The Science Behind the Expedition
Licancabur Volcano
The Licancabur volcano (6,014 m) located at the
boundary of Chile and Bolivia hosts a lake that is amongst the highest
and the least explored lakes on Earth.
The lake environment combines low-oxygen, low
atmospheric pressure, and high-UV radiation.
Sediments are formed in volcanic material. It
is ice-covered most of the year but the bottom
water temperature remains above freezing. These
conditions make Licancabur a unique analog (comparison)
to ancient Martian lakes.
The Andes
The Andes host the highest perennial lakes on Earth nearing and beyond 6000 m . The expedition is exploring the Licancabur volcano (6014) located at the boundary ofChileandBolivia. The volcano harbors a lake within its summit crater. The lake is located 100 m below the summit rim at 5914 m. It is at one of the least explored lakes in the work and its environment combines low-oxygen (48 % of sea level), low atmospheric pressure (480 mb --sea level: 1013 mb), and high-UV radiation (40% more than at sea level). The lake is ice-covered most of the year except for few weeks during the austral summer but the bottom water temperature remains at +6C (~40F). These conditions make Licancabur a unique analog (comparison) to ancient Martian lakes. It harbors life.
CPODs (Personal Vital Signs Monitor)
Monitoring vital signs in applications that require the subject to be mobile requires small, lightweight, and robust sensors and electronics. A body-worn system should be unobtrusive, noninvasive, and easy-to-use. It must be able to log vital signs data for several hours as well as transmit it on demand in real-time using secure wireless technologies. NASA Ames Astrobionics and the Stanford National Biocomputation Center are currently developing a wearable physiological monitoring system for astronauts, called LifeGuard,that meets all of the above requirements and is also applicableto clinical and home-health monitoring as well as first responder and military applications. More Information
Extremophile Fact
EXTREMOPHILES are organisms that require extreme
environments for growth. While this is perhaps
self-evident, what constitutes extreme? Extreme,
is a relative term, with the point of relativity
being what is normal for humans. Extremophiles
are therefore organisms that are "fond of" or "love" (-phile)
environments including high temperature, pH,
pressure and salt concentration, or low temperature,
pH, nutrient concentration, or water availability.
Extremophiles are also organisms that can tolerate
extreme conditions including high levels of radiation
or toxic compounds, or those living in conditions
that we consider unusual, such as living in rocks
1.5 km below the surface of the earth. In addition,
extremophiles may be found in environments with
a combination of extreme conditions such as high
temperature and high acidity or high pressure
and low temperature. Licancabur and the Lagunas
combine many of these extreme conditions.
Terrestrial Analog Fact
This refers to the fact that scientists can
learn more about another planet by studying environments
here on Earth that are very similar to other
planets. Such is the case with the expedition
to the Licancabur Volcano. Because this volcano
hosts the highest lake on Earth, scientists plan
to study it as an extreme environment. There
are organisms living in this lake, the questions
remains to be answered; what are they and how
can they survive? The lake environment combines
low-oxygen, low atmospheric pressure, and high-UV
radiation. How can any organism survive this
hostile environment? These are just some of the
questions scientists will try to answer.
Astrobiology Fact
Astrobiology seeks to understand the origin
of the building blocks of life, how these biogenic
compounds combine to create life, how life affects
- and is affected by the environment from which
it arose, and finally, whether and how life expands
beyond its planet of origin.
Atacama Desert Facts
The Atacama Desert of Chile is a sparsely populated
virtually rainless plateau, running from the
Pacific Ocean to the Andes Mountains. The average
width is less than 100 miles but it extends 600
miles south from the Peruvian border. The mountains
nearest the ocean are the Pacific coastal range,
with an average elevation of 2500 feet. The Cordillera
Domeyko, a range of foothills of the Andes Mountains,
lies east. The Atacama is made up of salt basins
(salars) sand and lava flows. The landscape is
so desolate it is sometimes described as "moon
like".
Bathymetry Facts
Bathymetry is the measurement of water depth
at various places in a body of water. This allows
scientists to “see” the bottom of
bodies of water. At the top of Licancabur, scientists
will map the bottom of the lake there, as well
as determine how the shoreline varies with the
seasons, and will allow them to pinpoint any
heat sources that originate on the bottom of
this lake.
Geothermal Facts
"Geothermal" comes from the Greek
words geo (earth) and thermo (heat). So, geothermal
means earth heat. Our earth's interior - like
the sun - provides heat energy from nature. This
heat - geothermal energy - yields warmth and
power that we can use without polluting the environment.
Geothermal heat originates from Earth's fiery
consolidation of dust and gas over 4 billion
years ago. At earth's core - 4,000 miles deep
- temperatures may reach over 9,000 degrees F.
Hydrothermal Facts
Hydrothermal means, of or relating to hot water
-- used especially of the formation of minerals
by hot solutions rising from a cooling magma.
A hydrothermal vent is a geyser on the seafloor.
It continuously spews super-hot, mineral-rich
water that helps support a diverse community
of organisms. Although most of the deep sea is
sparsely populated, vent sites teem with a fascinating
array of life. Tubeworms and huge clams are the
most distinctive inhabitants of Pacific Ocean
vent sites, while eyeless shrimp are found only
at vents in the Atlantic Ocean.
Sedimentology Facts
Sedimentology means, the scientific study of
sedimentary rocks and the processes by which
they were formed; the description, classification,
origin and interpretation of sediments. Scientists
at Licancabur will be studying shore material,
bottom sediments and mud will be sampled for
laboratory analysis. This investigation will
provide critical information about the composition
and grain size of the sediment. It will allow
the team to assess sedimentary rates. Some of
the team members will be diving in the lake to
retrieve the samples.
Human Physiology Facts
Not only will scientist be studying the organisms
at this high altitude, but they will be using
themselves as experiments too. The team will
study how the human organism reacts to changes
in physical environment by acquiring measurements
and comment on how working and sleeping at high
altitudes in extreme conditions affects mission
operations. Health metrics, such as blood oxygen
saturation and pulse rate, will be monitored
for each of the team members throughout the course
of the expedition.
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