Lipid Biomarkers in Ephemeral Acid Salt Lake Mudflat/Sandflat Sediments: Implications for Mars.
Clicks: 200
ID: 92017
2020
Sedimentary strata on Mars often contain a mix of sulfates, iron oxides, chlorides, and phyllosilicates, a mineral assemblage that is unique on Earth to acid brine environments. To help characterize the astrobiological potential of depositional environments with similar minerals present, samples from four naturally occurring acidic salt lakes and adjacent mudflats/sandflats in the vicinity of Norseman, Western Australia, were collected and analyzed. Lipid biomarkers were extracted and quantified, revealing biomarkers from vascular plants alongside trace microbial lipids. The resilience of lipids from dead organic material in these acid saline sediments through the pervasive stages of early diagenesis lends support to the idea that sulfates, in tandem with phyllosilicates and iron oxides, could be a viable target for biomarkers on Mars. To fully understand the astrobiological potential of these depositional environments, additional investigations of organic preservation in ancient acidic saline sedimentary environments are needed.
| Reference Key |
johnson2020lipidastrobiology
Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using
SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
|
|---|---|
| Authors | Johnson, Sarah Stewart;Millan, Maëva;Graham, Heather;Benison, Kathleen C;Williams, Amy J;McAdam, Amy;Knudson, Christine A;Andrejkovičová, Slavka;Achilles, Cherie; |
| Journal | astrobiology |
| Year | 2020 |
| DOI | 10.1089/ast.2017.1812 |
| URL | |
| Keywords |
Citations
No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.