| Title: |
A habitable fluvio-lacustrine environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale crater, Mars. |
| Authors: |
Grotzinger, JP; Grotzinger, JP; Sumner, DY; Kah, LC; Stack, K; Gupta, S; Edgar, L; Rubin, D; Lewis, K; Schieber, J; Mangold, N; Milliken, R; Conrad, PG; DesMarais, D; Farmer, J; Siebach, K; Calef, F; Hurowitz, J; McLennan, SM; Ming, D; Vaniman, D; Crisp, J; Vasavada, A; Edgett, KS; Malin, M; Blake, D; Gellert, R; Mahaffy, P; Wiens, RC; Maurice, S; Grant, JA; Wilson, S; Anderson, RC; Beegle, L; Arvidson, R; Hallet, B; Sletten, RS; Rice, M; Bell, J; Griffes, J; Ehlmann, B; Anderson, RB; Bristow, TF; Dietrich, WE; Dromart, G; Eigenbrode, J; Fraeman, A; Hardgrove, C; Herkenhoff, K; Jandura, L; Kocurek, G; Lee, S; Leshin, LA; Leveille, R; Limonadi, D; Maki, J; McCloskey, S; Meyer, M; Minitti, M; Newsom, H; Oehler, D; Okon, A; Palucis, M; Parker, T; Rowland, S; Schmidt, M; Squyres, S; Steele, A; Stolper, E; Summons, R; Treiman, A; Williams, R; Yingst, A; MSL Science Team |
| Source: |
Science (New York, N.Y.); vol 343, iss 6169, 1242777; 0036-8075 |
| Publisher Information: |
eScholarship, University of California 2014-01-01 |
| Document Type: |
Electronic Resource |
| Abstract: |
The Curiosity rover discovered fine-grained sedimentary rocks, which are inferred to represent an ancient lake and preserve evidence of an environment that would have been suited to support a martian biosphere founded on chemolithoautotrophy. This aqueous environment was characterized by neutral pH, low salinity, and variable redox states of both iron and sulfur species. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, and phosphorus were measured directly as key biogenic elements; by inference, phosphorus is assumed to have been available. The environment probably had a minimum duration of hundreds to tens of thousands of years. These results highlight the biological viability of fluvial-lacustrine environments in the post-Noachian history of Mars. |
| Index Terms: |
MSL Science Team; Carbon; Oxygen; Sulfur; Hydrogen; Iron; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Water; Exobiology; Extraterrestrial Environment; Oxidation-Reduction; Mars; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Geologic Sediments; Salinity; Bays; General Science & Technology; article |
| URL: |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0f41w4ph; https://escholarship.org/ |
| Availability: |
Open access content. Open access content; public |
| Note: |
Science (New York, N.Y.) vol 343, iss 6169, 1242777 0036-8075 |
| Other Numbers: |
CDLER oai:escholarship.org:ark:/13030/qt0f41w4ph; qt0f41w4ph; https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0f41w4ph; https://escholarship.org/; 1287437547 |
| Contributing Source: |
UC MASS DIGITIZATION; From OAIster®, provided by the OCLC Cooperative. |
| Accession Number: |
edsoai.on1287437547 |
| Database: |
OAIster |