Searching for the Source Crater of Nakhlite Meteorites.

We surveyed the Martian surface in order to identify possible source craters of the nakhlite Martian meteorites. We investigated rayed craters that are assumed to be younger than 11 Ma, on lava surfaces with a solidification age around 1.2 Ga. An area of 17.3 million km2 Amazonian lava plains was surveyed and 53 rayed craters were identified. Although most of them are smaller than the threshold limit that is estimated as minimum of launching fragments to possible Earth crossing trajectories, their observed size frequency distribution agrees with the expected areal density from cratering models characteristic for craters that are less than few tens of Ma old. We identified 6 craters larger than 3 km diameter constituting the potentially best source craters for nakhlites. These larger candidates are located mostly on a smooth lava surface, and in some cases, on the earlier fluvial-like channels. In three cases they are associated with fluidized ejecta lobes and rays - although the rays are faint in these craters, thus might be older than the other craters with more obvious rays. More work is therefore required to accurately estimate ages based on ray system for this purpose. A more detailed search should further link remote sensing Martian data with the in-situ laboratory analyses of Martian meteorites, especially in case of high altitude, steep terrains, where the crater rays seems to rarely survive several Ma.

Fungal Spores Viability on the International Space Station.

In this study we investigated the security of a spaceflight experiment from two points of view: spreading of dried fungal spores placed on the different wafers and their viability during short and long term missions on the International Space Station (ISS). Microscopic characteristics of spores from dried spores samples were investigated, as well as the morphology of the colonies obtained from spores that survived during mission. The selected fungal species were: Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium herbarum, Ulocladium chartarum, and Basipetospora halophila. They have been chosen mainly based on their involvement in the biodeterioration of different substrate in the ISS as well as their presence as possible contaminants of the ISS. From biological point of view, three of the selected species are black fungi, with high melanin content and therefore highly resistant to space radiation. The visual inspection and analysis of the images taken before and after the short and the long term experiments have shown that all biocontainers were returned to Earth without damages. Microscope images of the lids of the culture plates revealed that the spores of all species were actually not detached from the surface of the wafers and did not contaminate the lids. From the adhesion point of view all types of wafers can be used in space experiments, with a special comment on the viability in the particular case of iron wafers when used for spores that belong to B. halophila (halophilic strain). This is encouraging in performing experiments with fungi without risking contamination. The spore viability was lower in the experiment for long time to ISS conditions than that of the short experiment. From the observations, it is suggested that the environment of the enclosed biocontainer, as well as the species'specific behaviour have an important effect, reducing the viability in time. Even the spores were not detached from the surface of the wafers, it was observed that spores used in the long term experiment lost the outer layer of their coat without affecting the viability since they were still protected by the middle and the inner layer of the coating. This research highlights a new protocol to perform spaceflight experiments inside the ISS with fungal spores in microgravity conditions, under the additional effect of possible cosmic radiation. According to this protocol the results are expressed in terms of viability, microscopic and morphological changes.

Indicators and Methods to Understand Past Environments from ExoMars Rover Drills.

Great advances are expected during the analysis of drilled material acquired from 2 m depth by ExoMars rover, supported by the comparison to local context, and the joint use of different instruments. Textural information might be less detailed relatively to what is usually obtained at outcrops during classical geological field work on the Earth, partly because of the lack of optical imaging of the borehole wall and also because the collected samples are crushed. However sub-mm scale layering and some other sedimentary features might be identified in the borehole wall observations, or in the collected sample prior to crushing, and also at nearby outcrops. The candidate landing sites provide different targets and focus for research: Oxia Planum requires analysis of phyllosilicates and OH content, at Mawrth Vallis the layering of various phyllosilicates and the role of shallow-subsurface leaching should be emphasized. At Aram Dorsum the particle size and fluvial sedimentary features will be interesting. Hydrated perchlorates and sulphates are ideal targets possibly at every landing sites because of OH retention, especially if they are mixed with smectites, thus could point to even ancient wet periods. Extensive use of information from the infrared wall scanning will be complemented for geological context by orbital and rover imaging of nearby outcrops. Information from the context is especially useful to infer the possible action of past H2O. Separation of the ice and liquid water effects will be supported by cation abundance and sedimentary context. Shape of grains also helps here, and composition of transported grains points to the weathering potential of the environment in general. The work on Mars during the drilling and sample analysis will provide brand new experience and knowledge for future missions.

The evolution of organic material on Asteroid 162173 Ryugu and its delivery to Earth.

The recent return of samples from asteroid 162173 Ryugu provides a first insight into early Solar System prebiotic evolution from known planetary bodies. Ryugu's samples are CI chondrite-like, rich in water and organic material, and primarily composed of phyllosilicate. This phyllosilicate surrounds micron to submicron macromolecular organic particles known as insoluble organic matter. Using advanced microscopy techniques on Hayabusa-2 samples, we find that aqueous alteration on Ryugu produced organic particles richer in aromatics compared to less altered carbonaceous chondrites. This challenges the view that aromatic-rich organic matter formed pre-accretion. Additionally, widespread diffuse organic material occurs in phyllosilicate more aliphatic-, carboxylic-rich, and aromatic-poor than the discrete organic particles, likely preserving the soluble organic material. Some organic particles evolved to encapsulate phyllosilicate, indicating that aqueous alteration on Ryugu led to the containment of soluble organic matter within these particles. Earth therefore has been, and continues to be, delivered micron-sized polymeric organic objects containing biologically relevant molecules.

Reconstructing the colour palette of the Konstantinos Parthenis' burnt paintings.

This case study focuses on the reconstruction of the colour palette and the possibility of laser cleaning of burnt paintings. The paintings ORPHEUS IN THE UNDERWORLD and CONCORDIA, composed by the Greek artist Konstantinos Parthenis (1878-1967), have been severely damaged by fire. The colour palette of Parthenis is thoroughly investigated for the first time, and to perform this, a multi-analytical spectroscopic approach was employed. Non-destructive in situ analysis was performed on multiple areas of the paintings by portable XRF. SEM-EDS and Raman, supported by reflected visible light optical microscopy, and ultraviolet light microscopy, as well as structural XRD and molecular FTIR were performed for identifying the pigments, the binder and the substrate of the paintings. This work also unveiled new aspects of the painting technique used by the artist, such as the uncommon use of multiple pigments of red hue in the upper paint layers, comparatively with the rest of Parthenis' paintings. Molecular spectroscopic techniques (i.e., Raman and FTIR) were effective in identifying pigments like chrome yellow (crocoite mineral), chrome orange (phoenicochroite mineral) and viridian green (hydrated chromium oxide). The spectroscopic analyses were also essential in the laser cleaning restoration because of the detection of pigments (i.e., lead white, vermilion etc.) prone to phase transformations due to photothermal and/or photochemical effects. Our investigation establishes the basis on the application of non-conventional cleaning methods on damaged paintings, such as laser irradiation, in order to remove the damaged layer and/or the superficial accretions, while preserving the hues of the original painting.

Biogenicity of an Early Quaternary iron formation, Milos Island, Greece.

A ~2.0-million-year-old shallow-submarine sedimentary deposit on Milos Island, Greece, harbours an unmetamorphosed fossiliferous iron formation (IF) comparable to Precambrian banded iron formations (BIFs). This Milos IF holds the potential to provide clues to the origin of Precambrian BIFs, relative to biotic and abiotic processes. Here, we combine field stratigraphic observations, stable isotopes of C, S and Si, rock petrography and microfossil evidence from a ~5-m-thick outcrop to track potential biogeochemical processes that may have contributed to the formation of the BIF-type rocks and the abrupt transition to an overlying conglomerate-hosted IF (CIF). Bulk δ(13) C isotopic compositions lower than -25‰ provide evidence for biological contribution by the Calvin and reductive acetyl-CoA carbon fixation cycles to the origin of both the BIF-type and CIF strata. Low S levels of ~0.04 wt.% combined with δ(34) S estimates of up to ~18‰ point to a non-sulphidic depository. Positive δ(30) Si records of up to +0.53‰ in the finely laminated BIF-type rocks indicate chemical deposition on the seafloor during weak periods of arc magmatism. Negative δ(30) Si data are consistent with geological observations suggesting a sudden change to intense arc volcanism potentially terminated the deposition of the BIF-type layer. The typical Precambrian rhythmic rocks of alternating Fe- and Si-rich bands are associated with abundant and spatially distinct microbial fossil assemblages. Together with previously proposed anoxygenic photoferrotrophic iron cycling and low sedimentary N and C potentially connected to diagenetic denitrification, the Milos IF is a biogenic submarine volcano-sedimentary IF showing depositional conditions analogous to Archaean Algoma-type BIFs.

On the synthesis of tailored biomimetic hydroxyapatite nanoplates through a bioinspired approach in the presence of collagen or chitosan and L-arginine.

Controlling the structure of hydroxyapatite nanocrystals is vital for acquiring a consistent product. In an effort to synthesize crystals mimicking the morphology of natural bone's apatite, a bioinspired process was developed based on the use of a natural biomacromolecule, collagen or chitosan, in conjunction with l-arginine to direct the formation of hydroxyapatite from H3PO4 and Ca(OH)2. Different cases were investigated by employing various concentrations of the precursors and two molar ratios of Ca/P 1/1 and 10/6. The reaction was carried out at basic pH conditions and at biomimetic temperature (40°C). The resulting aqueous suspensions were characterized in terms of their rheological behavior, whereas the derived powders were fully evaluated by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and Raman spectroscopy. The analysis showed that in all cases, the only phase detected was hydroxyapatite of a plate-like morphology very similar to that of natural apatite. The homogeneity of the morphology and the crystal size distribution depend on the precursors' final concentration with the mean size ranging from 5 nm up to 20 nm. The powder that demonstrated the best characteristics in terms of homogeneity was that produced in the presence of collagen for molar ratio of Ca/P 1/1.