Stable Isotope Geochemistry for Future Planetary Exploration and the Search for Life beyond Earth
A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Astrobiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2023) | Viewed by 2244
Special Issue Editors
Interests: Isotope geochemistry; prebiotic chemistry; meteoritics; cosmochemistry; organic geochemistry; petrology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Life Special Issue, “Stable Isotope Geochemistry for Future Planetary Exploration and the Search for Life Beyond Earth”, explores the role that stable isotopes can play in the investigation and characterization of potentially habitable environments in both our Solar System and in exoplanetary systems. The 2022 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey highlighted both in situ measurements and laboratory analyses of returned samples as high priorities for the coming decade; isotope analyses were called out as key measurements in many of these investigations. Due to the breadth of this subject, we are soliciting original research contributions from experimentalists, analysts, modelers, observers, and in situ flight instrument developers. The timeline of planetary exploration requires a long view. We therefore particularly encourage those who are pioneering new techniques in stable isotope geo- and cosmochemistry for the interrogation of extraterrestrial organics to consider submitting manuscripts to this Special Issue. Defining the abiotic isotopic background of a planetary body is a crucial step towards assessing its habitability and recognizing possible biosignatures; therefore, we also strongly encourage contributions that focus broadly on the characterization of the stable isotope compositions of a planetary body’s inventory of inorganic volatiles and products of abiotic organic synthesis. Of note, we are not soliciting mission concept papers in this call.
Prof. Dr. John M. Eiler
Dr. Amy E. Hofmann
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- isotope geochemistry
- planetary science
- planetary atmospheres
- planetary surfaces
- planetary interiors
- habitability
- astrobiology
- sample return
- telescopic observations
- flight instrumentation
