Could life emerge on the icy moons of the Solar System?
Abstract
It has been proposed that the origin of life on Earth occurred at the bottom of the ocean in hydrothermal vents. Recently, an oceanographic expedition to the Gulf of California was carried out to investigate the field of hydrothermal vents that was discovered in 2015 at Pescadero Basin \citep{gof17}. In this field, which is at 3800 meters deep, the hydrothermal fluids record maximum temperatures of 290{o}C and, among their geochemical characteristics, the presence of methane and calcite stands out. However, in spite of all these extreme conditions of temperature, pressure, darkness, and pH a great diversity of organisms was found. We assume that the hydrothermal vents found at Pescadero Basin harbor a community of archaea and thermophilic bacteria intimately related to the geology of the region. In Astrobiology, it has been proposed that on the ocean floor of the satellites Europa and Enceladus there are hydrothermal systems similar to terrestrial that could harbor extremophiles. We want to compare the physical, chemical, biological and geological characteristics of the Pescadero Basin with the conditions estimated in the oceans of Europa and Enceladus to propose a habitability model for the existence of life on them.
- Publication:
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Memorie della Societa Astronomica Italiana
- Pub Date:
- 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019MmSAI..90..614P
- Keywords:
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- Hydrothermal vents;
- Extremophiles: Bacteria;
- Astrobiology: Icy moons