Sulfur isotope signatures for rapid colonization of an impact crater by thermophilic microbes
(2010) In Geology 38(3). p.271-274- Abstract
In the 23-km-diameter Haughton impact structure, Canadian High Arctic, in sulfate-rich bedrock, widespread hydrothermal sulfide mineralization occurred in breccias formed during the impact. The sulfides exhibit extreme sulfur isotopic fractionation relative to the original sulfate, requiring microbial sulfate reduction by thermophiles throughout the crater. This evidence of widespread microbial activity demonstrates that colonization could occur within the lifetime of a moderately sized, impact-induced hydrothermal system. The pyrite was subsequently oxidized to jarosite, which may also have been microbially mediated. The successful detection of evidence for microbial life suggests that it would be a valuable technique to deploy in... (More)
In the 23-km-diameter Haughton impact structure, Canadian High Arctic, in sulfate-rich bedrock, widespread hydrothermal sulfide mineralization occurred in breccias formed during the impact. The sulfides exhibit extreme sulfur isotopic fractionation relative to the original sulfate, requiring microbial sulfate reduction by thermophiles throughout the crater. This evidence of widespread microbial activity demonstrates that colonization could occur within the lifetime of a moderately sized, impact-induced hydrothermal system. The pyrite was subsequently oxidized to jarosite, which may also have been microbially mediated. The successful detection of evidence for microbial life suggests that it would be a valuable technique to deploy in sulfate-rich impact terrain on Mars.
(Less)
- author
- publishing date
- 2010-03
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Geology
- volume
- 38
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 4 pages
- publisher
- Geological Society of America
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:77951972860
- ISSN
- 0091-7613
- DOI
- 10.1130/G30615.1
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 539d5fbf-c597-445f-99db-38cbd38ab182
- date added to LUP
- 2017-06-26 09:53:11
- date last changed
- 2022-03-01 22:42:51
@article{539d5fbf-c597-445f-99db-38cbd38ab182, abstract = {{<p>In the 23-km-diameter Haughton impact structure, Canadian High Arctic, in sulfate-rich bedrock, widespread hydrothermal sulfide mineralization occurred in breccias formed during the impact. The sulfides exhibit extreme sulfur isotopic fractionation relative to the original sulfate, requiring microbial sulfate reduction by thermophiles throughout the crater. This evidence of widespread microbial activity demonstrates that colonization could occur within the lifetime of a moderately sized, impact-induced hydrothermal system. The pyrite was subsequently oxidized to jarosite, which may also have been microbially mediated. The successful detection of evidence for microbial life suggests that it would be a valuable technique to deploy in sulfate-rich impact terrain on Mars.</p>}}, author = {{Parnell, John and Boyce, Adrian and Thackrey, Scott and Muirhead, David and Lindgren, Paula and Mason, Charles and Taylor, Colin and Still, John and Bowden, Stephen and Osinski, Gordon R. and Lee, Pascal}}, issn = {{0091-7613}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{3}}, pages = {{271--274}}, publisher = {{Geological Society of America}}, series = {{Geology}}, title = {{Sulfur isotope signatures for rapid colonization of an impact crater by thermophilic microbes}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/G30615.1}}, doi = {{10.1130/G30615.1}}, volume = {{38}}, year = {{2010}}, }