120
R. Orosei
ences between terrestrial and extraterrestrial life, of the relative fragility of complex
molecules such as those of biological chemistry, and of the complex alterations
induced by a harsh environment such as Mars’, the unambiguous identification of
life traces will require the simultaneous detection of several biomarkers in the same
sample [18]. For this reason, there is a risk that a robotic mission performing in-situ
analysis of potential biologic samples will not be able to obtain a definite answer
even in the presence of biomarkers. This is why the main goal for Mars exploration
in this decade is the return of samples to Earth in pristine conditions [22].
References
1. J.-P. Bibring, Y. Langevin, Mineralogy of the Martian surface from mars express OMEGA
observations, in The Martian Surface—Composition, Mineralogy, and Physical Properties, ed.
by J. Bell III (Cambridge University Press, New York, 2008), pp. 153–168
2. M.H. Carr, Water on Mars (Oxford University Press, New York, 1996)
3. S. Byrne, The polar deposits of mars. Annual Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 37, 535–560 (2009).
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.earth.031208.100101
4. H.P. Klein, The viking biological experiments on mars. Icarus 34, 666–674 (1978). https://doi.
org/10.1016/0019-1035(78)90053-2
5. G.V. Levin, P.A. Straat, The case for extant life on mars and its possible detection by the
viking labeled release experiment. Astrobiology 16, 798–810 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1089/
ast.2015.1464
6. A.M. Palumbo, J.W. Head, R.D. Wordsworth, Late Noachian Icy Highlands climate model:
exploring the possibility of transient melting and fluvial/lacustrine activity through peak annual
and seasonal temperatures. Icarus 300, 261–286 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2017.
09.007
7. J.E.P. Connerney, M.H. Acuna, P.J. Wasilewski, N.F. Ness, H. Reme, C. Mazelle, D. Vignes,
R.P. Lin, D.L. Mitchell, P.A. Cloutier, Magnetic lineations in the ancient crust of mars. Science
284, 794–798 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.284.5415.794
8. M. Malin, K. Edgett, Evidence for recent groundwater seepage and surface runoff on mars.
Science 288, 2330–2335 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.288.5475.2330
9. W.C. Feldman, W.V. Boynton, R.L. Tokar, T.H. Prettyman, O. Gasnault, S.W. Squyres, R.C.
Elphic, D.J. Lawrence, S.L. Lawson, S. Maurice, G.W. McKinney, K.R. Moore, R.C. Reedy,
Global distribution of neutrons from mars: results from mars Odyssey. Science 297, 75–78
(2002). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1073541
10. J.J. Plaut, G. Picardi, A. Safaeinili, A.B. Ivanov, S.M. Milkovich, A. Cicchetti, W. Kofman, J.
Mouginot, W.M. Farrell, R.J. Phillips, S.M. Clifford, A. Frigeri, R. Orosei, C. Federico, I.P.
Williams, D.A. Gurnett, E. Nielsen, T. Hagfors, E. Heggy, E.R. Stofan, D. Plettemeier, T.R.
Watters, C.J. Leuschen, P. Edenhofer, Subsurface radar sounding of the south polar layered
deposits of mars. Science 316, 92–95 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1139672
11. B.M. Jakosky, D. Brain, M. Chaffin, S. Curry, J. Deighan, J. Grebowsky, J. Halekas, F. Leblanc,
R. Lillis, J.G. Luhmann, L. Andersson, N. Andre, D. Andrews, D. Baird, D. Baker, J. Bell, M.
Benna, D. Bhattacharyya, S. Bougher, C. Bowers, P. Chamberlin, J.-Y. Chaufray, J. Clarke, G.
Collinson, M. Combi, J. Connerney, K. Connour, J. Correira, K. Crabb, F. Crary, T. Cravens,
M. Crismani, G. Delory, R. Dewey, G. DiBraccio, C. Dong, Y. Dong, P. Dunn, H. Egan,
M. Elrod, S. England, F. Eparvier, R. Ergun, A. Eriksson, T. Esman, J. Espley, S. Evans,
K. Fallows, X. Fang, M. Fillingim, C. Flynn, A. Fogle, C. Fowler, J. Fox, M. Fujimoto, P.
Garnier, Z. Girazian, H. Groeller, J. Gruesbeck, O. Hamil, K.G. Hanley, T. Hara, Y. Harada,
J. Hermann, M. Holmberg, G. Holsclaw, S. Houston, S. Inui, S. Jain, R. Jolitz, A. Kotova, T.
R. Orosei
ences between terrestrial and extraterrestrial life, of the relative fragility of complex
molecules such as those of biological chemistry, and of the complex alterations
induced by a harsh environment such as Mars’, the unambiguous identification of
life traces will require the simultaneous detection of several biomarkers in the same
sample [18]. For this reason, there is a risk that a robotic mission performing in-situ
analysis of potential biologic samples will not be able to obtain a definite answer
even in the presence of biomarkers. This is why the main goal for Mars exploration
in this decade is the return of samples to Earth in pristine conditions [22].
References
1. J.-P. Bibring, Y. Langevin, Mineralogy of the Martian surface from mars express OMEGA
observations, in The Martian Surface—Composition, Mineralogy, and Physical Properties, ed.
by J. Bell III (Cambridge University Press, New York, 2008), pp. 153–168
2. M.H. Carr, Water on Mars (Oxford University Press, New York, 1996)
3. S. Byrne, The polar deposits of mars. Annual Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 37, 535–560 (2009).
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.earth.031208.100101
4. H.P. Klein, The viking biological experiments on mars. Icarus 34, 666–674 (1978). https://doi.
org/10.1016/0019-1035(78)90053-2
5. G.V. Levin, P.A. Straat, The case for extant life on mars and its possible detection by the
viking labeled release experiment. Astrobiology 16, 798–810 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1089/
ast.2015.1464
6. A.M. Palumbo, J.W. Head, R.D. Wordsworth, Late Noachian Icy Highlands climate model:
exploring the possibility of transient melting and fluvial/lacustrine activity through peak annual
and seasonal temperatures. Icarus 300, 261–286 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2017.
09.007
7. J.E.P. Connerney, M.H. Acuna, P.J. Wasilewski, N.F. Ness, H. Reme, C. Mazelle, D. Vignes,
R.P. Lin, D.L. Mitchell, P.A. Cloutier, Magnetic lineations in the ancient crust of mars. Science
284, 794–798 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.284.5415.794
8. M. Malin, K. Edgett, Evidence for recent groundwater seepage and surface runoff on mars.
Science 288, 2330–2335 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.288.5475.2330
9. W.C. Feldman, W.V. Boynton, R.L. Tokar, T.H. Prettyman, O. Gasnault, S.W. Squyres, R.C.
Elphic, D.J. Lawrence, S.L. Lawson, S. Maurice, G.W. McKinney, K.R. Moore, R.C. Reedy,
Global distribution of neutrons from mars: results from mars Odyssey. Science 297, 75–78
(2002). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1073541
10. J.J. Plaut, G. Picardi, A. Safaeinili, A.B. Ivanov, S.M. Milkovich, A. Cicchetti, W. Kofman, J.
Mouginot, W.M. Farrell, R.J. Phillips, S.M. Clifford, A. Frigeri, R. Orosei, C. Federico, I.P.
Williams, D.A. Gurnett, E. Nielsen, T. Hagfors, E. Heggy, E.R. Stofan, D. Plettemeier, T.R.
Watters, C.J. Leuschen, P. Edenhofer, Subsurface radar sounding of the south polar layered
deposits of mars. Science 316, 92–95 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1139672
11. B.M. Jakosky, D. Brain, M. Chaffin, S. Curry, J. Deighan, J. Grebowsky, J. Halekas, F. Leblanc,
R. Lillis, J.G. Luhmann, L. Andersson, N. Andre, D. Andrews, D. Baird, D. Baker, J. Bell, M.
Benna, D. Bhattacharyya, S. Bougher, C. Bowers, P. Chamberlin, J.-Y. Chaufray, J. Clarke, G.
Collinson, M. Combi, J. Connerney, K. Connour, J. Correira, K. Crabb, F. Crary, T. Cravens,
M. Crismani, G. Delory, R. Dewey, G. DiBraccio, C. Dong, Y. Dong, P. Dunn, H. Egan,
M. Elrod, S. England, F. Eparvier, R. Ergun, A. Eriksson, T. Esman, J. Espley, S. Evans,
K. Fallows, X. Fang, M. Fillingim, C. Flynn, A. Fogle, C. Fowler, J. Fox, M. Fujimoto, P.
Garnier, Z. Girazian, H. Groeller, J. Gruesbeck, O. Hamil, K.G. Hanley, T. Hara, Y. Harada,
J. Hermann, M. Holmberg, G. Holsclaw, S. Houston, S. Inui, S. Jain, R. Jolitz, A. Kotova, T.