ELFT HÍRADÓ

[ilka AT konkoly.hu (Kalman Belane)]

                                 Meghivó

                az MTA KTM Csillagászati Kutatóintézete 
                        rendkivüli szemináriumára                        

Elõadók: Joseph Seckbach 
             Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
             
seckbach AT huji.ac.il

Cím: EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE POSSIBILITIES ON MARS AND EUROPA

Abstract:

The extremophilic microorganisms (Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes) are models 
for extraterrestrial life. These organisms grow in very severe conditions 
(from our anthropocentric point) and are able to stay vital for many 
millions of years under harsh environments. In the presentation, we will 
survey specific extremophiles in further detail.
        The branches of Astrobiology also deal also with possibilities for 
finding traces of Life outside the planet Earth, mainly in the Solar 
System. The most promising target bodies are certain planets, such as 
Mars, and satellites, for example, within the Galilean moons of Jupiter, 
are Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
        Recent observations from flyby missions of space craft probes over 
the surface of Mars and from rovers on its surface have shown that the red 
planet was warmer and wetter billion of years ago. The present view 
reveals contours of rivers, canyons, and other dried water bodies. It has 
recently been reported that Mars contains water, perchloride, methane, and 
other constituent requirements of life. It may be that microbial life from 
the past has remained in a dormant status, as non-active spores, or that 
Martian life is limited to the undersurface area, where it is protected 
from the damaging surface conditions.
Europa is one of the large satellites of Jupiter. Its icy surface is 
striated by cracks and streaks. It is known that a subsurface salty oceans 
exist inside the moons of the Solar System gas, giant planets.  Such 
subsurface oceans were predicted for Europa, Titan, and Enceladus. 
Therefore it is assumed that Europa.s upper surface floats over such an 
ocean (of liquid water) which could serve as habitats of extraterrestrial 
life.analogous to Vostok subsurface ocean).
        Further investigations will shed additional light on the potential 
extraterrestrial life on or inside Mars and Europa. If bacteria can 
survive below this glacier in Antarctica for millions of years, why not 
below the ice cap on Mars and on Europa? All the above facts serve to 
encourage us to intensify our search for life on the close-by planet and 
on some satellites. 

 Az elõadás idõpontja: 2009. augusztus 5, szerda, 14 óra 

Helye: MTA KTM CSKI elõadóterme
       Budapest, XII., Konkoly Thege M. út 15-17.
     
Patkós László s.k.