cryoconite holes Archives

Comparison of extraction conditions and chemical diversity of detected metabolic features. The dendrogram on the left of the heat map shows hierarchical clustering of similarly extracted metabolic features. The heat map displays the intensity of metabolites normalized to the most intense peak within each row (metabolic feature). Differences in metabolic feature peak intensity across extraction conditions are visible as top to bottom – based on polarity and left to right – based on solvents (from organic to aqueous). The line plot at the far left of the figure shows decreasing (magenta lines) and increasing (green lines) peak intensities in extraction conditions from left to right. Metabolic features were roughly divided into polar, midpolar, and relatively nonpolar and categorized into different metabolic classes. Each class is given a different color, as the figure legend shows. Confirmed and putatively confirmed metabolic features after MS/MS spectra match with the standards/predicted theoretical fragments match (via Mass Frontier software) are shown in bold. N = 4 for each extraction condition. -- biorxiv.org

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report

Evaluation of Extraction Solvents for Untargeted Metabolomics to decipher the Dissolved Organic Matter of Antarctic Cryoconite Holes

by Keith CowingNovember 19, 2024November 19, 2024

Cryoconite holes are biological hotspots with a high biogeochemical turnover rate, contributing significantly to the glacial ecosystem’s overall carbon cycles and net fluxes.

Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

Orbital Survey Of Water on Mars: Dusty Water Ice in Dao Vallis

by Keith CowingOctober 15, 2024October 15, 2024

The white material seen within this gully is believed to be dusty water ice in a Martian region called Dao Vallis, captured by NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).