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Ratios of Biogenic Elements for Distinguishing Recent from Fossil MicroorganismsThe ability to distinguish possible microfossils from recent biological contaminants is of great importance to Astrobiology. In this paper we discuss the application of the ratios of life critical biogenic elements (C/O; C/N; and C/S) as determined by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) to this problem. Biogenic element ratios will be provided for a wide variety of living cyanobacteria and other microbial extremophiles, preserved herbarium materials, and ancient biota from the Antarctic Ice Cores and Siberian and Alaskan Permafrost for comparison with megafossils and microfossils in ancient terrestrial rocks and carbonaceous meteorites.
Document ID
20070037446
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Hoover, Richard B.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
August 26, 2007
Subject Category
Exobiology
Meeting Information
Meeting: SPIE Optics and Photonics: Optical Engineering and Application
Location: San Diego, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: August 26, 2007
End Date: August 30, 2007
Sponsors: International Society for Optical Engineering
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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