International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences

  • 제15권4호
  • /
  • Pages.419-433
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  • 2014
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  • 2093-274X(pISSN)
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  • 2093-2480(eISSN)
한국항공우주학회 (The Korean Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences)
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Opportunity Rover's image analysis: Microbialites on Mars?

  • Bianciardi, Giorgio (Dept. Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena) ;
  • Rizzo, Vincenzo (National Research Council) ;
  • Cantasano, Nicola (National Research Council, Institute for Agricultural and Forest Systems in the Mediterranean, Rende Research Unit.)
  • 투고 : 2014.07.08
  • 심사 : 2014.12.11
  • 발행 : 2014.12.30
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초록

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity investigated plains at Meridiani Planum, where laminated sedimentary rocks are present. The Opportunity rover's Athena morphological investigation showed microstructures organized in intertwined filaments of microspherules: a texture we have also found on samples of terrestrial (biogenic) stromatolites and other microbialites. We performed a quantitative image analysis to compare images (n=45) of microbialites with the images (n=30) photographed by the rover (corresponding, approximately, to 25,000/15,000 microstructures). Contours were extracted and morphometric indexes were obtained: geometric and algorithmic complexities, entropy, tortuosity, minimum and maximum diameters. Terrestrial and Martian textures present a multifractal aspect. Mean values and confidence intervals from the Martian images overlapped perfectly with those from the terrestrial samples. The probability of this occurring by chance is $1/2^8$, less than p<0.004. Terrestrial abiogenic pseudostromatolites showed a simple fractal structure and different morphometric values from those of the terrestrial biogenic stromatolite images or Martian images with a less ordered texture (p<0.001). Our work shows the presumptive evidence of microbialites in the Martian outcroppings: i.e., the presence of unicellular life on the ancient Mars.

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