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Models for Silicate Fossils of Organic Materials in the Astrobiological Context

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From Fossils to Astrobiology

Part of the book series: Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology ((COLE,volume 12))

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Abstract

Silicates are abundant on both Earth and Mars, and hold great potential for harboring biosignatures. Biosignatures are signs of past or present life and may be either organic or inorganic in nature. Our most recent work, which we review here, is a survey of how different classes of organic compounds interact with highly basic sodium silicate solution to model the formation of biosignatures in nature. Our work focuses on using IR (infra-red) spectroscopy as a way to determine the mechanisms by which organics are preserved within silicates. Throughout the chapter, we cite relevant studies by others, while still maintaining the focus on the review of our own work. We ultimately summarize how various classes of organics interact with sodium silicate in terms of both physical and spectral properties and describe their astrobiological significance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI, 53141-2000, USA

    Vera M. Kolb & Patrick J. Liesch

Authors
  1. Vera M. Kolb
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  2. Patrick J. Liesch
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Correspondence to Vera M. Kolb or Patrick J. Liesch .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

    Joseph Seckbach

  2. School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    Maud Walsh

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Kolb, V.M., Liesch, P.J. (2009). Models for Silicate Fossils of Organic Materials in the Astrobiological Context. In: Seckbach, J., Walsh, M. (eds) From Fossils to Astrobiology. Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology, vol 12. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8837-7_4

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