The Astrobiology Network

Astrobiology Science News 24 August 2010

HAT-P-25b: a Hot-Jupiter Transiting a Moderately Faint G Star, astro-ph
HAT-P-17b,c: A Transiting, Eccentric, Hot Saturn and a Long-period, Cold Jupiter, astro-ph
Detecting Oceans on Extrasolar Planets Using the Glint Effect, astro-ph
Re-assessing the radial-velocity evidence for planets around CoRoT-7, astro-ph
The Rossiter-McLaughlin Effect of the Transiting Exoplanet XO-4b, astro-ph
About the possible role of hydrocarbon lakes in the origin of Titan's noble gas atmospheric depletion, astro-ph
XMM-Newton observations of HD189733 during planetary transits, astro-ph

Astrobiology Science News 23 August 2010

Kepler Guest Observer Program

The Kepler Guest Observer Program solicits proposals for the acquisition and analysis of new scientific data from the Kepler mission, which is the tenth mission launched under NASA's Discovery Program. During its 3.5-year prime mission, Kepler will continuously monitor a ~100 square degree field-of-view (FOV) in the Cygnus region (alpha=19h 22m 40s, delta=44* 30' 00"), with the objective of photometrically detecting transits of Earth-size planets in the habitable zones (HZ) of stars in the solar neighborhood. The instrument's high-precision photometry capability, with two available cadence modes (1 minute and 30-minute), provides a powerful tool for asteroseismology research and other variability analyses of both Galactic and extragalactic sources.

This amendment alters the due date for proposal submission to 11:59 pm EST Dec 17, 2010, specifies that the data proprietary periods will be 12 months for all quarters of cycle 3, and makes some other small changes to the text.

Table 2 and 3 of the Summary of Solicitation for this NRA, and the text of Appendix D.5 have been updated to reflect this change in due date.

This Amendment to the NASA Research Announcement "Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2010" (NNH10ZDA001N) is posted on the NASA research opportunity homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select "Solicitations" then "Open Solicitations" then "NNH10ZDA001N"). You can now track amendments, clarifications and corrections to ROSES and subscribe to an RSS feed at: http://nasascience.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/grant-solicitations/roses-2010

Questions regarding the Kepler GO Program may be addressed to Dr. Douglas Hudgins, Astrophysics Division (Mail Code 3Y28), Science Missions Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington Dc 20546-0001; Telephone (202) 358-0988, Email: douglas.m.hudgins@nasa.gov

Source: NAI Newsletter

ROSES-10 Amendment 12: Due Date delayed for C.16 Planetary Instrument Definition and Development (PIDD) Program

The Planetary Instrument Definition and Development (PIDD) program solicits proposals to define and develop scientific instruments or components of such instruments to the point where the instruments may be proposed in response to future announcements of flight opportunity without additional extensive technology development.

This amendment delays the proposal due date for C.16 Planetary Instrument Definition and Development (PIDD) Program. Programmatic schedule conflicts at NASA Headquarters have postponed the PIDD peer review and hence the date when SMD must have proposals. A corresponding deferral of the PIDD due date will provide the community additional time to prepare proposals. The proposal due date for PIDD has been changed to Friday, September 17, 2010. Table 2 and Table 3 of the Summary of Solicitation for this NRA have been updated to reflect this change.

This Amendment to the NASA Research Announcement "Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2010" (NNH10ZDA001N) isposted on the NASA research opportunity homepage at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select "Solicitations" then "Open Solicitations" then "NNH10ZDA001N"). You can now track amendments, clarifications and corrections to ROSES and subscribe to an RSS feed at: http://nasascience.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/grant-solicitations/roses-2010

Questions concerning PIDD may be addressed to Janice Buckner, Planetary Science Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546-0001; Telephone: (202) 358-0183; Email: janice.l.buckner@nasa.gov.

Source: NAI Newsletter

AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science

The AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science, established in 2010, recognizes early-career scientists and engineers who demonstrate excellence in their contribution to public engagement with science activities. A monetary prize of $5,000, a commemorative plaque, complimentary registration to the AAAS Annual Meeting, and reimbursement for reasonable hotel and travel expenses to attend the AAAS Annual Meeting to receive the prize are given to the recipient.

For the purposes of this award, public engagement activities are defined as the individual's active participation in efforts to engage with the public on science- and technology-related issues and promote meaningful dialogue between science and society.

The award will be given at the AAAS Annual Meeting.

For more information: http://www.aaas.org/aboutaaas/awards/public_engagement/

Source: NAI Newsletter

Call for Abstracts: Astrobiology Related Sessions at the 2010 AGU Fall Meeting

Meeting Dates: December 13-17, 2010
Abstract Submission Deadline: September 2, 2010.

The following is a list of some of the astrobiology-related sessions that will be held at the 2010 AGU fall meeting. For more information and to submit an abstract: http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm10/program/abstract_submissions.php

]]> B16: Process-based Approaches in Geobiology: Understanding Modern and Ancient Systems

This session provides an interdisciplinary forum for research on organism-environment interactions and their coevolution over geologic time. We solicit innovative contributions that address critical problems in geobiology, ranging from studies of chemical and physical proxies in ancient sedimentary rocks, to those examining modern processes. Approaches may include: multi-proxy isotope studies, novel isotope systems (e.g. Fe, Mg), organic geochemistry, microbial physiology, and molecular evolution. Studies of particular interest shed light on the geobiological processes that control the redox budget of the fluid Earth, microbial and eukaryotic evolution, large-scale climate change, and mass extinctions.

B18: Paleoecology of Climate Change in Pre-Neogene Continental Environments

High resolution climate proxy and fossil records have opened a new window into how terrestrial and freshwater biotas responded to climate change in the geological record prior to 20 million years ago. This session will explore how these climate and paleoecological records, in concert with refined geochronological control, have revised our understanding of major paleoenvironmental changes during the Phanerozoic, including mass extinctions, hothouse/icehouse worlds, and bolide impacts. The goal of this session is to present novel high resolution records from different spatial and temporal scales that address how continental biotas responded to major climate events in Earth history prior to the Neogene.

B19: Omics Approaches to Geobiology

Genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics generate an abundance of sequence information about natural communities. These -omics data offer unprecedented opportunities for linking geochemistry and biology to answer questions about energy flow and elemental requirements at the scale of individual cells to entire communities. This session welcomes contributions that integrate molecular and geochemical approaches to understand the formation and function of microbial communities in a range of environments including hydrothermal, soil, and aquatic ecosystems.

B24: Cryospheric Biogeochemistry - Microbially Mediated Processes Within Ice, Water and Till.

There is increasing realization that microbial processes occur on the surface, within and beneath glaciers and ice sheets. Cryoconite holes are oases of biological activity on glacier surfaces, microorganisms survive the journey from surface snow through to the bed of the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets, and most subglacial aquatic environments are colonized by microorganisms, which span the range of REDOX conditions from fully oxygenated to fully anoxic. The state-of-the-science revolves around how microbial processes map onto the diverse range of cryospheric aquatic environments, from ice veins to channels and lakes, and the impact that they have on glacial water and gas geochemistry.

B25: Biogeochemical Cycling in Glacial Ecosystems

Despite the fact that glacial ecosystems in many regions are being rapidly altered by climate change, relatively little is known about their biogeochemical dynamics. Here we seek contributions that address biogeochemical cycling along the glacial continuum - from glacial ice to sub-glacial and recently deglaciated soils to pro-glacial streams and rivers. In particular, we are interested in research that provides new insights into the biogeochemical functioning of glacier ecosystems and how they may be impacted by continued climate warming. We intend for this session to bring together research on terrestrial, glacial, and aquatic biogeochemistry within glacial ecosystems.

B40: Mission to Mars and Beyond: What Can We Learn About Life Detection From Exploring Extremes on Earth

Analog research projects are an important tool for developing and validating mission concepts, exploration strategies, science operations, and prototype technologies. These science investigations entail field research in terrestrial environments that are analogous to those found on other planets, past or present. Analog missions are used to test hypotheses on the limits to life on Earth and habitability elsewhere, and to validate biosignature detection techniques and contamination mitigation strategies. Results from analog mission activities are solicited. This session will be run in conjunction with a co-located workshop focused on analogs for Mars Science Laboratory landing sites.

B43: Drilling Deep Time: Windows into Earth's Early Biosphere

The emergence of the modern biosphere was presaged by key environmental and evolutionary transitions during the first half of Earth history. These transitions are dimly discerned because of the paucity and poor preservation of surface exposures. A diverse set of drilling projects from around the globe are opening new windows into this time, transforming our understanding of Earth's early biosphere. This session welcomes the latest results from recent and ongoing efforts, emphasizing, but not limited to, the Archean Eon.

B48: Geochemical Signals of Early Diagenesis

Early diagenesis encompasses a variety of microbially mediated reactions that oxidize organic carbon. The environment of early diagenesis is one of the most biogeochemically dynamic settings on the planet, impacting budgets and fluxes of carbon, trace metals, nutrients and gas (methane) hydrates. Moreover, these processes can have significant impact on sedimentary records of biogeochemical tracers/proxies. It is thus important to identify geochemical signals of early diagenesis and to quantify the fluxes and impacts of these diagenetic reactions. This session invites abstracts from multidisciplinary science that, through the novel biogeochemical analyses or modeling, has identified or quantified biogeochemical signals of early diagenesis.

B57: Geochemistry and Geobiology of Terrestrial Thermal Systems

Terrestrial hydro/geothermal systems are globally distributed, are hosted by many geological environments, and are home to a vast array of microbial ecosystems. This session invites abstracts on all aspects of the geochemistry, mineralogy, micro- and molecular biology of terrestrial thermal systems across geologic (subduction zones, volcanoes, hotspots, latently-heated orogenic systems) and geographic settings (Iceland, Chile, Italy, Kamchatka, New Zealand, United States). The goal is to explore similarities and differences among terrestrial hydro/geothermal environments; integrate current understanding of these systems; and develop new understanding of the range and variability in their chemical and biological diversity.

OS08: Trace Metals in Sulfidic Environments

Anoxic and sulfidic environments can exert a strong influence on the biogeochemical cycles of trace metals. In such environments, metals react with sulfide to form metal-sulfide complexes, which can be insoluble. These interactions have implications for metal speciation and hence bioavailability. Sequestration of metals in both modern and ancient sulfidic settings is an active area of research. The same is true for the uptake and bioaccumulation of trace metals by anaerobic microorganisms. This session will encompass both abiotic and biotic studies of trace metal reactivity in sulfidic systems. We aim to increase dialogue between researchers working with different approaches, such as experimental methods, in situ measurements and biogeochemical modeling.

P05: Eyes on Enceladus

During the past 6 years, the Saturn-orbiting spacecraft Cassini has made several close flybys of the small active world, Enceladus, and several more are planned over the next 7 years. Observational and theoretical results accumulated thus far indicate a high likelihood that this body houses within it a liquid watery environment containing the essential ingredients required for a habitable zone. In this session, we will focus on the most recent observational and theoretical findings on the chemistry, state and dynamics of Enceladus' jets and plumes, the moon's thermal and interior state, and geologic activity, as well as its astrobiological potential. New results from the 2010 Cassini flybys of Enceladus that bear on these topics should be directed to this session.

P10: Planetary Analogs: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Certain modern environments and their ancient records found on Earth act as a basis of comparison to other places in our Solar System. These analog sites help us understand potentially important processes and systems, like the nature and preservation of biosignatures. They also provide testing grounds for instruments, rovers and mission operations scenarios. There are terrestrial analogs for dry, cold and acid Mars and even the icy moons of the outer planets. However, they are not ideal analogs, and experimental investigations can only simulate limited aspects of planetary environments. In this session we seek a broad range of contributions that discuss work on planetary analogs, their merits and deficiencies, and relevance to future missions.

P11: Titan's Methane Cycle and its Effect on the Surface

Titan's methane cycle is a major contributor to the formation of features seen on the surface, such as lakes, seas, rivers, and dunes. As seasons change, observations can search for possible related surface and atmospheric changes. This session will focus on the latest Cassini and ground-based results. Theoretical work that can help explain recently reported observations is also encouraged.

P12: Planetary Radar Investigations: Observations, Theory, Lab Measurements, Field Analogues, and Future Opportunities

Radar has become an increasingly utilized tool for investigating the surface and subsurface properties of planets, moons and other Solar System objects. Such techniques provide important insights into their composition, structure and evolution, the potential existence of habitable environments, and the availability of critical in situ resources for supporting future human exploration. Abstracts addressing radar results from current missions, Earth-based observations, theoretical and laboratory analyses relevant to the interpretation of radar data, field investigations of analogue environments, and potential future radar investigations, are specifically encouraged.

P15: The Potential for Water-Organics Interactions on Titan

Is there liquid water on Titan? Impact melting, cryovolcanism or an internal ocean are all reasonable possibilities for water sources on Titan, with the potential for mixing organics with liquid water. In this session we wish to address a wide range of materials and environments, including regoliths, cryovolcanic flows, and fluvial and aeolian systems, that impact the presence or absence of liquid water and its possible formation and evolution. Comparisons with Ganymede and Callisto are encouraged. Observations, laboratory experiments and modeling relating to the presence of liquid water are also solicited.

P17: Icy Ocean Worlds

Strong evidence exists for liquid water oceans in several of the Solar System's icy worlds. These include the icy Galilean satellites Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, as well as Saturn's moons Titan and Enceladus. Some medium-sized icy bodies, including Triton and the icy dwarf planets, may also contain (or have once contained) oceans. This session encourages presentations related to oceans within icy bodies, including their geological and geophysical signatures, composition, material exchange processes, and potential habitability.

Source: NAI Newsletter

NASA's Earth Science Division and Astrobiology Program

NASA Request For Information: The Past, Present, and Future of Life on Earth: Scientific Connections between NASA's Earth Science Division and Astrobiology Program

Solicitation Number: NNH10ZDA010L
Release Date: July 30, 2010
Response Date: October 29, 2010
Classification Code: A -- Research and Development

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is soliciting information on connections and synergies between the research goals of the NASA Astrobiology Program and those of the NASA Earth Science Division. The Earth Science Division supports research activities that address the fundamental questions: How is the Earth changing and what are the consequences for life on Earth? It does so by supporting research into: the variability of the Earth system, the forcings of this variability, the response of the Earth system to change, the consequences of changes in the Earth system, and how we might improve our ability to predict future changes. NASA's Astrobiology Program is dedicated to addressing three fundamental questions: "How does life begin and evolve?" "Does life exist elsewhere in the universe?" "What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?" The two programs thus share a focus on life in the Earth system, including the conditions on Earth that allow an abundance and diversity of life to flourish, interactions between the biosphere and its planetary environment, and the future of life on Earth. This request seeks the broadest level of community input on areas in which research addressing the goals of one program has potential impact on achieving the goals of the other.

Responses to this Request for Information (RFI) will be used by NASA program managers in both the Earth Science Division and Astrobiology Program to consider possible joint research topics, scoping workshops or other joint program activities. However, the issuance of this RFI does not imply a new NASA commitment of funding by either program.

For more information: http://bit.ly/dzRxTQ

AbGradCon 2011

Aspiring astrobiologists should report to Montana State University in Bozeman, Montanta on June 5-8th 2011 for AbGradCon 2011, the world's leading astrobiology conference for graduate students and early career scientists. Students and post-docs from a variety of fields are invited to participate in this event which will feature oral presentations, poster sessions, public outreach, and a field trip to Yellowstone National Park. For more information: http://www.abgradcon2011.org/

Source: NAI Newsletter

Ph.D. Support Available: Universite Paris-SUD 11

Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), UMR 8617

Studies on organic matter with a potentially prebiotic interest : from the Interstellar Medium to the Solar Nebula and the Oceans on Primitive Earth

The goal of this thesis is to compare the soluble organic phase from various meteorites and compare their compositions with our organic residues from the laboratory. Thus traditional contamination problems arising from weathering and poor manipulations will be greatly reduced. The main goal can be divided into three items (1) to analyze the soluble organic matter of meteorites according to their classification, (2) to evaluate once and for all if ice photo and thermo chemistry is important not only in ISM objects but also in the ecosphere of the Solar Nebula and on primitive telluric planets and finally (3) to propose to more specialized chemists a more realistic prebiotic "soup" possibly leading to the first autocatalytic molecules. Emphasis will be given to scenarios that are relevant to our knowledge of primitive Solar System and planetary evolution as IAS has an important scientific activity in these fields.

This subject is thus largely interdisciplinary (chemistry, physical-chemistry and astrophysics). The candidate (M/F), must be in possession of a MsC in any domain related to this interdisciplinary activity. Special attention will be given to experience in physical-chemistry and/or analytical chemistry. In any case, the candidate should have an experimentalist profile, ready to devote much time in the laboratory. IAS is an institute of fundamental research with application to space instrumentation, running and exploiting space instruments. About 200 people work there (around 80 scientists), an average of 15 Ph.D. students and 15 post-docs. The scientific environment within the laboratory and the Orsay Campus, not far from Paris, is truly exceptional.

For more information, please contact:

Louis d'Hendecourt
Equipe " Astrochimie et Origines "
Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale
Campus Universitaire d'Orsay
Bat 121 - 91405 Orsay Cedex
Tel : +33(0)1 69 85 86 40/+33(0)6 13 16 25 38
E-mail : Louis.DHendecourt@ias.u-psud.fr

Donia Baklouti
Equipe " Astrochimie et Origines "
Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale
Campus Universitaire d'Orsay
Bat 121 - 91405 Orsay Cedex
Tel : +33(0)1 69 85 87 88
E-mail : donia.baklouti@ias.u-psud.fr

Source: NAI Newsletter

Earth-Like Planets May Be Shielded From Solar Scorching

Many of our galaxy's suns have destroyed the atmospheres of orbiting Earth-like planets--or so astrobiologists have long feared. The Milky Way, they note, is dominated by M dwarf stars: violent, unpredictable suns that frequently hurl high-energy particles and solar flares into space. Because they are much cooler than our sun, any potentially habitable planet would need to orbit them much closer than Earth does, putting it smack in the danger zone. But a new study from NAI's Virtual Planetary Laboratory Team indicates that these planets may be unexpectedly shielded from solar activity, keeping life safe. The study will appear in an upcoming edition of Astrobiology.

Source: NAI Newsletter

NAI Minority Institution Research Support (MIRS) Program Solicitation Released

Release Date: July 9, 2010
Notices of Intent Due: August 6, 2010
Proposals Due: October 7, 2010
Identification Number: NNA10339208C

On July 9, 2010, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center released a Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) for the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) Minority Institution Research Support (MIRS) Program. The full text of the CAN solicitation is available at http://nspires.nasaprs.com/.

The NAI MIRS Program is intended to help train a new generation of researchers in astrobiology and to increase diversity within the astrobiology community. This solicitation seeks proposals to continue the process of recruiting and retaining underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by involving faculty and students from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) in astrobiology research.

Under this CAN, NASA Ames is soliciting proposals from accredited US institutions of higher education, non-profit higher education professional organizations, and consortia of those types of organizations and institutions, to administer the MIRS program. Proposals from MSIs and non-profit organizations serving underrepresented students are strongly encouraged. Other organizations, including for-profit organizations with a demonstrable capability to engage minority populations, are also eligible to propose.

The period of performance for the award resulting from this solicitation is a maximum of four years. NASA expects to award one Cooperative Agreement to take effect in early 2011. The estimated total value of the award is projected to be $0.8M - $1.0M.

Source: NAI Newsletter

AbGradCon 2010 a Success

The 2010 Astrobiology Graduate Student Conference (AbGradCon) was held from June 14-18 this year in Taellberg, Sweden. Eighty-eight participants from 29 different countries attended the meeting, which brought together early-career scientists in the field of astrobiology. The conference schedule included oral sessions on exoplanets, astronomy and life, habitability, weird life, biosignatures and Mars, all of which were video streamed live via the web. There were also participant-led, discussion-oriented workshops on various topics within the field of astrobiology, covering topics ranging from future missions to rocky planets, to habitability, to the origin of life. The third day of the event included an excursion into the Siljan crater area, a known impact crater structure located close by. Participants traveled to various sites of geological interest within the impact structure to study the effects of impacts, and had the opportunity to observe strata that had been distorted by the impact, as well as to search for fossils in outcrops near the crater boundary. The AbGradCon tradition will be carried on in 2011, where it is currently planned to take place in Bozeman, Montana. For more information: http://www.abgradcon2010.org/

Source: NAI Newsletter

NAI Minority Institution Research Support (MIRS) Program Solicitation Released

Release Date: July 9, 2010
Notices of Intent Due: August 6, 2010
Proposals Due: October 7, 2010
Selection Announcement: December 21, 2010
Identification Number: NNA10339208C

Under this CAN, NASA Ames is soliciting proposals from accredited US institutions of higher education, non-profit higher education professional organizations, and consortia of those types of organizations and institutions. Proposals from MSIs and non-profit organizations serving underrepresented students are strongly encouraged. Other organizations, including for-profit organizations, with a demonstrable capability to engage minority populations are also eligible to propose.

The period of performance for the award resulting from this solicitation is a maximum of four years. NASA expects to award one Cooperative Agreement to take effect on February 1, 2011. The estimated total value of the award is projected to be $0.8M - $1.0M.

Cool Video With Exotic Non-Earthly Life

Call for Abstracts: 2010 GSA Meeting Session T110, 'Mountain Formation and Landscape Evolution in the Solar System: Implications for the Origin of Life'

Abstract Submission Deadline: August 10, 2010

2010 Geological Society of America National Meeting: T110, Mountain Formation and Landscape Evolution in the Solar System: Implications for the Origin of Life.

Organizers: Joseph Kula, Suzanne L. Baldwin

Session Summary: Terrestrial mountain formation in the solar system is related to thermal decay, tectonics, and impact events. The processes and timescales of landscape evolution will be explored with implications for the origin and search for life.

For more information: http://geosociety.org/meetings/2010/sessions/topical.asp?SponsorID=GSA+Planetary+Geology+Division