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Gusev Crater Paleolake: Two-Billion Years of Martian Geologic, (and Biologic?) HistoryAncient Martian lakes are sites where the climatological, chemical, and possibly biological history of the planet has been recorded. Their potential to keep this global information in their sedimentary deposits, potential only shared with the polar layered-deposits, designates them as the most promising targets for the ongoing exploration of Mars in terms of science return and global knowledge about Mars evolution. Many of the science priority objectives of the Surveyor Program can be met by exploring ancient Martian lake beds. Among martian paleolakes, lakes in impact craters represent probably the most favorable sites to explore. Though highly destructive events when they occur, impacts may have provided in time a significant energy source for life, by generating heat, and at the contact of water and/or ice, deep hydrothermal systems, which are considered as favorable environments for life. In addition, impact crater lakes are changing environments, from thermally driven systems at the very first stage of their formation, to cold ice-protected potential oases in the more recent Martian geological times. Thus, they are plausible sites to study the progression of diverse microbiologic communities.
Document ID
20000113011
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Cabrol, N. A.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Grin, E. A.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Landheim, R.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Greeley, R.
(Arizona State Univ. Tempe, AZ United States)
Kuzmin, R.
(Academy of Sciences (USSR) Moscow, USSR)
McKay, C. P.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1998
Publication Information
Publication: Mars Surveyor 2001 Landing Site Workshop
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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