Methane has been reported repeatedly in the martian atmosphere but its origin remains an obstinate mystery. Possible sources include aqueous alteration of igneous rocks, release from ancient deposits of methane/water ice clathrates, infall from exogenous sources such as background interplanetary dust, or biological activity. All of these sources are problematic, however. We hypothesise that delivery of cometary material includes meteor outbursts, commonly known as "meteor showers", may explain martian methane plumes. Correlations exist between the appearance of methane and near-approaches between Mars and cometary orbits. Additional correlations are seen between these interactions and the appearance of high-altitude dust clouds on Mars, showing that large amounts of material may be deposited on Mars during these encounters. Methane is released by UV breakdown of delivered cometary material. This hypothesis is testable in future Mars/cometary encounters. A cometary origin for methane would reveal formation of methane through processes that are separate from any geological or biological processes on Mars.

The utility of nondestructive laser Raman for testing the biogenicity of microfossil-like structures in ancient rocks is promising, yet results from deposits like the similar to 3.46 Ga Apex chert remain contentious. The essence of the debate is that associated microstructures, which are not purported to be microfossils, also contain reduced carbon that displays Raman D- and G-band peaks similar to those seen in the purported microfossils. This has led to the hypothesis that all features including reported microfossils are due to compression of nonfossil carbon during crystal growth around quartz spherulites or more angular crystals. In this scenario, the precursor to this macromolecular carbon may or may not have been of biogenic origin, while the arcuate and linear features described would be pseudofossils. To test this hypothesis, we have undertaken 2-D micro-Raman imaging of the Eoleptonema apex holotype and associated features using instrumentation with a high spatial and spectral resolution. In addition to this, we utilized the ratio of two Raman active quartz mode intensities (I-129/I-461) to assess quartz grain orientation and grain-splitting artifacts. These data lead us to conclude that the holotype of Eoleptonema apex is a sheet-shaped pseudofossil that appears to be a carbon infilled intragranular crack; therefore other holotypes should be carefully reexamined for syngenicity. Key Words: Micro-Raman spectroscopy-Microfossils-Life detection-Archean-Apex chert. Astrobiology 16, 169-180.

Purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) are known to couple the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling in euxinic environments. This is the first study with multiple strains and species of okenone-producing PSB to examine the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and sulfur (S) metabolisms and isotopic signatures in controlled laboratory conditions, investigating what isotopic fractionations might be recorded in modern environments and the geologic record. PSB play an integral role in the ecology of euxinic environments and produce the unique molecular fossil okenane, derived from the diagenetic alteration of the carotenoid pigment okenone. Cultures of Marichromatium purpuratum 1591 (Mpurp1591) were observed to have carbon isotope fractionations ((13)epsilon(biomass -) (CO2)), via RuBisCO, ranging from -16.1 to -23.2 parts per thousand during exponential and stationary phases of growth. Cultures of Thiocapsa marina 5653 (Tmar5653) and Mpurp1591 had a nitrogen isotope fractionation ((15)epsilon(biomass -) (NH4)) of -15 parts per thousand, via glutamate dehydrogenase, measured and recorded for the first time in PSB. The S-34(VCDT) values and amount of stored elemental sulfur for Mpurp1591 cells grown autotrophically and photoheterotrophically were dependent upon their carbon metabolic pathways. We show that PSB may contribute to the isotopic enrichments observed in modern and ancient anoxic basins. In a photoheterotrophic culture of Mpurp1591 that switched to autotrophy once the organic substrate was consumed, there were bulk biomass C-13 values that span a broader range than recorded across the Late Devonian, Permian-Triassic, Triassic-Jurassic, and OAE2 mass extinction boundaries. This finding stresses the complexities in interpreting and assigning C-13 values to bulk organic matter preserved in the geologic record.

Okenone is a carotenoid pigment unique to certain members of Chromatiaceae, the dominant family of purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) found in euxinic photic zones. Diagenetic alteration of okenone produces okenane, the only recognized molecular fossil unique to PSB. The in vivo concentrations of okenone and bacteriochlorophyll a (Bchl a) on a per cell basis were monitored and quantified as a function of light intensity in continuous cultures of the purple sulfur bacterium Marichromatium purpuratum (Mpurp1591). We show that okenone-producing PSB have constant bacteriochlorophyll to carotenoid ratios in light-harvesting antenna complexes. The in vivo concentrations of Bchl a, 0.151 +/- 0.012fmolcell(-1), and okenone, 0.103 +/- 0.012fmolcell(-1), were not dependent on average light intensity (10-225Lux) at both steady and non-steady states. This observation revealed that in autotrophic continuous cultures of Mpurp1591, there was a constant ratio for okenone to Bchl a of 1:1.5. Okenone was therefore constitutively produced in planktonic cultures of PSB, regardless of light intensity. This confirms the legitimacy of okenone as a signature for autotrophic planktonic PSB and by extrapolation water column euxinia. We measured the C-13, N-15, and S-34 bulk biomass values from cells collected daily and determined the isotopic fractionations of Mpurp1591. There was no statistical relationship in the bulk isotope measurements or stable isotope fractionations to light intensity or cell density under steady and non-steady-state conditions. The carbon isotope fractionation between okenone and Bchl a with respect to overall bulk biomass ((13)epsilon(pigment-biomass)) was 2.2 +/- 0.4 parts per thousand and -4.1 +/- 0.9 parts per thousand, respectively. The carbon isotopic fractionation ((13)epsilon(pigment - CO2)) for the production of pigments in PSB is more variable than previously thought with our reported values for okenone at -15.5 +/- 1.2 parts per thousand and -21.8 +/- 1.7 parts per thousand for Bchl a.

An increasing number of observations have shown that gaseous debris discs are not an exception. However, until now, we only knew of cases around A stars. Here we present the first detection of (CO)-C-12 (2-1) disc emission around an F star, HD 181327, obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations at 1.3 mm. The continuum and CO emission are resolved into an axisymmetric disc with ring-like morphology. Using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method coupled with radiative transfer calculations, we study the dust and CO mass distribution. We find the dust is distributed in a ring with a radius of 86.0 +/- 0.4 au and a radial width of 23.2 +/- 1.0 au. At this frequency, the ring radius is smaller than in the optical, revealing grain size segregation expected due to radiation pressure. We also report on the detection of low-level continuum emission beyond the main ring out to similar to 200 au. We model the CO emission in the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium regime and we find that the CO is co-located with the dust, with a total CO gas mass ranging between 1.2 x 10(-6) M-aS center dot and 2.9 x 10(-6) M-aS center dot, depending on the gas kinetic temperature and collisional partners densities. The CO densities and location suggest a secondary origin, i.e. released from icy planetesimals in the ring. We derive a CO+CO2 cometary composition that is consistent with Solar system comets. Due to the low gas densities, it is unlikely that the gas is shaping the dust distribution.

We conducted a petrologic study of apatite within 12 Martian meteorites, including 11 shergottites and one basaltic regolith breccia. These data were combined with previously published data to gain a better understanding of the abundance and distribution of volatiles in the Martian interior. Apatites in individual Martian meteorites span a wide range of compositions, indicating they did not form by equilibrium crystallization. In fact, the intrasample variation in apatite is best described by either fractional crystallization or crustal contamination with a Cl-rich crustal component. We determined that most Martian meteorites investigated here have been affected by crustal contamination and hence cannot be used to estimate volatile abundances of the Martian mantle. Using the subset of samples that did not exhibit crustal contamination, we determined that the enriched shergottite source has 36-73 ppm H2O and the depleted source has 14-23 ppm H2O. This result is consistent with other observed geochemical differences between enriched and depleted shergottites and supports the idea that there are at least two geochemically distinct reservoirs in the Martian mantle. We also estimated the H2O, Cl, and F content of the Martian crust using known crust-mantle distributions for incompatible lithophile elements. We determined that the bulk Martian crust has similar to 1410 ppm H2O, 450 ppm Cl, and 106 ppm F, and Cl and H2O are preferentially distributed toward the Martian surface. The estimate of crustal H2O results in a global equivalent surface layer (GEL) of similar to 229 m, which can account for at least some of the surface features on Mars attributed to flowing water and may be sufficient to support the past presence of a shallow sea on Mars' surface.

This review is intended to summarize the current observations of reduced carbon in Martian meteorites, differentiating between terrestrial contamination and carbon that is indigenous to Mars. Indeed, the identification of Martian organic matter is among the highest priority targets for robotic spacecraft missions in the next decade, including the Mars Science Laboratory and Mars 2020. Organic carbon compounds are essential building blocks of terrestrial life, so the occurrence and origin (biotic or abiotic) of organic compounds on Mars is of great significance; however, not all forms of reduced carbon are conducive to biological systems. This paper discusses the significance of reduced organic carbon (including methane) in Martian geological and astrobiological systems. Specifically, it summarizes current thinking on the nature, sources, and sinks of Martian organic carbon, a key component to Martian habitability. Based on this compilation, reduced organic carbon on Mars, including detections of methane in the Martian atmosphere, is best described through a combination of abiotic organic synthesis on Mars and infall of extraterrestrial carbonaceous material. Although conclusive signs of Martian life have yet to be revealed, we have developed a strategy for life detection on Mars that can be utilized in future life-detection studies.

The timing and mode of deposition for Martian regolith breccia Northwest Africa (NWA) 7034 were determined by combining petrography, shape analysis, and thermochronology. NWA 7034 is composed of igneous, impact, and brecciated clasts within a thermally annealed submicron matrix of pulverized crustal rocks and devitrified impact/volcanic glass. The brecciated clasts are likely lithified portions of Martian regolith with some evidence of past hydrothermal activity. Represented lithologies are primarily ancient crustal materials with crystallization ages as old as 4.4Ga. One ancient zircon was hosted by an alkali-rich basalt clast, confirming that alkalic volcanism occurred on Mars very early. NWA 7034 is composed of fragmented particles that do not exhibit evidence of having undergone bed load transport by wind or water. The clast size distribution is similar to terrestrial pyroclastic deposits. We infer that the clasts were deposited by atmospheric rainout subsequent to a pyroclastic eruption(s) and/or impact event(s), although the ancient ages of igneous components favor mobilization by impact(s). Despite ancient components, the breccia has undergone a single pervasive thermal event at 500-800 degrees C, evident by groundmass texture and concordance of similar to 1.5Ga dates for bulk rock K-Ar, U-Pb in apatite, and U-Pb in metamict zircons. The 1.5Ga age is likely a thermal event that coincides with rainout/breccia lithification. We infer that the episodic process of regolith lithification dominated sedimentary processes during the Amazonian Epoch. The absence of pre-Amazonian high-temperature metamorphic events recorded in ancient zircons indicates source domains of static southern highland crust punctuated by episodic impact modification.

Mixed-habit (octahedral+cuboid) diamonds from the Marange alluvial deposits in the eastern Zimbabwe craton have high nitrogen and hydrogen contents that provide an opportunity to evaluate diamond growth mechanisms and C-N-H-O bearing fluids in the lithospheric keel. Light grey cuboid sectors with hydrogen-containing defects trap abundant dispersed CH4 inclusions (Raman peaks at 2917 cm(-1)) associated with graphite (Raman peaks at 1580 cm(-1)). Clear octahedral sectors are richer in nitrogen and free of any such inclusions. Core to rim co-variations of delta C-13-delta N-15 and N content can be explained by a mixing trend between earlier fluids that are CH4-rich and later fluids that are more CO3- or CO2-rich. Marange diamonds have limited overall delta C-13 variation, but do show fractionation during growth towards higher delta C-13 values. This trend can be explained by diamond precipitation from mixed CH4 and CO2 fluids, where isotopic fractionation occurs as the amount of fluid wanes. Calculated delta N-15 values for diamond source fluids evolving in this manner are between +2.3 and +6.4 parts per thousand. These N isotopic compositions require CH4-rich and CO3-/CO2-rich 'end-member' fluids to have a recycled metasedimentary component perhaps introduced with subduction of eclogite. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.