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February 27, 2008
February 26, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 26 February 2008
February 25, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 25 February 2008
- Rayleigh scattering in the transit spectrum of HD 189733b, astro-ph
- A coagulation-fragmentation model for the turbulent growth and destruction of preplanetesimals, astro-ph
- Tribute to Paul C. Lauterbur, Astrobiology
- The Spontaneous Development of Biology from Chemistry, Astrobiology
- Superluminous Supernovae: No Threat from n Carinae, Astrobiology
- Microbial Rock Inhabitants Survive Hypervelocity Impacts on Mars-Like Host Planets: First Phase of Lithopanspermia Experimentally Tested Astrobiology, Astrobiology
- Acetylene as Fast Food: Implications for Development of Life on Anoxic Primordial Earth and in the Outer Solar System, Astrobiology
- Formaldehyde in the Far Outer Galaxy: Constraining the Outer Boundary of the Galactic Habitable Zone, Astrobiology
- Control of Lunar and Martian Dust--Experimental Insights from Artificial and Natural Cyanobacterial and Algal Crusts in the Desert of Inner Mongolia, China, Astrobiology
- Subsurface Filamentous Fabrics: An Evaluation of Origins Based on Morphological and Geochemical Criteria, with Implications for Exopaleontology, Astrobiology
- Identification of Morphological Biosignatures in Martian Analogue Field Specimens Using In Situ Planetary Instrumentation, Astrobiology
- Some Ecological Mechanisms to Generate Habitability in Planetary Subsurface Areas by Chemolithotrophic Communities: The Rio Tinto Subsurface Ecosystem as a Model System, Astrobiology
- Implications of an Anthropic Model of Evolution for Emergence of Complex Life and Intelligence, Astrobiology
- Cyanobacterial Emergence at 2.8 Gya and Greenhouse Feedbacks, Astrobiology
February 22, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 22 February 2008
- Modelling solar-like variability for the detection of Earth-like planetary transits. I. Performance of the three-spot modelling and harmonic function fitting, astro-ph
- The formation and evolution of planetary systems: Grain growth and chemical processing of dust in T Tauri systems, astro-ph
- An Extended Model for the Evolution of Prebiotic Homochirality: A Bottom-Up Approach to the Origin of Life, astro-ph
February 21, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 21 February 2008
February 20, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 20 February 2008
February 19, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 19 February 2008
- A Multiscale Study of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Properties in Galaxies, astro-ph
- Extent of pollution in planet-bearing stars, astro-ph
- Detecting "Temperate" Jupiters: The Prospects of Searching for Transiting Gas Giants in Habitability Zones, astro-ph
- Numerical simulations of type III planetary migration: III. Outward migration of massive planet, astro-ph
February 18, 2008
2/25 Director's Seminar: "Can Rocks from Mars Yield Definitive Evidence of Past Life?"
Presenter: J. William Schopf
Date/Time: 2/25/2008 11:00 AM PST
Throughout recorded Earth history, microbial life has been ubiquitous, abundant, metabolically diverse, and, for the Precambrian four billion years of geologic time, biotically predominant. In the search for life elsewhere in the Cosmos, the prokaryote-dominated world of the Precambrian is the best analogue we know. Though evidence of microbe-level life will thus be sought in rocks returned from Mars, for the first such missions only minimal samples will be available. This raises important questions: What amount of rock is needed to detect past life? What evidence is required to establish biogenicity? How can true fossils be distinguished from contaminants?
The Precambrian fossil record holds the answer. Given the minute size of fossil microbes and their prodigious abundance in some Precambrian rocks, firm evidence of ancient life has been adduced from samples weighing as little as 0.1 g (in volume, about half the size of a grain of rice). Backed by other lines of evidence, the biogenicity of such fossils is shown by their (1) biological, cellular, morphology and (2) carbonaceous (kerogenous) composition. And their indigenousness is established by showing that (3) the geochemical maturity of the fossil-comprising kerogen is consistent with the rock matrix in which they occur.
The presence of these three fossil-identifying traits can be shown by use of confocal laser scanning microscopy and Raman imagery, two techniques new to astrobiology. By providing micron-scale three-dimensional images of organic-walled fossils, both yield firm evidence of biological morphology, and Raman imagery can establish the molecular-structural composition as well as the geochemical maturity of the analyzed kerogen. Both of these non-intrusive and non-destructive techniques can be used to study fossils embedded in petrographic thin sections such as those to be prepared for mineralogical studies of Mars rocks.
For more information and participation instructions: http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/seminars/seminar_detail.cfm?ID=118
[Source: NAI Newsletter]
NAI Cooperative Agreement Notice (Cycle-5) Notices of Intent Due February 22nd
The NAI announces, through the release of this Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN), an opportunity for the submission of team-based proposals for membership in the Institute. Proposals should clearly articulate an innovative, interdisciplinary, astrobiology research program, together with plans to advance the full scope of NAI objectives as defined in the Institute's Mission Statement.
The Cooperative Agreement Notice can be accessed at: http://nspires.nasaprs.com
CAN Release Date: January 8, 2008
Notices of Intent Due: February 22, 2008
Proposals Due: April 11, 2008
[Source: NAI Newsletter]
NAI Minority Institution Research Support (MIRS) Program - Application Deadline - March 7, 2008
The NAI-MIRS Program provides opportunities for researchers from qualified minority institutions to initiate joint partnerships with researchers in the field of astrobiology. The NAI-MIRS program provides summer sabbaticals, follow-up support, and travel opportunities for faculty and students from minority institutions. The application deadline for summer 2008 is March 7th. For more information, visit http://www.nai-mirs.org.
[Source: NAI Newsletter]
Staff Scientist Positions Available at Carnegie Institution of Washington
The Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington invites applications for Staff Scientist positions. We seek energetic and creative scientists to develop and carry out world-leading research in fields that complement and extend the current strengths of the Geophysical Laboratory.
The Laboratory emphasizes interdisciplinary experimental and theoretical research programs spanning materials physics, chemistry, biology, geoscience, and planetary science. It supports world-class facilities in high-pressure science, synchrotron radiation research, computational and experimental mineral physics, geochemistry, microbiology, and astrobiology.
For more information: http://www.gl.ciw.edu
Applications including CV, list of personal references, and research plans should be submitted to:
Russell J. Hemley, Director
Geophysical Laboratory
Carnegie Institution of Washington
5251 Broad Branch Road, NW 20015
USA, or email to dappleby@ciw.edu.
[Source: NAI Newsletter]
Astrobiology Science News 18 February 2008
February 15, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 15 February 2008
- Discovery of a Jupiter/Saturn Analog with Gravitational Microlensing, astro-ph
- Influence of an inner disc on the orbital evolution of massive planets migrating in resonance, astro-ph
- Constraints on resonant-trapping for two planets embedded in a protoplanetary disc, astro-ph
- New Brown Dwarf Disks in the TW Hydrae Association, astro-ph
February 14, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 14 February 2008
- The Jupiter Twin HD 154345b, astro-ph
- Spitzer IRS Observations of Disks around Brown Dwarfs in the TW Hydra Association, astro-ph
- New Solutions for the Planetary Dynamics in HD160691 using a Newtonian Model and Latest Data, astro-ph
- Structure and evolution of super-Earth to super-Jupiter exoplanets: I. heavy element enrichment in the interior, astro-ph
- Identifying the rotation rate and the presence of dynamic weather on extrasolar Earth-like planets from photometric observations, astro-ph
February 13, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 13 February 2008
February 11, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 11 February 2008
- The infrared spectra of very large, compact, highly symmetric, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), astro-ph
- Toward a Deterministic Model of Planetary Formation V. Accumulation Near the Ice Line and Emergence of Short-Period Earths, astro-ph
- Evidence of Fragmenting Dust Particles from Near-Simultaneous Optical and Near-IR Photometry and Polarimetry of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, astro-ph
February 9, 2008
ESA ISGP ASGSB ELGRA meeting in Angers, France
Dear ASGSB Members and Friends
The Second Announcement of the ESA ISGP ASGSB ELGRA meeting in Angers, France, June 23-27 will be sent to you soon from the ESA Conference Bureau. The scientific committee is very excited about the developments so far leading up to the meeting, which is titled "Life in Space for Life on Earth". Here are a few things you should know right away.
The abstract submission deadline has been extended to March 15. This will allow additional time for advisers and students to coordinate plans for submission of the abstract and for application for travel assistance. Time will still be adequate for the selection process, and notifications will be sent on April 15 for both the selection of abstracts and the selection of Young Researcher travel assistance awards. We are delighted to announce that travel assistance will be available for a large number of applicants to the meeting's Young Researcher Program. Successful applicants will receive a check for $500 or 350 Euros at the meeting, and we are confident in funding the top 35 applicants and possibly more, thanks to ESA's generosity and a grant recieved by ASGSB from NASA. Awardees will be selected on the basis of abstract scientific quality as judged by the abstract review team (which consists of two representatives of each participating society). Top applicants will be invited to present their work orally in a morning session if they prefer. In addition, awardees will become members of the Young Researchers Program, which may include low-cost housing, reduced registration fee and group activities. In addition, ASGSB will be able to assist a few needy investigators.
Also, you recently received the announcement of the Dr. Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund for the Advancement of Space Science Education. All graduate and undergraduate students submitting an abstract are eligible to apply for this prestigious award, which is a travel grant in the amount of $500 for the presentation of student research at a national or international meeting. The application deadline is April 1, 2008. Please visit the web site to apply: http://nasa-academy.org/soffen/travelgrant/
The meeting URL is linked to the ASGSB web site www.asgsb.org , and the meeting web site itself is http://www.congrex.nl/08a09 . This site will be updated before or shortly after you receive this message.
Now is the time to get going. We look forward to seeing you in Angers!
Paul Todd
ASGSB Program Chair
Scientific Committee
Until the web site is updated, the following URL can be used for a sneak preview of the abstract submission process. You cannot and should not submit an abstract through this link:
ESA ISGP ASGSB ELGRA mtg - 2nd Announcement
At the ESA Conference Bureau we are grateful to Gonnie Elfering, who is serving as the meeting point of contact: Telephone: +31 71 5655056 Telefax: +31 71 5655658 e-mail: esa.conference.bureau@esa.int / gonnie.elfering@esa.int
February 8, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 8 February 2008
- Dusty Disk Around Nearby Star May Hide Earth-like Planet
- Scientists rebuild ancient proteins to reveal primordial Earth's temperature
- NASA's Deep Impact Begins Hunt For Alien Worlds
- Scientists Study "Plumbing" in Plumes of Enceladus
- Sequestration of ethane in the cryovolcanic subsurface of Titan, astro-ph
- Methane present in an extrasolar planet atmosphere, astro-ph
February 7, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 7 February 2008
- On the Presence of Water and Global Circulation in the Transiting Planet HD 189733b, astro-ph
- The Broadband Infrared Emission Spectrum of the Exoplanet HD 189733b, astro-ph
- MOST Spacebased Photometry of the Transiting Exoplanet System HD 209458: Transit Timing to Search for Additional Planets, astro-ph
February 6, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 6 February 2008
February 5, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 5 February 2008
February 4, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 4 February 2008
- H2O and OH gas in the terrestrial planet-forming zones of protoplanetary disks, astro-ph
- Migration and Final Location of Hot Super Earths in the Presence of Gas Giants, astro-ph
- The University of New South Wales Extrasolar Planet Search: a catalogue of variable stars from fields observed 2004--2007, astro-ph
February 1, 2008
Astrobiology Science News 2 February 2008
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