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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology pp 1Cite as

Mars Analogues

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Extreme field sites on Earth that mimic some Mars condition are considered Mars analogues. Some Earth natural field sites are extreme due to very low pH, oxidant conditions, low temperature, or low water activity. Those extreme conditions characterize the Mars surface environment. Atacama dessert in Chile is one of the best recognized analogues for Mars surface due to the very low water activity and high UV radiation on the surface. Other interesting Mars analogue due to the low pH and associated geochemistry and mineralogy is the Spanish Rio Tinto. Jarosite is precipitated in the river bed resembling the chemistry associated to Meridiani Planum in the red planet.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC/INTA), Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Ctra de Torrejón a Ajalvir, km 4, 28850, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    Felipe Gomez

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  1. Felipe Gomez
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Correspondence to Felipe Gomez .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Gomez, F. (2014). Mars Analogues. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_5183-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_5183-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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