 "ROBOTIC INVESTIGATION OF SUBSURFACE LIFE IN THE ATACAMA DESERT, CHARACTERISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION OF LIFE FROM THE COAST TO THE ALTIPLANO"   I. Gallardo-Carreño1, Y. Blanco1, D. Wettergreen2, S. Minick2, G. Chong3, N. Cabrol4, B. Yaggi5, K. Zacny5 and  V. Parro1 1 Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Carretera de Ajalvir km4, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain.  2 Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA. 3 Departamento de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Católica del Norte, Angamos 0610, Antofagasta, Chile. 4 NASA Ames Research Center, MS 245-260, Moffett Field CA 94035, USA. 4 HoneyBee Robotics, Pasadena, CA, USA    Introduction:  The Life in the Atacama (LITA) project explored and measured the gradients of subsurface life and habitats in the Atacama Desert (Chile) in a field campaign involving the first operation of a 1meter drill by an autonomous survey rover. Atacama Desert has long been considered a good Mars analogue for testing instrumentation for planetary exploration, [1]. The objectives are: detect subsurface life unambiguously, characterize surviving biota, measure spatial variability of biodiversity and detect environmental boundary conditions of subsurface microorganisms; determine physical/environmental conditions of identified habitats; and make measurements that motivate the exploration of analogous environments on Mars. We performed a Mars analogue drilling campaign next to Paranal Observatory and several soils samples from up to 1m deep were analyzed in situ with SOLID (Signs Of LIfe Detector, [2]) an instrument based on protein microarray technology (LDChip451, a Life Detector Chip containing 451 antibodies), for automatic in situ detection and identification of substances from liquid and solid samples (soil, sediments). LDChip451 detected bacteria, archaea, and other biological material (DNA, exopolysaccharides, peptides) from 0.5 g of soils sample. For the robots procedure, a mobile robot called "Zoë", has been reconditioned, improved and configured for the LITA field investigation. For the drilling and instrumentation procedures, it has developed and integrated a rover-deployed, autonomous drill, capable of penetrating to 80 cm depth and acquiring and delivering subsurface samples; a Mars Microbeam Raman Spectrometer (MMRS), which function is measures the Raman spectra from soils; and Visible to Near Infrared Spectrometer which function is measures the spectrum of reflected light (used to determine mineral compositions). With the SOLID instrument we detected different proteins implicated in the metabolism of Perclorate (perclorate-reductase, chlorite-dismutase, etc.) and microorganism (Dechloromonas) at different depths: Surface, 10, 20, 50 and 80 centimetres. Perchlorate and other chlorine oxides, in addition to its environmental importance on Earth, have acquired astrobiology importance after the discovery of relatively high concentrations on Mars (Phoenix probe in 2008 and rover Curiosity). Perchlorate is used by a group of bacteria as electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions and could well have exercised (or currently exercisable) a similar role with a potential Martian microbiota. With the MMRS and the Visible to Near Infrared Spectrometer we can detect the presence of these perchlorates in the analyzed soils. Finally, to confirm the presence of this microorganism, DNA extraction and 16s DNA sequencing will be performed. The performance demonstrated by our LDChip451 validates this technology for planetary exploration, particularly for the search for life on Mars. We detected microbial biomarkers in situ with the LDChip, preferentially associated to the deepest and wetter samples; the presence of organic and inorganic anions as electron donors and elctron aceptors, respectively, to fuel different microbial metabolisms.   References:  [1] Parro, V. et al. (2011) Astrobiology 10. [2] Parro, V. et al, (2010)  Astrobiology 11.                 Additional Information:  Fig. 1: Sampling area in Atacama Desert, Chile.        Fig. 2: Mobile robot, Zoë.         Fig. 3: Microbial biomarkers associated to perchlorate reducing bacteria detected with LDChip.     Drill 8 010000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 295 cld PCR PCR A/B Flu or es ce nt In te ns it yD8-Surface D8-10 D8-20 D8-50 
