Sample Return Archives

Schematic deposit model showing formation of hydrothermal Fe- and Mn-oxide deposits at depth along faults during the Neogene (∼8.5–4.8 Ma) from ascending hydrothermal fluids driven by frictional heating and other fault-related processes; the deposits may have experienced minor uplift along faults during the Neogene and Quaternary, and variably exposed as seafloor outcrops predominantly by sediment slumping, rock falls, and other gravity-driven processes. Hydrogenetic Fe-Mn crusts formed at the seabed on all rock outcrops predominantly from dissolved and colloidal phases in ambient bottom seawater characterized by elements such as Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, REY, Sc, and others; the Fe-Mn crusts and sediments also acquired minor contributions from distal hydrothermal fluids characterized by Hg, As, and others, mostly volatile elements, which were incorporated into the crusts by sorption process on the framework Fe and Mn oxides and in the sediments by organic matter and Fe and Mn oxides—these low-temperature fluids have continued through the Quaternary. It is unknown whether the deep-seated hydrothermal deposits continued to form post-Neogene, which could be determined by additional dating. The base map cross-section is from Nikishin et al. (2021). larger image. -- USGS

Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return

Marine Mineral Formations in the Arctic Ocean Challenge Existing Geologic Theories

by Keith CowingNovember 13, 2024November 13, 2024

A new study from USGS describes a previously unknown process of marine mineral formation in the Arctic Ocean, driven by frictional heating along tectonic faults rather than by hydrothermal activity.

Macrograph of an approximately 70 µm amber extracted from the lignite in the sediments of the MeBo core PS104_20-2 9R. Credit Alfred Wegener Institute / V. Schumacher

Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Press Release, Sample Return

The First Amber Found In Antarctica

by Keith CowingNovember 13, 2024November 13, 2024

Roughly 90 million years ago, climatic conditions in Antarctica were suitable for resin-producing trees. A team of researchers led by the Alfred Wegener Institute and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg have […]

The Carboxysulfitic Scenario. A conceptual diagram linking the carboxysulfitic reaction network and a geochemical environment. Volcanic outgassing supplies SO2 and CO2 to the atmosphere which can then dissolve in mildly alkaline lakes. Dissolution leads to the formation of bicarbonate (HCO3-) and sulfite (SO32-). Photochemical reactions involving UV photons and SO32- can lead to the production of solvated electrons. These solvated electrons can then be used to reduce CO2 . The effective rate constant for this multi-step reaction is denoted as keff. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Habitable Zones, Mars, Sample Return, Status Report

Shedding A Light On The Kinetics Of The Carboxysulfitic Scenario

by Keith CowingOctober 31, 2024October 31, 2024

One way in which we can attempt to relate chemical pathways to geochemical environments is by studying the kinetics of a given sequence of reactions and identifying the conditions under […]

Location of flight 59 with an inset at the upper right showing the larger context, with north pointing forward into the distance along the surface in oblique panel and up in the inset. For flight 59, Ingenuity took off from a point northwest from Perseverance at a distance of about 378 m. The long white strand in the larger, oblique view shows the flight path toward the take-off point for flight 61. -- astro-ph.EP

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Status Report

Profiling Near-Surface Winds On Mars Using Attitude Data From Mars 2020 Ingenuity

by Keith CowingOctober 29, 2024October 29, 2024

We used attitude data from the Mars Ingenuity helicopter with a simple steady-state model to estimate windspeeds and directions at altitudes of 3 meters up to 24 meters, the first […]

Perseverance Mars Rover Looks Back While Climbing A Slippery Slope -- NASA

Exploration Gear & Tech, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return

Perseverance Looks Back While Climbing A Steep Slope On Mars

by Keith CowingOctober 28, 2024

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is negotiating a steeply sloping route up Jezero Crater’s western wall with the aim of cresting the rim in early December. During the climb, the rover […]

NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image, a nighttime mosaic of the Malgosa Crest abrasion patch at “Serpentine Rapids,” using its SHERLOC WATSON camera, located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm. The diameter of the abrasion patch is 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) and the large green spot in the upper center left of the image is approximately 2 millimeters (about 0.08 inch) in diameter. Mosaic source images have been debayered, flat-fielded, and linearly color stretched. This image was acquired on Aug. 19, 2024 (sol 1243, or Martian day 1,243 of the Mars 2020 mission) at the local mean solar time of 19:45:30. NASA/JPL-Caltech Larger image

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Status Report

Mars Perseverance Rover Observes Red Rocks With Green Spots at Serpentine Rapids – Possible Biosignatures?

by Keith CowingOctober 27, 2024October 27, 2024

Editor’s note: I will make this simple: did NASA find evidence of life on Mars? No. Did NASA find an interesting rock feature that might signal or indicate that there […]

Characterization of a section from the fracture surface to the rock interior. A Photo of the section with a yellow arrow pointing to the fracture surface. B Microscopic image of a region of the section highlighted in a yellow rectangle in A. C Fluorescence microscopy image of the region highlighted by orange rectangle in B. Intensity maps of the section at 1000 cm−1 (D), 1530 cm−1 (E), and 1640 cm−1 (F) obtained by optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy. The intensity maps were obtained from the area highlighted with a yellow square in B. G RGB color synthesis of the three intensity maps. A yellow rectangle in G indicates an area where the intensity maps for RGB color synthesis are obtained in Fig. 5A -- Springer Nature

Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return, Status Report

Subsurface Microbial Colonization at Mineral-Filled Veins in 2-Billion-Year-Old Mafic Rock from the Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa

by Keith CowingOctober 27, 2024October 27, 2024

Recent advances in subsurface microbiology have demonstrated the habitability of multi-million-year-old igneous rocks, despite the scarce energy supply from rock-water interactions.

Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Conferences and Meetings, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Life Support Systems, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Sample Return, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Status Report

Planetary Protection Metagenomics in Spaceflight Workshop

by Keith CowingOctober 26, 2024October 26, 2024

The Planetary Protection Metagenomics in Spaceflight Workshop is scheduled for November 19-22, 2024, at NASA Ames in Mountain View, California.

Mars sample containers being placed inside a return vehicle on Mars -- NASA

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return

New Team to Assess NASA’s Mars Sample Return Architecture Proposals

by Keith CowingOctober 17, 2024October 17, 2024

NASA announced Wednesday a new strategy review team will assess potential architecture adjustments for the agency’s Mars Sample Return Program, which aims to bring back scientifically selected samples from Mars, […]

Molecular geneticists Dr Leonie Suter (pictured) and Dr Georgia Nester trialled the use of eDNA to monitor zooplankton species in the Southern Ocean. Photo: Simon Payne

Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Ocean World Genomics: Molecular Monitoring For Marine Change And Threats Using eDNA

by Keith CowingOctober 6, 2024October 6, 2024

New DNA* technology promises to improve efforts to monitor marine life in the Southern Ocean, and detect the presence of non-native marine species close to Antarctica.

Sample Return

Marine Mineral Formations in the Arctic Ocean Challenge Existing Geologic Theories

The First Amber Found In Antarctica

Shedding A Light On The Kinetics Of The Carboxysulfitic Scenario

Profiling Near-Surface Winds On Mars Using Attitude Data From Mars 2020 Ingenuity

Perseverance Looks Back While Climbing A Steep Slope On Mars

Mars Perseverance Rover Observes Red Rocks With Green Spots at Serpentine Rapids – Possible Biosignatures?

Subsurface Microbial Colonization at Mineral-Filled Veins in 2-Billion-Year-Old Mafic Rock from the Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa

Planetary Protection Metagenomics in Spaceflight Workshop

New Team to Assess NASA’s Mars Sample Return Architecture Proposals

Ocean World Genomics: Molecular Monitoring For Marine Change And Threats Using eDNA

Astrobiologist Dale Andersen’s Antarctic Field Report: 3 November 2026: Digging Out and Packing Before the Traverse to Lake Untersee

A Whole-Earth Simulation Built To Help Find Life On Other Planets

NASA Spaceline Current Awareness List #1,223 30 October 2026 (Space Life Science Research Results)

Communicating The Uncertainty Of Extraterrestrial Life: How The News Media Portrayed The Contested Phosphine Detection On Venus

Windows of Nutrient Bioaccessibility: Phosphorus as a Key Constraint on the Chemical Potential for Life Beyond Earth