ROLE OF INTEGRATED MICROSCALE IMAGING AND SPECTROSCOPY IN THE EXPLORATION FOR ANCIENT HABITABLE ENVIRONMENTS ON MARS

Among the most important tools available to the field geologist is the hand lens. This simple optical technology enables an initial assessment of rock microtexture and mineralogy in the field, a basic analytical step that typically leads to the immediate formulation of preliminary hypotheses for petrogenesis. In turn, this often dictates the next steps to be taken both in the field and the lab. For sedimentary rocks, the combination of microtextural and compositional information provides a particularly powerful framework for inferring paleoenvironmental and diagenetic processes- key elements in assessing the potential for past water and habitability. Under the right circumstances, such observations can lead to the direct detection of biosignatures, perhaps the most fundamental goal of extraterrestrial planetary exploration. In this talk, I will illustrate the value of integrated microscale imaging and spectroscopy for astrobiological exploration by reviewing examples drawn from my own research into the microbial biosedimentology of hydrothermal and evaporative lake environments. I will also illustrate how this approach provides a next logical step in payload refinement for the surface robotic missions to Mars to explore for past habitable environments and life.