Structural parallels between terrestrial microbialites and Martian sediments: are all cases of "Pareidolia"?

Rizzo, Vincenzo and Cantasano, Nicola (2016) Structural parallels between terrestrial microbialites and Martian sediments: are all cases of "Pareidolia"? International Journal of Astrobiology. pp. 1-20.

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Abstract

The study analyzes possible parallels of the microbialite known structures with a set of similar settings selected by a systematic investigation from the wide record and data set of images shot by NASA rovers. Terrestrial cases involve structures both due to bio-mineralization processes and those induced by bacterial metabolism, that occur in a dimensional field longer than 0.1 mm, at micro, meso and macro scales. The study highlights occurrence on Martian sediments of widespread structures like microspherules, often organized into some higher order settings. Such structures also occur on terrestrial stromatolites in a great variety of “Microscopic Induced Sedimentary Structures” (MISS), such as voids, gas domes and layer deformations of microbial mats. We present a suite of analogies so compelling (i.e. different scales of morphological, structural and conceptual relevance), to make the case that similarities between Martian sediment structures and terrestrial microbialites are not all cases of “Pareidolia”.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	biogenic environment, Martian sediments, NASA Rovers, structural parallels, terrestrial microbialites
Subjects:	500 Scienze naturali e Matematica 500 Scienze naturali e Matematica > 500.5 Scienze spaziali 500 Scienze naturali e Matematica > 500.5 Scienze spaziali > 500.5'072 Scienze spaziali - Ricerca (Ricerca spaziale)
Depositing User:	Dr Nicola Cantasano
Date Deposited:	18 Apr 2017 08:36
Last Modified:	18 Apr 2017 08:36
URI:	http://eprints.bice.rm.cnr.it/id/eprint/16154

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