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Life in the Atacama: Searching for life with rovers (science overview)
Space Sciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
SETI Institute, Mountain View, California, USA
Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Space Sciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
SETI Institute, Mountain View, California, USA
Space Sciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
SETI Institute, Mountain View, California, USA
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Universidad Catolica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Universidad Catolica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
Hydrology and Water Resources Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Department of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
International Research School of Planetary Sciences, Pescara, Italy
Department of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
International Research School of Planetary Sciences, Pescara, Italy
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Biology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
The Life in the Atacama project investigated the regional distribution of life and habitats in the Atacama Desert of Chile. We sought to create biogeologic maps through survey traverses across the desert using a rover carrying biologic and geologic instruments. Elements of our science approach were to: Perform ecological transects from the relatively wet coastal range to the arid core of the desert; use converging evidence from science instruments to reach conclusions about microbial abundance; and develop and test exploration strategies adapted to the search of scattered surface and shallow subsurface microbial oases. Understanding the ability of science teams to detect and characterize microbial life signatures remotely using a rover became central to the project. Traverses were accomplished using an autonomous rover in a method that is technologically relevant to Mars exploration. We present an overview of the results of the 2003, 2004, and 2005 field investigations. They include: The confirmed identification of microbial habitats in daylight by detecting fluorescence signals from chlorophyll and dye probes; the characterization of geology by imaging and spectral measurement; the mapping of life along transects; the characterization of environmental conditions; the development of mapping techniques including homogeneous biological scoring and predictive models of habitat location; the development of exploration strategies adapted to the search for life with an autonomous rover capable of up to 10 km of daily traverse; and the autonomous detection of life by the rover as it interprets observations on-the-fly and decides which targets to pursue with further analysis.
Received 27 August 2006; accepted 9 May 2007; published 1 September 2007.
Citation: (2007), Life in the Atacama: Searching for life with rovers (science overview), J. Geophys. Res., 112, G04S02, doi:10.1029/2006JG000298.
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