Martian surface contains diverse lithologies (from sedimentary rocks to mafic-ultramafic igneous rocks) and ground patterns. These rocks record the late-stage evolution on the Martian surface from a temperate environment with bodies of liquid water to the current cold and hyper-arid environment. The constraints on the key parameters and processes for water-rock interaction, sedimentation of materials, and geomorphological development can provide important insights into the environmental change and habitability on the Martian surface. However, due to the difficulty in accessing Martian samples and limited remote-sensing data available from the Martian surface, most of the mysteries on Mars remain unraveled.
In this proposed research topic we will focus on geological settings on Earth that are similar to the conditions on Mars. These Mars analogs are employed to infer possible processes on Mars and their impact on habitability and the search for life. The Mars analogs on Earth span a variety of environments, such as the super-arid sedimentary plains (e.g., the Qaidam Basin in the north of the Tibetan Plateau, the Mojave Basin in the USA, and the Atacama Desert in South America), the subsurface fracture waters in Precambrian cratons (e.g., the Canadian Shield, the Fennoscandian Shield, and the Kaapvaal Craton), high salinity localities (e.g. Laguna de Tírez, salt mines, and deep-sea brines) as well as extremely cold and highly radiative environments (e.g., polar regions, thin atmosphere). These settings on Earth are more accessible for collecting high-quality mineralogical, geochemical, geochronological, and microbiological data by the state-of-the-art facilities. These data can provide a solid cornerstone for us to understand the cycles of water and other life-essential elements, and their impact on habitability and biodiversity in extreme environments on Earth as well as the limits of life and the detection of biosignatures. Such research can also provide vital insights on the search for life on other planets and moons.
This research topic welcomes contributions using theoretical, experimental and/or field methods across a wide spectrum of Mars analogue settings, namely those focused on advancing our understanding of the mechanisms that drive the elemental cycles toward habitable environments and sustainable microbial activities. The themes include but are not limited to:
1. Water cycle and its effect on geomorphology, mineralogy, distribution of other life-essential elements (e.g., C, N, S, and critical metals) and habitability in Mars analogs.
2. Sources and producing mechanisms of energy and nutrients to support microbial activities in Mars analogs.
3. Molecular characterization of biomass and biodiversity in Mars analogs.
4. Microbial adaptations and tolerance in Mars-relevant extreme conditions (cold, dark, arid, alkaline, salty) environments.
5. Biosignature detection in Mars analogs.
This Research Topic has been realized in collaboration with Dr. Long Li, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta.
Martian surface contains diverse lithologies (from sedimentary rocks to mafic-ultramafic igneous rocks) and ground patterns. These rocks record the late-stage evolution on the Martian surface from a temperate environment with bodies of liquid water to the current cold and hyper-arid environment. The constraints on the key parameters and processes for water-rock interaction, sedimentation of materials, and geomorphological development can provide important insights into the environmental change and habitability on the Martian surface. However, due to the difficulty in accessing Martian samples and limited remote-sensing data available from the Martian surface, most of the mysteries on Mars remain unraveled.
In this proposed research topic we will focus on geological settings on Earth that are similar to the conditions on Mars. These Mars analogs are employed to infer possible processes on Mars and their impact on habitability and the search for life. The Mars analogs on Earth span a variety of environments, such as the super-arid sedimentary plains (e.g., the Qaidam Basin in the north of the Tibetan Plateau, the Mojave Basin in the USA, and the Atacama Desert in South America), the subsurface fracture waters in Precambrian cratons (e.g., the Canadian Shield, the Fennoscandian Shield, and the Kaapvaal Craton), high salinity localities (e.g. Laguna de Tírez, salt mines, and deep-sea brines) as well as extremely cold and highly radiative environments (e.g., polar regions, thin atmosphere). These settings on Earth are more accessible for collecting high-quality mineralogical, geochemical, geochronological, and microbiological data by the state-of-the-art facilities. These data can provide a solid cornerstone for us to understand the cycles of water and other life-essential elements, and their impact on habitability and biodiversity in extreme environments on Earth as well as the limits of life and the detection of biosignatures. Such research can also provide vital insights on the search for life on other planets and moons.
This research topic welcomes contributions using theoretical, experimental and/or field methods across a wide spectrum of Mars analogue settings, namely those focused on advancing our understanding of the mechanisms that drive the elemental cycles toward habitable environments and sustainable microbial activities. The themes include but are not limited to:
1. Water cycle and its effect on geomorphology, mineralogy, distribution of other life-essential elements (e.g., C, N, S, and critical metals) and habitability in Mars analogs.
2. Sources and producing mechanisms of energy and nutrients to support microbial activities in Mars analogs.
3. Molecular characterization of biomass and biodiversity in Mars analogs.
4. Microbial adaptations and tolerance in Mars-relevant extreme conditions (cold, dark, arid, alkaline, salty) environments.
5. Biosignature detection in Mars analogs.
This Research Topic has been realized in collaboration with Dr. Long Li, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta.
