Report of the COSPAR Mars special regions colloquium
G. Kminek
(1)
,
J.D. Rummel
(2)
,
C.S. Cockell
(3)
,
R. Atlas
(4)
,
N. Barlow
(5)
,
D. Beaty
(6)
,
W. Boynton
(7)
,
M. Carr
(8)
,
S. Clifford
(9)
,
C.A. Conley
(10)
,
A.F. Davila
(11)
,
A. Debus
(12)
,
P. Doran
(13)
,
M. Hecht
(6)
,
J. Heldmann
(11)
,
J. Helbert
(14)
,
V. Hipkin
(15)
,
G. Horneck
(16)
,
T.L. Kieft
(17)
,
G. Klingelhoefer
(18)
,
M. Meyer
(10)
,
H. Newsom
(19)
,
G.G. Ori
(20)
,
J. Parnell
(21)
,
D. Prieur
(22)
,
F. Raulin
(23)
,
D. Schulze-Makuch
(24)
,
J. A. Spry
(6)
,
P.E. Stabekis
(10)
,
E. Stackebrandt
(25)
,
J. Vago
(1)
,
M. Viso
(12)
,
M. Voytek
(10)
,
L. Wells
(26)
,
F. Westall
(27, 23)
1
ESA -
Agence Spatiale Européenne = European Space Agency
2 ECU - East Carolina University [Greenville]
3 OU - The Open University [Milton Keynes]
4 University of Louisville
5 Northern Arizona University [Flagstaff]
6 NASA, Jet Prop Lab, CALTECH, 4800 Oak Grove Dr, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
7 LPL - Lunar and Planetary Laboratory [Tucson]
8 USGS - United States Geological Survey
9 LPI - Lunar and Planetary Institute [Houston]
10 NASA Headquarters
11 ARC - NASA Ames Research Center
12 CNES - Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse]
13 UIC - University of Illinois [Chicago]
14 DLR Institut für Planetenforschung
15 CSA - Canadian Space Agency
16 DLR - German Aerospace Center
17 NMT - New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology [New Mexico Tech]
18 Institute of Physics, University of Mainz
19 The University of New Mexico [Albuquerque]
20 IRSPS - International Research School of Planetary Sciences [Pescara]
21 University of Aberdeen
22 UBO - Université de Brest
23 CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
24 WSU - Washington State University
25 DSMZ - Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH / Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures
26 University of Pennsylvania
27 CBM - Centre de biophysique moléculaire
2 ECU - East Carolina University [Greenville]
3 OU - The Open University [Milton Keynes]
4 University of Louisville
5 Northern Arizona University [Flagstaff]
6 NASA, Jet Prop Lab, CALTECH, 4800 Oak Grove Dr, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
7 LPL - Lunar and Planetary Laboratory [Tucson]
8 USGS - United States Geological Survey
9 LPI - Lunar and Planetary Institute [Houston]
10 NASA Headquarters
11 ARC - NASA Ames Research Center
12 CNES - Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse]
13 UIC - University of Illinois [Chicago]
14 DLR Institut für Planetenforschung
15 CSA - Canadian Space Agency
16 DLR - German Aerospace Center
17 NMT - New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology [New Mexico Tech]
18 Institute of Physics, University of Mainz
19 The University of New Mexico [Albuquerque]
20 IRSPS - International Research School of Planetary Sciences [Pescara]
21 University of Aberdeen
22 UBO - Université de Brest
23 CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
24 WSU - Washington State University
25 DSMZ - Leibniz-Institut DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH / Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures
26 University of Pennsylvania
27 CBM - Centre de biophysique moléculaire
M. Hecht
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 764467
- ORCID : 0000-0002-4114-4583
J. Helbert
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 759280
- ORCID : 0000-0001-5346-9505
F. Westall
- Fonction : Auteur
- PersonId : 741728
- IdHAL : frances-westall
- ORCID : 0000-0002-1938-5823
- IdRef : 113956851
Résumé
In this paper we present the findings of a COSPAR Mars Special Regions Colloquium held in Rome in 2007. We review and discuss the definition of Mars Special Regions, the physical parameters used to define Mars Special Regions, and physical features on Mars that can be interpreted as Mars Special Regions. We conclude that any region experiencing temperatures > -25 degrees C for a few hours a year and a water activity > 0.5 can potentially allow the replication of terrestrial microorganisms. Physical features on Mars that can be interpreted as meeting these conditions constitute a Mars Special Region. Based on current knowledge of the martian environment and the conservative nature of planetary protection, the following features constitute Mars Special regions: Gullies and bright streaks associated with them, pasted-on terrain, deep subsurface, dark streaks only on a case-by-case basis, others to be determined. The parameter definition and the associated list of physical features should be re-evaluated on a regular basis.