Astrobiology Science Conference 2015 Habitability, Habitable Worlds, and Life June 15–19, 2015 • Chicago, Illinois Sponsored by Earth-Life Science Institute/Tokyo Institute of Technology Smart Sparrow Blue Marble Space University of Montana Institutional Support Universities Space Research Association Lunar and Planetary Institute National Aeronautics and Space Administration Abstracts for this workshop are available in electronic format via the workshop website at www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/abscicon2015/ and can be cited as Author A. B. and Author C. D. (2015) Title of abstract. In Astrobiology Science Conference, Abstract #XXXX. LPI Contribution No. 1842, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston. Lunar and Planetary Institute 3600 Bay Area Boulevard Houston TX 77058-1113 Conference Chair Peter Doran Louisiana State University Local Organizing Committee Linda Billings, George Washington University Geza Gyuk, Adler Planetarium Philipp Heck, Field Museum of Natural History Fabien Kenig, University of Illinois at Chicago D’Arcy Meyer-Dombard, University of Illinois at Chicago Daniella Scalice, NASA Astrobiology Institute Science Organizing Committee Linda Billings, George Washington University Jeff Bowman, University of Washington Eric Boyd, Montana State University Julie Castillo-Rogez, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Charles Cockell, University of Edinburgh Shawn Domagal-Goldman, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Jamie Elsila Cook, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Clark Johnson, University of Wisconsin – Madison James Kasting, Penn State Timothy Lyons, University of California, Riverside Karen Meech, University of Hawaii D’Arcy Meyer-Dombard, University of Illinois at Chicago Alison Murray, Desert Research Institute Frank Rosenzweig, University of Montana Daniella Scalice, NASA Astrobiology Institute Britney Schmidt, Georgia Institute of Technology Greg Springsteen, Furman University Mary Voytek, NASA Headquarters (ex officio) James Wray, Georgia Institute of Technology Hilton Chicago Second Floor: Registration in Normandie Lounge Plenary Sessions in Grand Ballroom Lower Level: Posters in Stevens Salon C Concurrent Oral Sessions in Salon A INFORMATION FOR PRESENTERS Speaker-Ready Room Presentation validation and check-in will be in the Mobley Room, which is located on the lower level next to Salon A. Electronic presentations must be tested for readability and submitted to an A/V Tech in the Speaker-Ready Room via USB flash drive the day before your oral presentation is scheduled. Once your presentation has been checked for readability, the conference A/V staff will transfer it to the meeting room computer via the conference network. Speakers will not be allowed to load presentations onto the computers in the meeting rooms. Please bring a copy of your presentation to your session. Speaker-Ready Room Schedule Sunday, June 14 5:00 p.m. — 8:00 p.m. Monday, June 15 7:30 a.m. — 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 7:30 a.m. — 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 17 7:30 a.m. — 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 18 7:30 a.m. — 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 19 7:30 a.m. — 8:30 a.m. Poster Presenters Poster sessions will be held Wednesday and Thursday evening from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Salon C. Poster presenters are expected to be present at their poster for the duration of their assigned session. Poster location assignment guides will be available in Salon C. Posters can be installed beginning Sunday, June 14, at 5:00 p.m. All posters will remain up until the close of the Thursday night poster session. E-Posters We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to upload an electronic file of your poster (e-poster). Our interactive e-poster system will provide additional exposure by allowing your fellow attendees, as well as others, the ability to view your poster online. See the conference website for details. ABSCICON WEEK AT A GLANCE Day and Grand Ballroom Salon A1 Salon A2 Salon A3 Salon A5 Time Monday 8:00 a.m.– Grand Ballroom — The Deep History of a Carbon Atom followed at 9:15 by Sustained Habitability on a Dynamic Early Earth 10:15 a.m. Monday The Beginning and End of the Methods of Detection of Extraterrestrial Materials and the Environmental Change and the 10:30 a.m.– RNA World from the Perspective Planetary Protection Habitability, Biosignatures, and Emergence of Life Evolution of Planetary Habitability 12:30 p.m. of Ribosome Origins Their Variations I Monday Life in the Clouds: Recent The Diversity of Worlds: Methods of Detection of Major Transitions in Evolution: 1:45 p.m.– Advances in Upper Planetary Protection Workshop Comparative Planetology Habitability, Biosignatures, and Catalysts and Constraints I 3:45 p.m. Atmosphere Exploration and Habitability I Their Variations II Monday Habitability from Afar: Exploring The Diversity of Worlds: Methods of Detection of Major Transitions in Evolution: Beyond the Catastrophe: 4:00 p.m.– Icy Worlds from Orbital and Comparative Planetology Habitability, Biosignatures, and Catalysts and Constraints II Impacts and the Search for Life 6:00 p.m. Flyby Missions and Habitability II Their Variations III Monday 6:00 p.m.– Grand Ballroom — Reception followed at 7:30 by FameLab USA Regional Heat 9:30 p.m. Tuesday 8:00 a.m.– Grand Ballroom — Real Life or Fantasy: Biosignatures or Abiosignatures followed at 9:15 by The Origin and Subsequent Evolution of Life 10:15 a.m. Tuesday The Emergence of Life at Determining the Origin and How Can Modern Microbes Astrobiology Research Habitability of Extraterrestrial 10:30 a.m.– Prebiotic Chemistry and Early Nature of Prebiotic Species Inform Ancient and Education at Analog Environments I 12:30 p.m. Earth Environments in Comets Earth Ecosystems? I Minority-Serving Institution Tuesday How Can Modern Microbes Extreme Earth: Omics Research Definition and Boundaries of Habitability of Extraterrestrial 1:45 p.m.– Inform Ancient on Microbial Communities Habitable Zones I Analog Environments II 3:45 p.m. Earth Ecosystems? II Definition and Boundaries of Habitable Zones II Tuesday How Can Modern Microbes Radiation and Habitability: followed at 5:00 by Habitability of Extraterrestrial 4:00 p.m.– Inform Ancient Friends or Foes? I Chance and Necessity: From Analog Environments III 6:00 p.m. Earth Ecosystems? III Molecules and Viruses to Cells and Populations I Wednesday Grand Ballroom — Understanding and Recognizing Exoplanet Habitability followed at 9:15 by Improving Education Through Digital Learning Research 8:00 a.m.– followed at 10:30 by Honoring Those We Have Lost: Science and Reflections 10:15a.m. Wednesday Chance and Necessity: From Getting into Planets: Interior Finding Habitable Worlds and 11:30 a.m.– The Habitability of Icy Worlds I Molecules and Viruses to Cells Energy in Extreme Environments Planetary Processes, Life, Life Beyond the Solar System I 12:30 p.m. and Populations II and Habitability ABSCICON WEEK AT A GLANCE (CONTINUED) Day and Grand Ballroom Salon A1 Salon A2 Salon A3 Salon A5 Time Wednesday Finding Habitable Worlds and Earth’s Early Biosphere: Life on Mechanisms for the Prebiotic Radiation and Habitability: 1: 45 p.m.– The Habitability of Icy Worlds II Life Beyond the Solar System II an "Alien" Planet Emergence of Homochirality I Friends or Foes? II 3:45 p.m. Wednesday Laws of Life: Exploring Universal Titan's Organic Chemistry and Mechanisms for the Prebiotic Radiation and Habitability: 4:00 p.m.– Biology Through Insights into Habitability Emergence of Homochirality II Friends or Foes? III 6:00 p.m. Computer Simulation Wednesday 7:30 p.m.– Salon C — Poster Session I 9:30 p.m. Thursday 8:00 a.m.– Grand Ballroom — Planets in Perspective: Where’s the Energy? followed at 9:15 by Seeking Astrobiology Input to Mars 2020 Landing Site Selection 10:15 a.m. Thursday Martian Habitability by Past and Biosignatures and Mission to Early Earth: Archean The Habitability of From Prebiotic Chemistry to 10:30 a.m.– Ongoing Orbital, Lander, and Technosignatures: The Search and Proterozoic Oceans, Water-Rock Ecosystems I Functional Biopolymers I 12:30 p.m. Rover Missions for Inhabited Planets I Atmospheres, and Life I Lightning Talks I Thursday Biosignatures and Past and Extant Life Search Mission to Early Earth: Archean followed at 2:45 by From Prebiotic Chemistry to 1:45 p.m.– Technosignatures: The Search Strategies for Habitable and Proterozoic Oceans, NASA Innovative Functional Biopolymers II 3:45 p.m. for Inhabited Planets II Environments on Mars Atmospheres, and Life II Advanced Concepts Thursday Exploring the Effects of Stress on Mission to Early Earth: Archean The Habitability of Astrobiology and the Next Mars 4:00 p.m.– Microbial Mutation Rates and and Proterozoic Oceans, Water-Rock Ecosystems II Rover Missions 6:00 p.m. Survival Strategies Atmospheres, and Life III Thursday 7:30 p.m.– Salon C — Poster Session II 9:30 p.m. Friday Co-Evolution of Increasing and Measuring the Challenges for the Next Morning, Compartmentalization, Impact of Education and Generation of Biosignature Interstellar Chemical Evolution I 8:00 a.m.– Metabolism, and Public Outreach Detection Strategies I 10:10 a.m. Informational Polymers I Challenges for the Next Generation of Biosignature Co-Evolution of Friday Detection Strategies II Interstellar Chemical Evolution II Phototrophic Life and Earth’s Compartmentalization, 10:30 a.m.– followed at 11:30 by followed at 11:30 by Redox Evolution Metabolism, and 12:30 p.m. Understanding Your Parents: Lightning Talks II Informational Polymers II Host Star Characterization for Exoplanet Science S Monday, June 15, 2015 PLENARY SESSION: WELCOME AND THE DEEP HISTORY OF A CARBON ATOM MON ORAL 8:00 a.m. Grand Ballroom 8:00 a.m. Opening Remarks John Grunsfeld, NASA Headquarters 8:10 a.m. The Deep History of a Carbon Atom Moderator: Jamie Elsila Panel Members: Karen Meech Andrew Steele Michael Callahan Primo Levi’s short story, “The Story of a Carbon Atom,” tracked the path of a carbon atom.