Workshop
Astrobiology Expeditions
2002
St.
Petersburg, Russia
March 25 - 29, 2002
Organized and
hosted by the
RUSSIAN ASTROBIOLOGY
CENTER
This workshop will
bring together an international group of researchers in astrobiology and to inaugurate the
Russian Astrobiology Center (RAC) of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St.
Petersburg. The meeting will address topics in astrobiology, collaborative research
between members of the RAC and international colleagues, as well as serve as a forum for
the planning of future field excursions to areas of astrobiological interests within the
confines of the Russian Federation.
 Scientific
organizing committee
Chairman:Anatoli K. Pavlov (RAC, Ioffe PTI, Russian Academy of Science, Russia)
Alexander V. Blinov (RAC, Saint Petersburg Technical State University, Russia)
Lev K. Levsky (RAC, Precambrian Institute Russian Academy of Science,
Russia)
Anvar M. Ahmetov (Russian Institute of Geology, Russian Academy of Science,
Russia)
Evgenia A. Kuzicheva (RAC, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Science,
Russian)
Michal B. Simakov (RAC, Institute of Citology, Russian Academy of Science,
Russian)
Stephen J. Mojzsis (Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado at
Boulder, USA)
Juha Karhu (Department of Geology, University of Helsinki, Finland)
Sherry Cady (Department of Geology, Portland State University, USA)
James F. Kasting (Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University,
USA)
Christopher P. McKay (NASA Ames Research Cente, USA)
Alexander A. Pavlov (Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of
Colorado at Boulder, USA)
Cockell, C.S.,
(British Antarctic Survey)
Workshop
Topics
| 1. Introduction of the Russian
Astrobiology Center |
Introduction of the Research Groups and
Collaborators of the RAC. Ongoing Research Initiatives and Possible International
Collaboration.
|
|
2. Origin and
Early Evolution of Planetary Atmospheres (Chairs: Pavlov A.A., Kasting J.F) |
Comparative studies of the evolutionary paths of the
terrestrial planetary atmospheres. How unique is the Earth’s atmospheric composition?
Was it constant in the chemical composition over the Earth’s history? Was Mars ever wet?
Was Venus ever cool and had an ocean?
|
|
| 3. Panspermia (Chairs:
Pavlov A. K., Blinov A. V., Simakov M. B.) |
The possibility and effectiveness of the life
transfer processes in the galaxy and Solar system and estimation of the effective distance
of the life transfer by different “space carriers.”
|
|
| 4. Educational Outreach in
Astrobiology (TBA) |
Scientific, educational and cultural exchange
between the Russian Astrobiology Center, the NASA Astrobiology Institute, the Center for
Astrobiology in Madrid, Spain and the Australian Center for Astrobiology.
|
|
| 5. Early Earth – in Transition
(Chairs: Levsky L. K., Mojzsis S., Karhu J.) |
Discussion of the fieldtrip to the Baltic shield
scheduled for June 2002. Rock exposures to be investigated include critical samples
overlapping in time with the Great Oxidation Event on Earth ca. 2.3 Ga: reduced paleosols,
glacial diamictite, 2.48-2.45 Ga mantle plume event, highly mature quatzites atop of
glacials, oxidized paleosols, carbonates with high carbon isotope values, organic-rich
shales - shungites, evidence for mantle plume at 2.22 and 2.1 Ga (the last one leading to
supercontinent Kenorland breakup).
|
|
| 6. Life in Extreme Environments
(Kalinin V. L., S. Cady, McKay, C.) |
We will discuss survivalability of life in the
extremely cold, extremely hot environments. We also will address the topic of life
adaptation to the extreme radiation fluxes. This session will be used as a sounding board
for proposals to visit extreme habitats for life in e.g. Kamchatka, Russian Far East.
|
|
| 7. The space exobiology
experiments (Chairs: Brack A., Kuzicheva E.) |
We will discuss the possibility of the formation of
biological important substances at the terrestrial orbit. The main question to be focused
on in this context is revealing of different cosmic enegry impacts and various mineral
associates role in the processes of degradation and synthesis.
|
|
| 8. Terrestrial and
extraterrestrial impacts and their traces in natural archieves (Chairs : Dergachev
V.A., Lovelius N.V.) |
The changes in biological systems producing by solar
cycles, volcanic eruptions as well as after catastrophic events (like Tunguska event) will
be discussed. We will focus our attention to the changes on the secular and millennial
time scale.
|
|
| Discussion and Planning of Future
Fieldtrips (2003): |
a) The mystery of Tunguska event, newly identified
point of impact and anomalous features in flora evolution within the Tunguska impact area.
|
|
b) Trip to the Kamchatka peninsula with an emphasis
on study of the modern hyperthermophilic habitats in geothermal hot springs, geysers and
crater lakes of the Kamchatka peninsula.
|
Attention !
|
Dear international
participants !
Information about an official invitation for you and visa to Russia.
We are very glad to help you with getting Russian visa for RAC Workshop. In order to start
the paperwork we need a copy of your passport. A fax copy of your passport (or scan file
of your passport by E-mail) is necessary to issue an official invitation for you from the
Russian Academy of Sciences.
This invitation is going to be send to you in the beginning of February .
It will be your responsibility to send this invitation with your original passport to the
Russian Embassy or consulate in your country , to get the actual visa. Typically, this
process will take about 3-4 weeks.
If you would like to travel with family to Russia, we need your documents ASAP.
You can send the copy of your passport to fax in Russia (812) 2479167; (812) 2471017 or to
fax in USA: 303 4926946
Information
for participants
To indicate
your interest in participating in this meeting,
please contact Dr. Anatoli
Pavlov
e-mail : Anatoli.Pavlov@pop.ioffe.rssi.ru
Please send your
suggestions/requests regarding additional topics to Anatoli Pavlov.
We would like to welcome you
to St. Petersburg! |