Jennifer Eigenbrode

Last updated
Jennifer Eigenbrode
Goddard scientist Jennifer Eigenbrode (6385412459).jpg
Goddard scientist Jennifer Eigenbrode injecting a chemical into a rock sample
Alma mater
Scientific career
Institutions Goddard Space Flight Center
Thesis Late Archean microbial ecology: An integration of molecular, isotopic, and lithologic studies  (2004)
Doctoral advisor Katherine Freeman
Other academic advisors

Jennifer Eigenbrode is an interdisciplinary astrobiologist who works at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. She specializes in organic chemistry, geology, and organic bio-geochemistry of martian and ocean-world environments.

Contents

Early life and education

Eigenbrode's family of engineers and technicians helped foster her enjoyment of science and her naturally inquisitive nature. Geology grabbed her curiosity from an early age and she became a "professional geology student". [1]

Eigenbrode obtained her B.S. in geology from James Madison University in Virginia. Her senior thesis explored the clay mineralogy of river terrace soils in Virginia. [2] Her master's degree was obtained from Indiana University Bloomington and focused on geological sciences while working under the direction of Lisa Pratt. [3] Her Ph.D. was obtained at Pennsylvania State University where her dissertation topic was "Late Archean microbial ecology: an integration of molecular isotopic, and lithologic records" [4] while working under the direction of Katherine Freeman. Following her Ph.D., Eigenbrode was a postdoctoral fellow at the Carnegie Institution of Washington from 2004 until 2007 [2] working under the direction of Marilyn Fogel. In 2007 she accepted a position at the National Aeronautic and Space Administration as a space scientist. [2]

Research

Eigenbrode's early research was on the Earth's atmosphere during the Archean era where she examined organic carbon, [5] sulfur, [6] and the origin of aerobic ecosystems. [7] She then moved on to examining organic compounds found in Neoarchaean rocks, [8] establishing field methods to prepare samples for analysis, [9] and developing methods to preserve samples from Mars in a manner that allows investigation of biosignatures. [10] [11]

Her current research focuses on Mars, and uses samples collected by the rover Curiosity which she uses to search for signals of life on Mars. [12] She received NASA's Internal Research and Development (IRAD) Innovator of the Year award in 2009 for her work on a sample preparation module needed to collect samples from Mars. [13] She is a part of the team [14] [15] working on samples from Mars including gases [16] and soils, [17] and radiation on the planet. [15] [18] She was lead author on a paper examining organic matter within the samples from Mars, [19] [20] research that used the SAM instrument (Sample Analysis at Mars) to burn samples collected from the surface of Mars and examined the resulting gas to determine the composition of the samples. [21] [22] Eigenbrode is also establishing the groundwork to use the CheMin (Chemistry and Mineralogy) instrument on Curiosity to detect organic salts in the Mars samples. [23] [24]

Selected publications

Awards and honors

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Life on Mars</span> Scientific assessments on the microbial habitability of Mars

The possibility of life on Mars is a subject of interest in astrobiology due to the planet's proximity and similarities to Earth. To date, no proof of past or present life has been found on Mars. Cumulative evidence suggests that during the ancient Noachian time period, the surface environment of Mars had liquid water and may have been habitable for microorganisms, but habitable conditions do not necessarily indicate life.

A biosignature is any substance – such as an element, isotope, molecule, or phenomenon – that provides scientific evidence of past or present life on a planet. Measurable attributes of life include its complex physical or chemical structures, its use of free energy, and the production of biomass and wastes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viking lander biological experiments</span> Mars life detection experiments

In 1976 two identical Viking program landers each carried four types of biological experiments to the surface of Mars. The first successful Mars landers, Viking 1 and Viking 2, then carried out experiments to look for biosignatures of microbial life on Mars. The landers each used a robotic arm to pick up and place soil samples into sealed test containers on the craft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atmosphere of Mars</span> Layer of gases surrounding planet Mars

The atmosphere of Mars is the layer of gases surrounding Mars. It is primarily composed of carbon dioxide (95%), molecular nitrogen (2.85%), and argon (2%). It also contains trace levels of water vapor, oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and noble gases. The atmosphere of Mars is much thinner than Earth's. The average surface pressure is only about 610 pascals (0.088 psi) which is less than 1% of the Earth's value.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars general circulation model</span>

The Mars general circulation model (MGCM) is the result of a research project by NASA to understand the nature of the general circulation of the atmosphere of Mars, how that circulation is driven and how it affects the climate of Mars in the long term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gale (crater)</span> Martian crater

Gale is a crater, and probable dry lake, at 5.4°S 137.8°E in the northwestern part of the Aeolis quadrangle on Mars. It is 154 km (96 mi) in diameter and estimated to be about 3.5–3.8 billion years old. The crater was named after Walter Frederick Gale, an amateur astronomer from Sydney, Australia, who observed Mars in the late 19th century. Mount Sharp is a mountain in the center of Gale and rises 5.5 km (18,000 ft) high. Aeolis Palus is the plain between the northern wall of Gale and the northern foothills of Aeolis Mons. Peace Vallis, a nearby outflow channel, 'flows' down from the hills to the Aeolis Palus below and seems to have been carved by flowing water. Several lines of evidence suggest that a lake existed inside Gale shortly after the formation of the crater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martian soil</span> Fine regolith found on the surface of Mars

Martian soil is the fine regolith found on the surface of Mars. Its properties can differ significantly from those of terrestrial soil, including its toxicity due to the presence of perchlorates. The term Martian soil typically refers to the finer fraction of regolith. So far, no samples have been returned to Earth, the goal of a Mars sample-return mission, but the soil has been studied remotely with the use of Mars rovers and Mars orbiters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aeolis quadrangle</span> One of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars

The Aeolis quadrangle is one of a series of 30 quadrangle maps of Mars used by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Research Program. The Aeolis quadrangle is also referred to as MC-23 . The Aeolis quadrangle covers 180° to 225° W and 0° to 30° south on Mars, and contains parts of the regions Elysium Planitia and Terra Cimmeria. A small part of the Medusae Fossae Formation lies in this quadrangle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water on Mars</span> Study of past and present water on Mars

Almost all water on Mars today exists as ice, though it also exists in small quantities as vapor in the atmosphere. What was thought to be low-volume liquid brines in shallow Martian soil, also called recurrent slope lineae, may be grains of flowing sand and dust slipping downhill to make dark streaks. While most water ice is buried, it is exposed at the surface across several locations on Mars. In the mid-latitudes, it is exposed by impact craters, steep scarps and gullies. Additionally, water ice is also visible at the surface at the north polar ice cap. Abundant water ice is also present beneath the permanent carbon dioxide ice cap at the Martian south pole. More than 5 million km3 of ice have been detected at or near the surface of Mars, enough to cover the whole planet to a depth of 35 meters (115 ft). Even more ice might be locked away in the deep subsurface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Composition of Mars</span> Branch of the geology of Mars

The composition of Mars covers the branch of the geology of Mars that describes the make-up of the planet Mars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Sharp</span> Martian mountain

Mount Sharp, officially Aeolis Mons, is a mountain on Mars. It forms the central peak within Gale crater and is located around 5.08°S 137.85°E, rising 5.5 km (18,000 ft) high from the valley floor. Its ID in the United States Geological Survey's Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature is 15000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aeolis Palus</span> Palus on Mars

Aeolis Palus is a plain between the northern wall of Gale crater and the northern foothills of Aeolis Mons on Mars. It is located at 4.47°S 137.42°E.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sample Analysis at Mars</span>

Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) is a suite of instruments on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover. The SAM instrument suite will analyze organics and gases from both atmospheric and solid samples. It was developed by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the Laboratoire des Atmosphères Milieux Observations Spatiales (LATMOS) associated to the Laboratoire Inter-Universitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), and Honeybee Robotics, along with many additional external partners.

<i>Curiosity</i> (rover) NASA robotic rover exploring Gale crater on Mars

Curiosity is a car-sized Mars rover exploring Gale crater and Mount Sharp on Mars as part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. Curiosity was launched from Cape Canaveral (CCAFS) on November 26, 2011, at 15:02:00 UTC and landed on Aeolis Palus inside Gale crater on Mars on August 6, 2012, 05:17:57 UTC. The Bradbury Landing site was less than 2.4 km (1.5 mi) from the center of the rover's touchdown target after a 560 million km (350 million mi) journey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of Mars Science Laboratory</span> Event timeline of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory mission

The Mars Science Laboratory and its rover, Curiosity, were launched from Earth on November 26, 2011. As of March 2, 2024, Curiosity has been on the planet Mars for 4113 sols since landing on August 6, 2012. (See Current status.)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocknest (Mars)</span> Sandpatch

Rocknest is a sand patch on the surface of Aeolis Palus, between Peace Vallis and Aeolis Mons, in Gale crater on the planet Mars. The patch was encountered by the Curiosity rover on the way from Bradbury Landing to Glenelg Intrigue on September 28, 2012. The approximate site coordinates are: 4.59°S 137.44°E.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellowknife Bay, Mars</span>

Yellowknife Bay is a geologic formation in Gale Crater on the planet Mars. NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover, named Curiosity, arrived at the low lying depression on December 17, 2012, 125 sols, or Martian days, into its 668-sol planned mission on the planet. Primary mission goals of the Mars Science Laboratory were to assess the potential habitability of the planet and whether or not the Martian environment is, or has ever been, capable of supporting life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dawn Sumner</span> American geologist, planetary scientist, and astrobiologist

Dawn Yvonne Sumner is an American geologist, planetary scientist, and astrobiologist. She is a professor at the University of California, Davis. Sumner's research includes evaluating microbial communities in Antarctic lakes, exploration of Mars via the Curiosity rover, and characterization of microbial communities in the lab and from ancient geologic samples. She is an investigator on the NASA Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and was Chair of the UC Davis Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences from 2014 to 2016. She is Fellow of the Geological Society of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natural methane on Mars</span>

The reported presence of methane in the atmosphere of Mars is of interest to many geologists and astrobiologists, as methane may indicate the presence of microbial life on Mars, or a geochemical process such as volcanism or hydrothermal activity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sushil Atreya</span> Indian–American engineer and planetary scientist

Sushil K. Atreya is a planetary scientist, educator, and researcher. Atreya is a professor of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

References

  1. ↑ "Women at NASA: Jennifer Eigenbrode". Women at NASA. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Bio - Jennifer L Eigenbrode". science.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  3. ↑ Eigenbrode, Jennifer L (1999). Sedimentological, carbon-isotopic, and molecular records of late Holocene climate in the sediments of Soda Lake, Carrizo plain, California (Thesis). OCLC   42322638.
  4. ↑ Eigenbrode, Jennifer L. (26 March 2004). "Late Archean Microbial Ecology: An Integration of Molecular, Isotopic, and Lithologic Studies".
  5. ↑ Pavlov, Alexander A.; Kasting, James F.; Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.; Freeman, Katherine H. (2001-11-01). "Organic haze in Earth's early atmosphere: Source of low-13C Late Archean kerogens?". Geology. 29 (11): 1003–1006. Bibcode:2001Geo....29.1003P. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<1003:OHIESE>2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0091-7613.
  6. ↑ Ono, Shuhei; Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.; Pavlov, Alexander A.; Kharecha, Pushker; Rumble, Douglas; Kasting, James F.; Freeman, Katherine H. (2003-08-01). "New insights into Archean sulfur cycle from mass-independent sulfur isotope records from the Hamersley Basin, Australia". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 213 (1): 15–30. Bibcode:2003E&PSL.213...15O. doi:10.1016/S0012-821X(03)00295-4. ISSN   0012-821X.
  7. ↑ Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.; Freeman, Katherine H. (2006-10-24). "Late Archean rise of aerobic microbial ecosystems". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 103 (43): 15759–15764. Bibcode:2006PNAS..10315759E. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0607540103 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   1635076 . PMID   17043234.
  8. ↑ Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.; Freeman, Katherine H.; Summons, Roger E. (2008-09-15). "Methylhopane biomarker hydrocarbons in Hamersley Province sediments provide evidence for Neoarchean aerobiosis". Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 273 (3): 323–331. Bibcode:2008E&PSL.273..323E. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.06.037. ISSN   0012-821X.
  9. ↑ Eigenbrode, Jennifer; Benning, Liane G.; Maule, Jake; Wainwright, Norm; Steele, Andrew; Amundsen, Hans E.F. (2009-06-01). "A Field-Based Cleaning Protocol for Sampling Devices Used in Life-Detection Studies". Astrobiology. 9 (5): 455–465. Bibcode:2009AsBio...9..455E. doi:10.1089/ast.2008.0275. ISSN   1531-1074. PMID   19496672.
  10. ↑ Summons, Roger E.; Amend, Jan P.; Bish, David; Buick, Roger; Cody, George D.; Des Marais, David J.; Dromart, Gilles; Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.; Knoll, Andrew H.; Sumner, Dawn Y. (2011-03-01). "Preservation of Martian Organic and Environmental Records: Final Report of the Mars Biosignature Working Group". Astrobiology. 11 (2): 157–181. Bibcode:2011AsBio..11..157S. doi:10.1089/ast.2010.0506. hdl: 1721.1/66519 . ISSN   1531-1074. PMID   21417945. S2CID   9963677.
  11. ↑ Mahaffy, Paul R.; Webster, Christopher R.; Cabane, Michel; Conrad, Pamela G.; Coll, Patrice; Atreya, Sushil K.; Arvey, Robert; Barciniak, Michael; Benna, Mehdi; Bleacher, Lora; Brinckerhoff, William B. (2012-09-01). "The Sample Analysis at Mars Investigation and Instrument Suite". Space Science Reviews. 170 (1): 401–478. Bibcode:2012SSRv..170..401M. doi: 10.1007/s11214-012-9879-z . ISSN   1572-9672. S2CID   3759945.
  12. ↑ Emspak,SPACE.com, Jesse. "Was There Ever Life on Mars?". Scientific American. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  13. 1 2 "Eigenbrode Earns Chief Technologist's Top Prize, Flatley Wins an Honorable Mention". 2009-11-19. Archived from the original on 2009-11-19. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  14. ↑ Grotzinger, J. P.; Sumner, D. Y.; Kah, L. C.; Stack, K.; Gupta, S.; Edgar, L.; Rubin, D.; Lewis, K.; Schieber, J.; Mangold, N.; Milliken, R. (2014-01-24). "A Habitable Fluvio-Lacustrine Environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars". Science. 343 (6169): 1242777. Bibcode:2014Sci...343A.386G. doi: 10.1126/science.1242777 . hdl: 2060/20150008374 . PMID   24324272. S2CID   52836398.
  15. 1 2 Hassler, Donald M.; Zeitlin, Cary; Wimmer-Schweingruber, Robert F.; Ehresmann, Bent; Rafkin, Scot; Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.; Brinza, David E.; Weigle, Gerald; Böttcher, Stephan; Böhm, Eckart; Burmeister, Soenke (2014-01-24). "Mars' Surface Radiation Environment Measured with the Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity Rover". Science. 343 (6169): 1244797. Bibcode:2014Sci...343D.386H. doi: 10.1126/science.1244797 . hdl: 1874/309142 . PMID   24324275. S2CID   33661472.
  16. ↑ Mahaffy, Paul R.; Webster, Christopher R.; Atreya, Sushil K.; Franz, Heather; Wong, Michael; Conrad, Pamela G.; Harpold, Dan; Jones, John J.; Leshin, Laurie A.; Manning, Heidi; Owen, Tobias (2013-07-19). "Abundance and Isotopic Composition of Gases in the Martian Atmosphere from the Curiosity Rover". Science. 341 (6143): 263–266. Bibcode:2013Sci...341..263M. doi:10.1126/science.1237966. PMID   23869014. S2CID   206548973.
  17. ↑ Leshin, L. A.; Mahaffy, P. R.; Webster, C. R.; Cabane, M.; Coll, P.; Conrad, P. G.; Archer, P. D.; Atreya, S. K.; Brunner, A. E.; Buch, A.; Eigenbrode, J. L. (2013-09-27). "Volatile, Isotope, and Organic Analysis of Martian Fines with the Mars Curiosity Rover". Science. 341 (6153): 1238937. Bibcode:2013Sci...341E...3L. doi:10.1126/science.1238937. PMID   24072926. S2CID   206549244.
  18. ↑ ABC News (December 9, 2013). "Curiosity Sniffing the Ground on Hunt for Martian Organic Material". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  19. ↑ Eigenbrode, Jennifer L.; Summons, Roger E.; Steele, Andrew; Freissinet, Caroline; Millan, Maëva; Navarro-González, Rafael; Sutter, Brad; McAdam, Amy C.; Franz, Heather B.; Glavin, Daniel P.; Archer, Paul D. (2018-06-08). "Organic matter preserved in 3-billion-year-old mudstones at Gale crater, Mars". Science. 360 (6393): 1096–1101. Bibcode:2018Sci...360.1096E. doi: 10.1126/science.aas9185 . hdl: 10044/1/60810 . ISSN   0036-8075. PMID   29880683. S2CID   46983230.
  20. ↑ Voosen, Paul (2018-06-07). "NASA rover hits organic pay dirt on Mars". Science | AAAS. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  21. ↑ "Organic salts on Mars hint at ancient microbial life on the Red Planet". ZME Science. 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  22. ↑ Wall, Mike (2018-06-07). "Curiosity Rover Finds Ancient 'Building Blocks for Life' on Mars". Space.com. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  23. ↑ Lewis, J. M. T.; Eigenbrode, J. L.; Wong, G. M.; McAdam, A. C.; Archer, P. D.; Sutter, B.; Millan, M.; Williams, R. H.; Guzman, M.; Das, A.; Rampe, E. B. (2021). "Pyrolysis of Oxalate, Acetate, and Perchlorate Mixtures and the Implications for Organic Salts on Mars". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 126 (4): e2020JE006803. Bibcode:2021JGRE..12606803L. doi:10.1029/2020JE006803. ISSN   2169-9100. S2CID   233603377.
  24. ↑ Ashley Strickland (2 June 2021). "Organic salts could be on Mars. Here's what that means". CNN. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  25. ↑ "Philip R. Cosminsky Award". www.jmu.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  26. ↑ "GSA Awards Research Grants" (PDF). GSA Today. Vol. 9, no. 9. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Awards Won - Computational & Information Sciences and Technology Office - 606". science.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  28. ↑ "125th Anniversary Fellows named by the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences | Penn State University". www.psu.edu. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
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