Published June 2008 | Version v1
Report Open

Microbial mats in Antarctica as models for the search of life on the Jovian moon Europa

Creators

  • 1. Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste (Italy)
  • 2. Department of Chemistry, ARSD College, University of Delhi, New Delhi (India)
  • 3. Max Planck Institute fuer Physik Komplexer Systeme, Dresden (Germany)
  • 4. Instituto de Estudios Avanzados, Caracas (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of)

Description

The possibility of sulfur patches on the Jovian satellite Europa being of biogenic origin is discussed. The presence of microbial mats and the accumulation of sulfur on the surface of some Antarctic subglacial lakes are correlated with the sulfur traces found on Europa by means of microbiological processes. Special attention has been paid to the influence of temperature and radiation on the icy surface of this Jovian satellite. An optimum penetration depth to look for biomarkers is proposed based on biogeochemical parameters. (author)

Availability note (English)

Available from INIS in electronic form; Also available at: http://users.ictp.it/#approx#pub_off/preprints-sources/2008/IC2008034P.pdf

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Additional details

Identifiers

URL
http://users.ictp.it/~pub_off/preprints-sources/2008/IC2008034P.pdf;

Publishing Information

Imprint Pagination
18 p.
Report number
IC--2008/034

INIS

Country of Publication
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
40040468
Subject category
S60: APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES;
Descriptors DEI
ANTARCTICA; BIOLOGICAL MARKERS; LAKES; PENETRATION DEPTH; SULFUR; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
Descriptors DEC
ANTARCTIC REGIONS; CRYOSPHERE; ELEMENTS; NONMETALS; POLAR REGIONS; SURFACE WATERS

Optional Information

Notes
refs, 2 figs