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Evidence for life in the isotopic analysis of surface sulphates in the Haughton impact structure, and potential application on Mars

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2012

John Parnell ,
Adrian J. Boyce ,
Gordon R. Osinski ,
Matthew R.M. Izawa ,
Neil Banerjee ,
Roberta Flemming  and
Pascal Lee
John Parnell*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Adrian J. Boyce
Affiliation:
Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Glasgow, UK
Gordon R. Osinski
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Matthew R.M. Izawa
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Neil Banerjee
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Roberta Flemming
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Pascal Lee
Affiliation:
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
*
e-mail: J.Parnell@abdn.ac.uk
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Abstract

The analysis of sulphur isotopic compositions in three sets of surface sulphate samples from the soil zone in the Haughton impact structure shows that they are distinct. They include surface gypsum crusts remobilized from the pre-impact gypsum bedrock (mean δ34S +31‰), efflorescent copiapite and fibroferrite associated with hydrothermal marcasite (mean δ34S −37‰), and gypsum-iron oxide crusts representing weathering of pyritic crater-fill sediments (mean δ34S +7‰). Their different compositions reflect different histories of sulphur cycling. Two of the three sulphates have isotopically light (low δ34S) compositions compared with the gypsum bedrock (mean δ34S +31‰), reflecting derivation by weathering of sulphides (three sets of pyrite/marcasite samples with mean δ34S of −41, −20 and −8‰), which had in turn been precipitated by microbial sulphate reduction. Thus, even in the absence of the parent sulphides due to surface oxidation, evidence of life would be preserved. This indicates that on Mars, where surface oxidation may rule out sampling of sulphides during robotic exploration, but where sulphates are widespread, sulphur isotope analysis is a valuable tool that could be sensitive to any near-surface microbial activity. Other causes of sulphur isotopic fractionation on the surface of Mars are feasible, but any anomalous fractionation would indicate the desirability of further analysis.

Keywords

evidence for lifeimpact cratersMarssulphidessulphur isotope fractionation
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , April 2012 , pp. 93 - 101
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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