Overview of analogue science activities at the McGill Arctic Research Station, Axel Heiberg Island, Canadian High Arctic
Introduction
Conceptually there are two approaches we can use to improve our understanding about other planets: (i) efficient analysis of existing and future data sets, and; (ii) the development of innovative techniques that could potentially be incorporated as payload or methodological constituents on future missions. With regards to Mars, one of the most effective ways to accomplish these goals is to exploit the environments on Earth that are the most similar to the conditions we expect to exist there – namely very cold and very dry – like those found in terrestrial polar deserts.
Such is the basis of the “analogue approach” to geoscientific research. Eicken (2002) notes that terrestrial analogue studies are integral to interplanetary research because they allow us to develop and test conceptual models about the properties inferred or observed on other planets and also provide constraints to theories about planetary development and composition. In essence, given the excessive costs and risks associated with full Mars missions the most viable alternative is to use to the Earth to simulate Martian environments as closely as possible.
As summarized in Table 1, the Earth's polar regions provide a unique opportunity to examine the physical and biological processes related to cold, dry environments, and to develop and test technological advances that could potentially be used for future Mars missions (Andersen et al., 1990, Andersen et al., 1992, Vali et al., 1999). Through the Canadian Analogue Research Network (CARN) program (Hipkin et al., 2007; Osinski et al., 2007), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has identified two sites in the High Arctic as centers for analogue-based research: (i) the Haughton Mars Project, Haughton Impact Structure, Devon Island, and; (ii) the McGill Arctic Research Station (M.A.R.S.), Expedition Fjord, Axel Heiberg Island. The latter represents the focus of this paper.
Originally established by McGill University in 1960, M.A.R.S. (79°26′N, 90°46′W; Fig. 1) has been providing support to teams of scientists involved in research focusing on glaciology, geocryology, meteorology, biology, microbial ecology, geology and isolation psychology. While the original camp has been in operation for nearly 50 years, financial support provided through the CARN agreement with CSA has facilitated the development of a new camp approximately 10 km further west along Expedition Fjord. Additionally, M.A.R.S. field activities sometimes extend beyond the immediate local station to other parts of Axel Heiberg Island and regions of west-central Ellesmere Island such as the Fosheim Peninsula where the resources of Environment Canada's Eureka weather station are often used. Eureka is located at 79°59′N, 85°56′W, approximately 100 km east of the M.A.R.S. camp.
The primary goals of the new camp are to provide enhanced logistical support for researchers involved in CARN-funded studies, to build upon McGill's legacy of collaborations in space-related research over the past decades, and to set the foundation for future national and international collaboration in analogue research. The objective of this paper is thus to present a review of the numerous past and ongoing analogue science activities conducted at M.A.R.S. and to identify areas where future collaborations will be possible.
Section snippets
Climate
Polar desert conditions characterized by cold, dry winters and cool summers are predominant in the region. The nearest long-term meteorological records are from Eureka, which reveal a mean annual air temperature (MAAT) of −19.7 °C, mean monthly temperatures of −36.1 °C and +5.4 °C for January and July, respectively, and minimum air temperatures frequently reaching −55 °C. Periodic meteorological records are available for Expedition Fjord over the past 47 years, with a more complete record for
Overview
The physical conditions outlined above provide an invaluable opportunity to examine the behaviour of water in various physical states. Under the broad umbrella of the “Follow the Water” initiative (Hubbard et al., 2002) – whereby the international Mars community has identified such a task as a priority – researchers at M.A.R.S. are using Axel Heiberg Island's polar deserts as a natural laboratory in which to investigate liquid and solid water bodies found within the ground.
Introduced briefly in
Overview
Various studies have described the microbial communities inhabiting Earth's diverse environments characterized by low or sub-zero temperatures (de la Torre et al., 2003; Stackebrandt et al., 2004; Gilichinsky et al., 2005; Barrett et al., 2006; Mikucki and Priscu, 2007; Perreault et al., 2007; Steven et al., 2007a), with many of these communities being metabolically active under these sub-zero in situ conditions (Carpenter et al., 2000; Rivkina et al., 2000; Christner, 2002; Junge et al., 2004;
Overview
Traditionally the research thrust at M.A.R.S. has been dominated by scientific investigation with a focus on understanding particular characteristics or functions of physical and/or biological analogue systems. Recently, however, a series of projects have commenced focusing on technological development for exploration purposes, comprised of three stages. First, “off-the-shelf” commercially available technology is being tested to conduct proof-of-concept studies, designed to illustrate the
Logistics
In 2005 the Canadian Space Agency began a formal program of analogue science through its Canadian Analogue Research Network (CARN) and its program of CARN grants to Canadian researchers to work at these and other analogue sites across Canada (Hipkin et al., 2007; Osinski et al., 2007). Along with the Haughton Mars Project on Devon Island and Pavillion Lake in British Columbia, the McGill Arctic Research Station was one of three sites funded under the program. M.A.R.S. obtained funding primarily
Summary
Axel Heiberg Island provides a unique opportunity to examine the physical and biological processes characteristic of cold, dry environments. While research based out of the McGill Arctic Research Station has been ongoing for nearly 50 years, developments in the past decade have expanded to include investigations about the analogical value of this environment to propose hypotheses about similar processes on Mars. Presently, such analogue studies are continuing centered around geomorphic,
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Canadian Space Agency through Canadian Analogue Research Network contracts and grants, as well as the Mars Instrument Concept Study contract. Additional funding has been provided by the Canadian Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Grant Program, ArcticNet (Canadian Tricouncil Networks of Centres of Excellence Program), NASA's Exobiology and Astrobiology Programs, and the McGill Arctic Research
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