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Παρασκευή 5 Ιουνίου 2015

Paleoenvironmnetal Reconstruction and the Identification of Habitable Co...

   



Paleoenvironmnetal Reconstruction and the Identification of Habitable Co...



Δημοσιεύτηκε στις 19 Μαΐ 2015
Full
Title: Paleoenvironmnetal Reconstruction and the Identification of
Habitable Conditions on Ancient Earth and Mars Using Clay Minerals (SETI
Talks)
Tom Bristow, SETI Institute

Clay minerals often form
at or near rocky planetary surfaces under low temperature hydrous
conditions. Careful identification of the types of clay minerals and
consideration of their geological context can yield information on
ancient environmental conditions, including inferences of atmospheric
composition. However, this task is complicated by multiple potential
sources of clays and overprinting by subsequent diagenetic or
hydrothermal processes. Dr Bristow will discuss approaches to
paleoenvironmental interpretation of clay mineral-bearing sedimentary
rocks with a focus on recent findings from the Mars Science Laboratory
(MSL) rover Curiosity. MSL’s discovery of clay minerals in ancient lake
sediments at Yellowknife Bay is critical evidence of habitable
conditions in the past. Determination of the origins of the clay
minerals at Yellowknife Bay provides constraints on the longevity of
aqueous conditions, redox state within sediments, and potential chemical
energy sources for organisms.

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