Desert WOrld Archives

ID: ESP_077213_1985 date: 15 January 2023 altitude: 283 km NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona larger image

Mars

Subsurface Sediment Mobilization On Mars

by Keith CowingAugust 9, 2026August 9, 2026

[NASA/JPL/UA] This image covers a pie-like feature that thought to be the result of subsurface sediment mobilization.

Proposed conceptual model of hematite formation and evolution in Gale crater.

Mars

Hematite Is A Mineralogical Marker Of Ancient Climate Change On Mars

by Keith CowingJuly 9, 2026July 9, 2026

[Science via PubMed] The ancient climate of Mars changed from warm to cold surface conditions. This climate transition is demonstrated by geomorphological evidence but lacks suitable mineralogical indicators.

(left) An illustration of Ames MGCM in c48 (1.875°) cubed-sphere grid over martian topography. Tile boundaries are drawn in red. (from Ames MGCM User Guide); (right) Three stretched grids that illustrate the effect of stretch factor (S) on stretching a C16 cubed-sphere. (From Bindle et al., 2021) -- astro-ph.EP

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Desert Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

Towards a Foundation Model for the Martian Atmosphere

by Keith CowingJune 1, 2026June 26, 2026

The martian atmosphere hosts dynamical phenomena ranging from planet-encircling dust storms to mesoscale orographic clouds and nocturnal low-level jets.

Sedimentologic and mineralogic evidence for sedimentary rocks, clay stratigraphy and open-basin deltas along and within the detected shelf. a,b, Polar stereographic projections of the detected shelf showing 14,386 mounds interpreted to have formed by dichotomy retreat, consisting of thick-layered deposits up to 500 m in southern Chryse Planitia, Mars, along with widespread clay-bearing stratigraphy and open-basin deltas. -- Nature

Analog Studies, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

New Evidence For An Ancient Ocean On Mars

by Keith CowingApril 18, 2026April 18, 2026

Caltech researchers have identified geological features on Mars that could point to the existence of a long-dried ocean that once covered a third of the Red Planet’s surface.

ID: ESP_072042_1330, date: 8 December 2021,altitude: 251 km larger image NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Astrogeology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Status Report

Defrosting Dunes in Kaiser Crater On Mars

by Keith CowingMarch 2, 2026March 2, 2026

The dark sand dune at the center of this observation is covered in a blanket of white seasonal ice in the winter. In this Martian springtime image, the western slope […]

Mars dust storm captured by ESA’s Mars Express near the north polar ice cap. Credits: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (larger image)

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Mars, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

An Unusual Dust Storm Reveals How Mars Lost Some Of Its Water

by Keith CowingFebruary 3, 2026

The current image of Mars as an arid and hostile desert contrasts with the history revealed by its surface. Channels, minerals altered by water, and other geological traces indicate that […]

Workflow of space missions. A. BOSS: Cyanobacterial biofilms were air-dried on the ground and integrated in the EXPOSE-R2 facility. Dried samples were exposed in LEO for 1.5 years. After retrieval to Earth dried cells were tested for viability and biomarker detectability. B. BIOMEX: Cyanobacterial cells were mixed with Martian and Lunar regolith simulants, air-dried on the ground and integrated in the EXPOSE-R2 facility. Dried samples were exposed in LEO for 1.5 years. After retrieval to Earth dried cells were tested for viability and biomarker detectability, while re-hydrated cells were investigated for genome integrity. C. BIOSIGN: Cyanobacterial cells will be mixed with Martian regolith simulant, air-dried on the ground and integrated in the EXPO2 facility. After retrieval to Earth dried cells will be analyzed for viability and biomarker detectability. D. CyanoTechRider: Cyanobacterial cells will be air-dried, exposed to ionizing radiation and integrated into the Space Rider. Dried cells will be re-hydrated in orbit and the genome sequenced after retrieval to Earth.

Analog Studies, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Icy Worlds, Life Support Systems, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Sample Return, Status Report

Desert Cyanobacteria Under Non-Earth Conditions: Implications For Astrobiology And Sustainable Life Support

by Keith CowingNovember 16, 2025November 15, 2025

The astonishing capability of life to adapt to extreme conditions provides a new perspective on what habitable means.

Under simulated Mars-like conditions, black fungus shows how life could endure harsh extraterrestrial environments. © 2025 KAUST.

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Press Release, Radiation

Super Fungi Survive Extreme Mars-like Environments

by Keith CowingAugust 27, 2025August 27, 2025

People have long been intrigued by the possibility of life beyond Earth and how it might endure in extraterrestrial environments. There is no confirmed evidence of extraterrestrial life, not even […]

(A) Exposure experiment in the Atacama Desert 2 months after setup (Plate #1 was exposed 2 months, plate #2 4 months, and plate #3 8 months, an additional plate remained as a control unexposed in the lab). In the upper left corner of plate #3, the sensors for environmental monitoring are built in. Color reference card (20 × 15 cm) placed below as reference. -- Science Reports via PubMed

Analog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Mars, Sample Return, Status Report

Exploring Organic Compound Preservation Through Long-term In Situ Experiments In The Atacama Desert And The Relevance For Mars

by Keith CowingAugust 25, 2025August 25, 2025

The preservation of organic compounds under extreme environmental conditions remains a critical challenge for both terrestrial ecology applications on Earth and astrobiology.