Posted on 04/05/2002 11:04:40 AM PST by GeneD
Scientists have found "intriguing" new evidence that may indicate there is life on Mars.
An analysis of data obtained by the Pathfinder mission to the Red Planet in 1997 suggests there could be chlorophyll - the molecule used by plants and other organisms on Earth to extract energy from sunlight - in the soil close to the landing site.
Researchers stress their work is in a very preliminary state and they are far from making definite claims.
Even so, the work is attracting much attention in the scientific community and will come under intense scrutiny when it is presented to an astrobiology conference in the US next week.
Dr Carol Stoker, from the American space agency's (Nasa) Ames Research Center, confirmed the findings to BBC News Online but cautioned that they were "not ready for the big time".
Early data
Mars Pathfinder mission touched down in the Ares Vallis region of Mars in July 1997. It took many images of the surrounding area and released a small rover to sample rocks.
A detailed analysis of the images of the landing site now reveals two areas close to Pathfinder that have the spectral signature of chlorophyll.
According to experts it might be highly significant - or could be just a patch of coloured soil.
Dr Stoker's team scrutinised the so-called Superpan, which is a high-resolution, highly processed series of superimposed images produced by Pathfinder's camera.
It is a multispectral panorama of the landing site recorded in 15 regions of the spectrum, and contains a wealth of information about rock types, colours and textures.
Knowing the spectral signature of chlorophyll, the researchers wrote a computer program that systematically scanned the Superpan for any pixels of interest.
Specifically, the program looked for the spectral signature associated with red light absorption by chlorophyll.
Previous searches for evidence of chlorophyll in Pathfinder's pictures were carried out shortly after it landed.
Some tentative indications were seen but they were later dismissed as "possible image misregistration".
Two patches
In Dr Stoker's study six regions of the Superpan matched positive for the chlorophyll signature.
For each of the regions, a full spectrum was plotted out and their exact position in the Superpan was then carefully examined.
All of the detections occurred close to the camera. This is to be expected say the researchers, as these are the areas where the camera has the highest sensitivity and resolution.
Close examination revealed that four of the cases occurred on the Pathfinder spacecraft itself. But two regions showed a chlorophyll signature in the soil around Pathfinder.
Given the controversial nature of their findings and the early stage of the research, the scientists want to hold back any claims about what they may have found until they have done more work and prepared a detailed paper for submission in a scientific journal.
A start has been made to simulate the precipitation of carbonate globules on the formation of a rock surface to model results found in the Martian meteorite ALH84001. Through the analysis of the potential functions we were able to generalize the particle stick test that is, within 5nm of the surface the particle sticks. Our simulation reveals that the particle `stick test' does not change the probability distribution of the center of the surface, in that it remains uniformly distributed in a 30x10 nm rectangle. Given more time we would incorporate a particle surface update system (proposed under future modifications) and perhaps use a fractal rock surface rather than the linear surface currently being tested.The complete final report
Indeed we could and in my book, money well spent. :)
Or at least fossilized life from a warmer time in Mars history.
How about SETI. LOL!!! No subject matter at all.
exobiology: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. ...The branch of biology that deals with the search for extraterrestrial life and the effects of extraterrestrial surroundings on living organisms. Also called astrobiology,...
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Except in SiFi. :) It is used extensively.
Did you see the word "earthian" used here to describe a possible meteor found on mars of terrestrial origin ? A martian would call such an object "earthian." Terrestrial = earth, execpt to non-earthilings. 8^)
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