ROME
Full title: Response of Organisms to the Martian Environment (ROME)
The
group wishes to investigate the biological effects on organisms of the
combined physical and chemical extremes found on the Martian surface:
low temperatures, UV radiation, low pressure, and dissecation. Their
work will help to evaluate the potential for contamination of Mars by
terrestrial species transported on lander spacecraft.
Additionally,
it will be of importance to determine the effect of the Martian
environment on putative extinct or extant microbes; this, in turn, may
prove useful for identifying promising micro-habitats to search for
signs of life on the red planet. This Topical Team will coordinate the
studies performed on Mars simulation facilities across Europe,
providing cohesion in European efforts to study the effect of the Mars
environment on biological systems.
Topical Team members:
C.Cockell (UK),
G. Horneck (D),
A. Airo (D),
A. Brack (F),
C. Cordoba-Jabonero (E),
G. Dieckmann (D),
H. Edwards (UK),
D. Häder (D),
E. Helmke (D),
H. Kochan (D),
C. Kolb (A),
H. Lammer (A),
D. Möhlmann (D),
H. Stan-Lotter (A),
F. Westall (F)