A predictive model for the ichnological suitability of the Jezero crater, Mars: searching for fossilized traces of life-substrate interactions in the 2020 Rover Mission Landing Site

Abstract

Ichnofossils, the fossilized products of life-substrate interactions, are among the most abundant biosignatures on Earth and therefore they may provide scientific evidence of potential life that may have existed on Mars. Ichnofossils offer unique advantages in the search for extraterrestrial life, including the fact that they are resilient to processes that obliterate other evidence for past life, such as body fossils, as well as chemical and isotopic biosignatures. The goal of this paper is evaluating the suitability of the Mars 2020 Landing Site for ichnofossils. To this goal, we apply palaeontological predictive modelling, a technique used to forecast the location of fossil sites in uninvestigated areas on Earth. Accordingly, a geographic information system (GIS) of the landing site is developed. Each layer of the GIS maps the suitability for one or more ichnofossil types (bioturbation, bioerosion, biostratification structures) based on an assessment of a single attribute (suitability factor) of the Martian environment. Suitability criteria have been selected among the environmental attributes that control ichnofossil abundance and preservation in 18 reference sites on Earth. The goal of this research is delivered through three predictive maps showing which areas of the Mars 2020 Landing Site are more likely to preserve potential ichnofossils. On the basis of these maps, an ichnological strategy for the Perseverance rover is identified, indicating (1) 10 sites on Mars with high suitability for bioturbation, bioerosion and biostratification ichnofossils, (2) the ichnofossil types, if any, that are more likely to be present at each site, (3) the most efficient observation strategy for detecting eventual ichnofossils. The predictive maps and the ichnological strategy can be easily integrated in the existing plans for the exploration of the Jezero crater, realizing benefits in life-search efficiency and cost-reduction.

The Dvaraka Initiative: Mars’s First Permanent Human Settlement Capable of Self-Sustenance

“…The Jezero crater is one of the least asteroid-hit places on Mars, strategically making it an ideal location for a habitat [38]. Additionally, since the crater had an ancient lake along with flood deposits, it is estimated that there could have been some form of life in the past, thus additionally making it an ideal location for science experiments [39][40][41][42]. Since the crater is almost flat, building structures on it would be much easier and it will also assist in faster transportation [43].…”

Multispectral satellite imaging improves detection of large individual fossils

“…Finally, a recent study by d’Oliveira Coelho et al (2021) applied unsupervised ( k -means) classification on a portion of the East African Rift System (Urema Rift, Mozambique) reaching 84.6 % accuracy in fossil site detection. In recent years, researchers have begun pointing their attention to extraterrestrial ichnofossil signs on other planets, such as Mars (McKeown et al 2009, 2011; Noe Dobrea et al 2010, 2017; Baucon et al 2021), giving a new motivation to using satellite images and spatial analyses to detect life.…”