Application of pulsed‐excitation fluorescence imager for daylight detection of sparse life in tests in the Atacama Desert

S Weinstein; D Pane; L. A Ernst; K Warren‐Rhodes; J. M Dohm; A. N Hock; J. L Piatek; S Emani; F Lanni; M Wagner; G. W Fisher; E Minkley; L. E Dansey; T Smith; E. A Grin; K Stubbs; G Thomas; C. S Cockell; L Marinangeli; G. G Ori; S Heys; J. P Teza; J. E Moersch; P Coppin; G. Chong Diaz; D. S Wettergreen; N. A Cabrol; A. S Waggoner

doi:10.1029/2006JG000319

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Application of pulsed‐excitation fluorescence imager for daylight detection of sparse life in tests in the Atacama Desert

Journal article

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Application of pulsed‐excitation fluorescence imager for daylight detection of sparse life in tests in the Atacama Desert

S Weinstein, D Pane, L. A Ernst, K Warren‐Rhodes, J. M Dohm, A. N Hock, J. L Piatek, S Emani, F Lanni, M Wagner, …

Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Vol.113(G1), pp.G01S90-n/a

03/2008

DOI: 10.1029/2006JG000319

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Abstract

A daylight fluorescence imager was deployed on an autonomous rover, Zoë, to detect life on the surface and shallow subsurface in regions of the Atacama Desert in Chile during field tests between 2003 and 2005. In situ fluorescent measurements were acquired from naturally fluorescing biomolecules such as chlorophyll and from specific fluorescent probes sprayed on the samples, targeting each of the four biological macromolecule classes: DNA, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate. RGB context images were also acquired. Preparatory reagents were applied to enhance the dye probe penetration and fluorescence intensity of chlorophyll. Fluorescence imager data sets from 257 samples were returned to the Life in the Atacama science team. A variety of visible life forms, such as lichens, were detected, and several of the dye probes produced signals from nonphotosynthetic microorganisms.

Fluorescence

imager

life

Details

Title: Subtitle: Application of pulsed‐excitation fluorescence imager for daylight detection of sparse life in tests in the Atacama Desert
Creators: S Weinstein - Carnegie Mellon University
D Pane - Carnegie Mellon University
L. A Ernst - Carnegie Mellon University
K Warren‐Rhodes - SETI Institute
J. M Dohm - University of Arizona
A. N Hock - University of California Los Angeles
J. L Piatek - University of Tennessee
S Emani - Carnegie Mellon University
F Lanni - Carnegie Mellon University
M Wagner - Carnegie Mellon University
G. W Fisher - Carnegie Mellon University
E Minkley - Carnegie Mellon University
L. E Dansey - Carnegie Mellon University
T Smith - Carnegie Mellon University
E. A Grin - NASA Ames Research Center
K Stubbs - Carnegie Mellon University
G Thomas - University of Iowa
C. S Cockell - Open University
L Marinangeli - International Research School of Planetary Sciences
G. G Ori - International Research School of Planetary Sciences
S Heys - Carnegie Mellon University
J. P Teza - Carnegie Mellon University
J. E Moersch - University of Tennessee
P Coppin - Carnegie Mellon University
G. Chong Diaz - Universidad Católica del Norte
D. S Wettergreen - Carnegie Mellon University
N. A Cabrol - SETI Institute
A. S Waggoner - Carnegie Mellon University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Vol.113(G1), pp.G01S90-n/a
DOI: 10.1029/2006JG000319
ISSN: 0148-0227
eISSN: 2156-2202
Number of pages: 11
Language: English
Date published: 03/2008
Academic Unit: Orthopedics and Rehabilitation; Industrial and Systems Engineering
Record Identifier: 9984040532202771

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