Deep Subsurface Microbial Life in Hawaiian Volcanic Basalt

In collaboration with Professor Martin Fisk, Department of Oceanography, Oregon State University, we have developed techniques to detect evidence of microbial activity more than a kilometer deep in the basalt flanks of Mauna Kea volcano. Examination of a Hawaii Scientific Drilling Program core sample revealed changes in the volcanic basalt from 1336 to 1404 m below Hilo Bay, Hawaii, similar to alterations previously attributed to microorganisms living in deep sea volcanic lava. Ultraviolet (UV) in situ native fluorescence imaging quickly detected signs of microbial life at the clay-basalt boundaries of vesicles (photograph above). Resident microorganisms were discovered using UV resonance Raman spectroscopy (targeting DNA, RNA, and aromatic amino acids), elemental abundance analysis, nucleic acid staining, environmental scanning electron microscopy, and 16s RNA analysis. Subsequent efforts have identified elemental abundance probabilistic signatures identifying biotic and abiotic weathering of volcanic basalts in a wide variety of subocean sites. We have now reported that several of the morphologic alterations associated with bioweathering in deep ocean basalts on Earth also appear in the Mars meteorite Nakhla. We have also initiated an investigation into the use of artificial neural networks to identify quantitative chemical biomarkers in meteoritic and terrestrial geological samples.

References

Storrie-Lombardi, M. C., Hug, W. F., McDonald, G. D., Tsapin, A. I. and Nealson, K. H. Hollow cathode ion lasers for deep ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence imaging. Rev. Sci. Ins. 72:(12), 4452-9, 2001. Abs_UV_Raman_2001.pdf

Fisk, M. R., Storrie-Lombardi, M.C., Douglas, S., McDonald, G.D., Popa, R. Evidence of biological activity in Hawaiian subsurface basalts. Geochemistry, Geophysics, and Geosystems 4, 1-24, 2003. Abs_DeepLife_2003.pdf

Storrie-Lombardi and Fisk, M. R. Elemental abundance distributions in sub-oceanic basalt glass: evidence of biogenic alteration. Geochem. Geophys. Geosys., 5 (10), 1-15, Q10005, doi:10.1029/2004GC000755, 2004. Abs_Elements_2004.pdf

McDonald, G. D. and Storrie-Lombardi, M. C. Amino acid distribution in meteorites: diagenesis, contamination, and standard metrics in the search for extraterrestrial biosignatures. Astrobiology 6, 17-33, 2006. Abs_Meteorites_ANN_2006.pdf

Fisk, M. R., R. Popa, O. U. Mason, M. C. Storrie-Lombardi and Vicenzi, E. P. Iron-magnesium silicate bioweathering on Earth (and on Mars?). Astrobiology 6, 48-68, 2006. Abs_Nakhla_2006.pdf