TITLE: SIGNATURES OF LIFE FROM EARTH AND BEYOND IS IN RESPONSE TO CAN #NNH08ZDA002C, NASA ASTROBIOLOGY INSTITUTE - CYCLE 5 BASIC AWARD FOR CYCLE FIVE OF NAI TO PENN STATE. 1260.51 COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT SPECIAL CONDITION. (OCTOBER 2000) (A) THIS AWARD

TITLE: SIGNATURES OF LIFE FROM EARTH AND BEYOND IS IN RESPONSE TO CAN #NNH08ZDA002C NASA ASTROBIOLOGY INSTITUTE - CYCLE 5 BASIC AWARD FOR CYCLE FIVE OF NAI TO PENN STATE.1260.51 COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT SPECIAL CONDITION. (OCTOBER 2000) (A) THIS AWARD IS A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AS IT IS ANTICIPATED THERE WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL NASA INVOLVEMENT DURING PERFORMANCE OF THE EFFORT. NASA AND THE RECIPIENT MUTUALLY AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT OF ANTICIPATED COOPERATIVE INTERACTIONS WHICH MAY OCCUR DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS EFFORT: NAI CENTRAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES ADVOCATING THE NEEDS & SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT DISBURSING FUNDS (INCLUDING A STRATEGIC DIRECTOR S DISCRETIONARY FUND FOR HIGH-RISK/HIGH-PAYOFF RESEARCH PROJECTS AND FOR FOSTERING COLLABORATION BETWEEN MEMBERS) SPONSORING THE NAI POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM COLLECTING AND ARCHIVING INFORMATION ON RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS & PUBLICATIONS ORGANIZING FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS & EXPEDITING NETWORK CONNECTIVITY WHILE ENGINEERING THE INTERFACES BETWEEN THE SCIENTISTS & THE NETWORK. NAI CENTRAL IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZING GENERAL MEETINGS WORKSHOPS & STRATEGIC RETREATS TO ENGAGE MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTE IN INTEGRATED RESEARCH. NAI CENTRAL WILL IN ADDITION COORDINATE INSTITUTE-WIDE ACTIVITIES IN EDUCATION & PUBLIC OUTREACH & IN THE TRAINING OF STUDENTS & OTHER YOUNG INVESTIGATORS.AT THE CORE OF ASTROBIOLOGY IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE THAT ENABLES THE RECOGNITION OF SIGNATURES OF LIFE ON EARLY EARTH IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS AND IN EXTRATERRESTRIAL SETTINGS. TOGETHER WITH NEW CO-INVESTIGATORS FROM UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES AND CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP NOVEL APPROACHES TO DETECTING AND CHARACTERIZING LIFE INVESTIGATE BIOSIGNATURES IN MISSION-RELEVANT ECOSYSTEMS AND ANCIENT ROCKS AND EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL FOR BIOSIGNATURES IN EXTRATERRESTRIAL SETTINGS.(1) DEVELOPING NEW BIOSIGNATURES THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF POTENTIAL INDICATORS OF LIFE IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROVIDING A CRITICAL SCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR EXPLORATION OF LIFE IN THE COSMOS. OUR EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON CREATING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES FOR THE ANALYSES OF CELLS AND OTHER ORGANIC MATERIAL FINDING WAYS IN WHICH METAL ABUNDANCES AND ISOTOPE SYSTEMS REFLECT LIFE AND DEVELOPING CREATIVE APPROACHES FOR USING ENVIRONMENTAL DNA TO STUDY PRESENT AND PAST LIFE.(2) BIOSIGNATURES IN RELEVANT MICROBIAL ECOSYSTEMS PSARC WILL INVESTIGATE MICROBIAL LIFE IN SOME OF EARTH S MOST MISSION-RELEVANT ECOSYSTEMS THE DEAD SEA THE CHESAPEAKE IMPACT STRUCTURE THE METHANE SEEPS OF THE EEL RIVER BASIN AND THE GREENLAND GLACIER ICE.(3) BIOSIGNATURES IN ANCIENT ROCKS THE EARTH S ARCHEAN AND PROTEROZOICEONS OFFER THE BEST OPPORTUNITY OF INVESTIGATING A MICROBIAL WORLD SUCH AS MIGHT BE FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE COSMOS. THE ANCIENT RECORD ON EARTH PROVIDES ON OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT GEOCHEMICAL SIGNATURES ARE PRODUCED BY MICROBIAL LIFE AND HOW THESE SIGNATURES ARE PRESERVED OVER GEOLOGIC TIME.(4) BIOSIGNATURES IN EXTRATERRESTRIAL SETTING. PSARC WILL INVESTIGATE THE ABUNDANCE OF SULFUR GASES AND ELUCIDATE HOW THESE GASES CAN BE EXPECTED TO EVOLVE WITH TIME ON YOUNG TERRESTRIAL PLANETS. WE WILL CONTINUE STUDIES OF PLANET FORMATION IN THE PRESENCE OF MIGRATION AND MODEL RADIAL TRANSPORT OF VOLATILES IN YOUNG PLANETARY SYSTEMS. FINAL PSARC WILL BE INVOLVED WITH SEARCHES FOR M STAR PLANETARY COMPANIONS AND PLANETS AROUND K-GIANT STARS.(B) THE TERMS ....(C) NASA S ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE ....