  • Jahnke, L.L., Parenteau, M.N. & Farmer, J.D.  (2009).  Microbial community biosignatures in silica-depositing thermal springs: Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park [Abstract]. Geological Society of America 2009 Annual Meeting.  None, 41(7): 44.
  • Jahnke, L.L., Parenteau, M.N. & Farmer, J.D.  (2010).  Microbial biosignatures in a streamer mat community from silica-depositing Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park [Abstract 5631]. Astrobiology Science Conference.
  • McCollom, T.M., Bach, W. & Hoehler, T.M.  (2010).  Constraints on the generation of hydrogen for microbial metabolism during serpentinization [ABSTRACT]. Abstracts of the 2010 Astrobiology Science Conference.
  • Mumma, M., Des Marais, D.J., Baross, J., Sherwood Lollar, B., Hand, K., Villanueva, G., House, C., Ferry, G., McCollom, T., Sotin, C., Goldman, S., Vance, S. & Painter, T.  (2010).  The astrobiology of Mars: Methane and other candidate biomarker gases, and related interdisciplinary studies on Earth and Mars [abstract 5590]. Astrobiology Science Conference 2010.
  • Parenteau, M.N., Farmer, J.D., Jahnke, L.L. & Cady, S.L.  (2010).  Terrestrial iron hot springs as analogs for ancient Martian hydrothermal systems [Abstract 5636]. Astrobiology Science Conference.
  • Parenteau, M.N., Jahnke, L.L., Green, S.J., Boomer, S.M. & Pierson, B.K.  (2010).  Marine Chloroflexus-like organisms synthesize mid-chain branched monomethylalkanes [Abstract 5643]. Astrobiology Science Conference.
  • Pohorille, A.  (2010).  Emerging properties in the origins of life and Darwinian evolution.  Orig. Life Evol. Biosphere, 40: 384-386.
  • Pohorille, A.  (2010).  Was the Emergence of Life on Earth a Likely Outcome of Chemical Evolution?  Orig. Life Evol. Biosphere, 40: 362-365.
  • Sandford, S.A.  (2009).  Organics in the Samples Returned by the Stardust Spacecraft from Comet 81P/Wild 2.  In: Meech, K.J., Keane, J.V., Mumma, M.J., Siefert, J.L. & Werthimer, D.J. (Eds.).  Bioastronomy 2007 – Molecules, Microbes, and Extraterrestrial Life.  Vol. 421.  Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series.
  • Schwenzer, S.P., Abramov, O., Allen, C.C., Clifford, S., Filiberto, J., Kring, D.A., Lasue, J., McGovern, P.J., Newsom, H.E., Treiman, A.H., Vaniman, D.T., Wiens, R.C. & Wittmann, A.  (2010).  Exploring martian impact craters: Why they are important for the search for life. [abstract]. Lunar Planet. Sci. 41st. Abstr. #1589.
  • Treiman, A.H. & Essene, E.J.  (2010).  Metamorphic origin of sub-micron magnetite crystals in ALH 84001: Re-evaluation of equilibria, compositions, and experiments. [abstract]. Abstracts of the 2010 Astrobiology Science Conference. Abstr. #5150.
  • Treiman, A.H. & Essene, E.J.  (2010).  Metamorphic origin of sub-micron magnetite crystals in ALH 84001: Re-evaluation of equilibria, compositions, and experiments. [abstract]. Lunar Planet. Sci. 41st. Abstr. #1159.
  • Treiman, A.H., Robinson, K.L., Blake, D.F. & Bish, D.  (2010).  Mineralogy determinations by CheMin XRD, tested on ultramafic rocks (mantle xenoliths). [abstract]. Abstracts of the 2010 Astrobiology Science Conference. Abstr. #5150.
  • Vogel, M.B., Des Marais, D.J. & Jahnke, L.L.  (2010).  Mineralogy and organic preservation in acid sulfate fumaroles and thermal features: analogs for Mars early aqueous history [abstract 5355]. Astrobiology Science Conference 2010.
  • Zahnle, K., Schaefer, L. & Fegley, B.  (2010).  Earth’s Earliest Atmospheres.  In: Deamer, D. & Szostak, J.W. (Eds.).  The Origin of Cellular Life.  Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

2010 Teams