Lakewood High School
Mars Student Imaging Project MSIP
Big Picture Question
Can we identify places on Mars where life could be
possible?
Big Picture Question
❖ Can we identify places on Mars where life could be possible?
➢ If bacteria can survive in an Earth like environment, then life can survive on Mars because
Earth houses several bacterias.
➢ Scientists have evidence that water has been on Mars in the past. If water has previously been
on Mars, then that might give us proof that life has lived on Mars in the past because some
microorganisms can survive in water.
Introduction
We have been researching whether or not life can survive on Mars.We started our
research with the polar ice caps. Knowing that the ice could melt and be a good
survival source for life, but we had to find more possible ways for life to survive.
We do know that Mars and Earth have many similarities including rocks/minerals,
polar ice caps, and we have found landforms that could have only been made by
water or some other liquid. Seeing all of these landforms we wondered if life really
could live on Mars. Our class started to do our research based on where life could
live on Mars and how it could survive.
Background
Why we are interested in life on Mars:
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Mars shows many similarities to earth, like day length, landforms, and
rocks/minerals.
Water is on Mars, and there is a lot of evidence that shows proof of water,
like materials Mars Rovers have discovered, landforms with water traits,
and the polar ice caps on the North and South Pole of Mars.
Although water makes us question the possibility of life, radiation is much
more intense on Mars, making it seem like living conditions are too
extreme.
Temperature and minerals available also makes the living conditions
extreme, but there are some natural materials for life to rely on.
Some life has been put through tests to see if they can survive Mars’
extreme climate, and some lichens and cyanobacteria can survive.
Background
We saw water
channels on the
surface of Mars that
are very intriguing
and interesting,
making us wonder if
life can live in these
areas where water
was once present.
Rovers found
evidence of past
water, like
mudstone found
by the Curiosity
rover.
Organic minerals like
carbon have been
found in Mars
meteorites. ALH 8400
even had a bacterial
shape inside the rock
which was possibly a
fossil of ancient martian
life.
Research Question and Hypothesis
Research question: Can we identify places on Mars where life is possible?
Hypothesis: If there are any Earth-like environments on Mars, then we could find
bacteria in that environment because Earth is already home to many bacterias.
Why the hypothesis should be supported: In our opinion, we think that the
hypothesis should be supported because in earlier research we found that some
types of bacteria can survive in extreme conditions on Earth, such as deserts,
which suggests that it could survive on Mars without too much help.
Methods
Data Collection Plan
In order to try and locate areas on Mars where life is possible we must have guide
lines in which there are components of life. The guide lines we chose are:
1) Find areas with high amounts of water on JMARS by using the HEND Fast
layer we will also use the Hematite layer to find more evidence of previous
water.
2) Find areas with high surface temperature on JMARS by using the Themis
Stamps Investigate layer.
3) We will also use the 2012 Glacier Like Form Database to find areas that can
contain a lot of possible water because Mars glaciers are thought to be a lot
like Earth glaciers.
4) The next layer was the Cl Concentration layer also found on JMARS because
Methods
Control
Methods used to control this experiment:
Water and temperature were both constants in the graphs made for the
experiment. In order to control the data that was collected, the Hend Fast, NS
Thermal layers, TES Sulfate Abundance and the Themis Stamps-Investigate layer
were used to ensure that the data is collected in the same way without introducing
outside variables. In the JMARS Data table three different locations were chosen
for data collection: (351.5E, 5.88N), (0E, -87S), (353.91E, -2.41S). The images
were also retrieved from Themis Images, JMARS Screenshots, and Google
Images.
Method
Criteria
Hot springs are
placed in deep
craters that have
steep slopes. They
are similar looking
to mounds and
have particular
minerals from
Earth.
This THEMIS false-color
image shows the difference
between mineral composition
on Mars.
Method
Criteria
The picture to the
right is an insight
into how much
Hematite is near
the ancient hot
spring found on
Mars. The red
shows the
hematite on the
layer.
Method Criteria
Longitude : 77.469E
Latitude: -47.687
(bottom red mass)
Hydrothermal vents
shoot out mainly very
fine-grained sulfide,
which cools and
solidifies as black
chimney-like
sculptures. White
chimneys form from
deposits of barium,
calcium, and silicon.
Methods
Sample Data Table
JMARS Data
287.188E, -6.063N
Valles Marineris
Temperature
(Themis Stamps,
Investigate Layer)
Water (Hend fast)
2012 Glacier Like
Form Database
TES Hematite
Abundance Layer
112.893E, -38.594N
Greg Crater
655.5E, 6N
Vernal Crater (past
hot spring)
JMARS Data
Methods
Data Table
JMARS
Layers:
287.188E, -6.063N
Valles Marineris
112.893E, -38.594N
Greg Crater
655.5E, 6N
Vernal Crater (past
hot spring)
Temperature
(Themis Stamps,
Investigate Layer)
229.807 Kelvins
(Second Highest
Temp.)
253.597 Kelvins
(Highest Temp.)
221.782 Kelvins
(Lowest Temp.)
Water (Hend fast)
Lime green: Medium
amount
Yellow-orange:
Medium low amount
Orange-yellow:
Medium low amount
2012 Glacier Like
Form Database
Very low
concentration of
glacial like forms
High concentration
of glacial like forms
Moderate
concentration of
glacial like forms
TES Hematite
Abundance Layer
Mostly light blue,
some green:
Medium low amount
All dark blue, some
light blue: Low
amount
All blue: Low
amount
Data
highest
middle
lowest
Data
Data Analysis
Our data relates to our big picture question because hematite is a good indication
of water which is a necessity to life. Hematite is a mineral that is typically found in
standing water or hot spring on earth. Out of the three coordinates we chose Greg
crater because it has the highest temperature . It's good to analyze the hematite,
temperature and water on Mars because they are good indications of where life
could be most likely to survive.
Data Analysis
Error analysis
Misinterpreted JMARS layers
Limited data
Not enough/false research of our coordinates because of new findings
Imperfect measurements
Measurement levels
JMARS system errors
Miscommunication about JMARS in general
Mistyped coordinates
Next steps?
Send a rover to research more areas
Collect more data for what chemicals are needed for life to form
Look for more places with high temperatures and water/past water
Analyze the given points we studied by satellite
Research more components of life
References
Salt deposits found in Martian highlands." Salt deposits found in Martian highlands | Mars Odyssey Mission THEMIS. N.p., n.d. Web.
24 Mar. 2017.
Leibach, Julie. "To Survive on Mars, BYO Bacteria." Science Friday. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2017.
US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "What is a hydrothermal vent?" NOAA's National
Ocean Service. N.p., 01 Feb. 2009. Web. 31 Mar. 2017.
Editor, Andrea Thompson OurAmazingPlanet Managing. "More Details Emerge on Possible Mars Hot Springs." Space.com. N.p., n.d.
Web. 10 Apr. 2017.
"Chloride salts on Mars may have preserved past life." New Scientist. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.
JMARS - Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2017.
Dunbar, Brian. "NASA Rover Finds Conditions Once Suited for Ancient Life on Mars." NASA. NASA, 19 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 Mar.
2017.
“The Lure of Hematite”. NASA. NASA, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2017.