Overview of analogue science activities at the McGill Arctic Research Station,Axel Heiberg Island,Canadian High Arctic |
| |
Authors: | Wayne Pollard Tim Haltigin Lyle Whyte Thomas Niederberger Dale Andersen Christopher Omelon Jay Nadeau Miles Ecclestone Martin Lebeuf |
| |
Institution: | 1. Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Crystallography and Mineralogy, University of Valladolid, Ave. Francisco Vallés, 8, Boecillo 47151, Spain;2. Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao, Spain;3. Institut d''Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, France;4. Department of Geosciences, Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics, University of Oslo, Norway |
| |
Abstract: | The Canadian High Arctic contains several of the highest fidelity Mars analogue sites in the world. Situated at nearly 80° north, Expedition Fjord on Axel Heiberg Island is located within a polar desert climate, with the surrounding landscape and conditions providing an invaluable opportunity to examine terrestrial processes in a cold, dry environment. Through the Canadian Space Agency's Analogue Research Network program, scientific activities based out of the McGill Arctic Research Station (M.A.R.S.) are extremely broad in scope, representing physical, biological, and technological investigations. Some of the most unique hydrogeologic features under investigation near M.A.R.S. are a series of cold saline springs that maintain liquid-state flow year round regardless of air temperature. Previous studies have examined their geomorphic relation to discharge-related formations, water chemistry, temperature monitoring, discharge rates, and combined flow/thermal modeling. Recent investigations have identified microbial communities and characterized biological activity within the springs and within permafrost sections, having direct relevance to astrobiological analogue research goals. Another main thrust of research activities based at M.A.R.S. pertains to the detection, mapping, and quantification of subsurface ice deposits. A long-term study is presently underway examining polygonal terrain, comparing surficial patterns found in the region with those identified on Mars, and using surface morphology to estimate ice wedge volumes through a combination of aerial photography interpretation and ground-based geophysical techniques. Other technological developments include the use of in situ microscopy for the detection of biomarkers and improved permafrost drilling techniques. This paper presents an overview of previous studies undertaken at M.A.R.S. over the past decades and will describe in detail both present and upcoming work. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录! |
|