Sustainability of Extreme Microbial Ecosystems to the Comprehensive Impact of Physical Factors of the Martian Regolith
- Authors: Cheptsov V.S.1,2, Vorobyova E.A.1,2, Polyanskaya L.M.1, Gorlenko M.V.1, Pavlov A.K.3, Lomasov V.N.4
-
Affiliations:
- Department of Soil Science
- Space Research Institute
- Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute
- Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University
- Issue: Vol 73, No 3 (2018)
- Pages: 119-123
- Section: Soil Biology
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/0147-6874/article/view/174705
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S0147687418030043
- ID: 174705
Cite item
Abstract
As the key parameters of the Martian regolith, we have studied the combined effect of gamma radiation (1 and 10 kGy), low temperature (–50°C), and low pressure (1 Torr) on the microbial communities of extreme ecotopes of Earth to estimate the duration of cryopreservation of hypothetical Martian ecosystems in a viable state. The obtained data suggest that cryopreservation of viable microorganisms in the surface layer of the regolith is possible for at least 130000 years; at a depth of 30 cm, for 170000 years; at a depth of 2 m (the depth which the ExoMars 2020 mission must reach), for 330000 years; and at a depth of 5 m, for 2 million years.
Keywords
About the authors
V. S. Cheptsov
Department of Soil Science; Space Research Institute
Author for correspondence.
Email: cheptcov.vladimir@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow, 119991; Moscow, 117997
E. A. Vorobyova
Department of Soil Science; Space Research Institute
Email: cheptcov.vladimir@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow, 119991; Moscow, 117997
L. M. Polyanskaya
Department of Soil Science
Email: cheptcov.vladimir@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow, 119991
M. V. Gorlenko
Department of Soil Science
Email: cheptcov.vladimir@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow, 119991
A. K. Pavlov
Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute
Email: cheptcov.vladimir@gmail.com
Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, 194021
V. N. Lomasov
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University
Email: cheptcov.vladimir@gmail.com
Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, 195251
Supplementary files
