Research on Cosmic Matter on Earth and in Nearby Space;
Research on the Biological and Geochemical Specifics
of the Early Earth

Participating countries and international organizations:

Italy, Russia, United Kingdom, USA.

Issues addressed and main goals of research:

Research and development will include:

• Biogeochemical studies of cosmic dust.

• Studies of biofossils and organic compounds in meteorites and ancient terrestrial rocks.

• Studies of cosmic matter with nuclear physics methods.

• As a result of studying and generalizing the research materials on modern and fossil cosmic dust as well as ancient terrestrial objects and modern extremophile organisms, data will be obtained on the forms of ancient terrestrial and extraterrestrial life.

As the results:

• Obtaining new data on the amount of cosmic matter falling on the whole Earth's surface. Obtaining data on the dynamics of cosmic dust fallout on large territories.

• Evaluation of the following parameters of particles of extraterrestrial origin: morphology, structure, size distribution, and elemental, isotopic, and mineralogical composition. Assessment of changes in these characteristics in different plates in different time intervals.

• Creation of a cosmic dust collection, where dust microparticles will be characterized by quantity (concentration) and the size distribution.

• Obtaining new information on the role of microorganisms in the formation and evolution of life on Earth and processes of weathering, precipitation growth, etc.

• Research on the synthesis of complex prebiotic compounds from formamide under exposure to ionizing radiations of different qualities with meteorite samples as catalysts.

• Generalization of the obtained data on the forms of ancient terrestrial and, possibly, extraterrestrial life.
  
  

Expected results in the current year:

• To continue the search for and study of microfossils in meteorites and terrestrial rocks using electron microscopy.

• To conduct neutron activation analysis of meteorites and cosmic dust.

• To continue research on the synthesis of complex prebiotic compounds from formamide under the action of accelerated ions using meteorites and minerals of terrestrial origin as catalysts.

• To continue data collection and processing (electronic microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy images) to create an illustrated atlas of microfossils in carbonaceous chondrites.

• To study extremophiles of the underground biosphere, weathering crusts, and permafrost.

Collaboration