Search for past life on Mars: Possible relic biogenic activity in Martian meteorite ALH84001

被引:1217
作者
McKay, DS
Gibson, EK
ThomasKeprta, KL
Vali, H
Romanek, CS
Clemett, SJ
Chillier, XDF
Maechling, CR
Zare, RN
机构
[1] NASA,LYNDON B JOHNSON SPACE CTR,HOUSTON,TX 77058
[2] NASA,HOUSTON,TX 77058
[3] MCGILL UNIV,DEPT EARTH & PLANETARY SCI,MONTREAL,PQ H3A 2A7,CANADA
[4] UNIV GEORGIA,SAVANNAH RIVER ECOL LAB,AIKEN,SC 29802
[5] STANFORD UNIV,DEPT CHEM,STANFORD,CA 94305
关键词
D O I
10.1126/science.273.5277.924
中图分类号
O [数理科学和化学]; P [天文学、地球科学]; Q [生物科学]; N [自然科学总论];
学科分类号
07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;
摘要
Fresh fracture surfaces of the martian meteorite ALH84001 contain abundant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These fresh fracture surfaces also display carbonate globules. Contamination studies suggest that the PAHs are indigenous to the meteorite. High-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy study of surface textures and internal structures of selected carbonate globules show that the globules contain fine-grained, secondary phases of single-domain magnetite and Fe-sulfides. The carbonate globules are similar in texture and size to some terrestrial bacterially induced carbonate precipitates. Although inorganic formation is possible, formation of the globules by biogenic processes could explain many of the observed features, including the PAHs. The PAHs, the carbonate globules, and their associated secondary mineral phases and textures could thus be fossil remains of a past martian biota.
引用
收藏
页码:924 / 930
页数:7
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