Darwin —- a mission to detect and search for life on extrasolar planets (2009)
Cockell, C. S., Léger, A., Fridlund, M., Herbst, T. M., Kaltenegger, L., Absil, O., ...
The discovery of extrasolar planets is one of the greatest achievements of modern astronomy. The detection of planets that vary widely in mass demonstrates that extrasolar planets of low mass exist....
Darwin-A Mission to Detect and Search for Life on Extrasolar Planets (2009)
Cockell, C S, Léger, A, Fridlund, M, Herbst, T M, Kaltenegger, L, Absil, Olivier, ...
The discovery of extrasolar planets is one of the greatest achievements of modern astronomy. The detection of planets that vary widely in mass demonstrates that extrasolar planets of low mass exist....
Cryptic photosynthesis, Extrasolar planetary oxygen without a surface biological signature (2008)
Cockell, C. S., Kaltenegger, L., Raven, J. A.
On the Earth, photosynthetic organisms are responsible for the production of virtually all of the oxygen in the atmosphere. On the land, vegetation reflects in the visible, leading to a red edge that...
DARWIN - A Mission to Detect, and Search for Life on, Extrasolar Planets (2008)
Cockell, C. S., Leger, A., Fridlund, M., Herbst, T., Kaltenegger, L., Absil, O., ...
The discovery of extra-solar planets is one of the greatest achievements of modern astronomy. The detection of planets with a wide range of masses demonstrates that extra-solar planets of low mass...
Horneck, G., Stoffler, D., Ott, S., Hornemann, U., Cockell, C.S., Möller, R., ...
The scenario of lithopanspermia describes the viable transport of microorganisms via meteorites. To test the first step of lithopanspermia, i. e., the impact ejection from a planet, systematic shock...
Misgaiski, M., Meyer, C., Stöffler, D., Fritz, J., Horneck, G., Moeller, R., ...
Petrographic and biological analysis of shock recovery experiments confirms the possible life transport due to an impact from Mars to Earth.
Impact experiments in support of "Lithopanspermia": The route from Mars to Earth (2007)
Stöffler, D., Meyer, C., Fritz, J., Horneck, G., Möller, R., Cockell, C.S., ...
Photosynthesis on Earth can occur in a diversity of organisms in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) range of 10 nmol of photons m(-2) s(-1) to 8 mmol of photons m(-2) s(-1). Similar...
Hypolithic Colonization of Opaque Rocks in the Arctic and Antarctic Polar Desert (2006)
Cockell, C. S., Dale Stokes, M.
The colonization of the underside of rocks normally requires that the material is sufficiently translucent to allow the penetration of photosynthetically active radiation. We examined the underside...
Life after shock: the mission from Mars to Earth (2006)
Meyer, C., Stöffler, D., Fritz, J., Horneck, G., Möller, R., Cockell, C. S., ...
Extract from introduction: The minerals of the Martian meteorites collected so far indicate an exposure to shock waves in the pressure range of 5 to 55 GPa [1]. As terrestrial rocks are frequently...
Gohn, G. S., Koeberl, C., Miller, K. G., Reimold, W. U., Browning, J. V., Cockell, C. S., ...
First report for the ICDP-USGS 1.7-km-deep corehole drilled into the central part of the Chesapeake Bay impact crater during 2005.
Impact experiments in support of "Lithopanspermia": The route from Mars to Earth (2006)
Stöffler, D., Meyer, C., Fritz, J., Horneck, G., Möller, R., Cockell, C. S., ...
Shock recovery experiments on a Martian analogue rock (gabbro) loaded with three types of microorganisms reveal that these organisms survive the impact and ejection phase on Mars at shock pressures...
Simple devices for concentration of microbial life: Experiments in Haughton impact structure (2006)
Parnell, J., Lindgren, P., Osinski, G. R., Cockell, C. S., Lee, P.
Simple devices that create environments with high levels of light and moisture could attract extant microbial life on a planetary surface and hence enhance the detection of it. Experience in the...
Surface mineral crusts: A priority target in search for life on Mars (2006)
Parnell, J., Bowden, S. A., Cockell, C. S., Osinski, G. R., Lee, P.
Mineral crusts are strong candidates in the search for evidence of life during planetary exploration, and should be an important target for examination in impact craters. Crusts in the Haughton...
Experimental simulation for a launch of viable microorganisms from Mars (2006)
Meyer, C., Stöffler, D., Fritz, J., Horneck, G., Möller, R., Cockell, C.S., ...
Stöffler, D., Meyer, C., Fritz, J., Horneck, G., Möller, R., Cockell, C. S., ...
Extract from introduction: With regard to the impact and ejection phase we tested the case for the transfer of microorganisms from Mars to Earth. Using a high explosive set-up thin layers of...
Radiative Habitable Zones in Martian Polar Environments (2005)
Cordoba-Jabonero, C., Selsis, F., Patel, M. R., Cockell, C. S.
The biologically damaging solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation (quantified by the DNA-weighted dose) reaches the Martian surface in extremely high levels. Searching for potentially habitable UV-protected...
Endolithic colonization of fluid inclusion trails in mineral grains (2005)
Parnell, J., Baron, M., Cockell, C. S.
Many scenarios for the colonization of planetary surfaces by microbial life involve endoliths. This study records microbial mass along fluid inclusion trails (healed microfractures) in quartz grains.
Parnell, J., Osinski, G. R., Lee, P., Cockell, C. S.
Microbes occur within transparent gypsum crystals in the Haughton crater. The crystals transmit light for photosynthesis, but protect from dehydration and wind. Sulfates on the Martian surface should...
Edwards, H.G.M., Wynn-Williams, D.D., Little, S.J., Cockell, C.S., Ellis-Evans, J.C.
The role of Antarctic epilithic lichens in the primary colonization of rocks and in the formation of soils is receiving attention because of the production of the stress-protective biochemicals...
Lee, P., Cockell, C. S., McKay, C. P.
Gullies on Devon Island, High Arctic, which form by melting of transient surface ice and snow covers and offer morphologic and contextual analogs for gullies reported on Mars are reported to display...
Parnell, J., Osinski, G. R., Lee, P., Cockell, C. S., Taylor, C. W.
Hopanoid biomarkers have been traced from bedrock to ice in the Haughton Impact Structure, suggesting that they represent a promising strategy in the search for life in ice deposits on Mars and other...
A scientific response to small asteroid and comet impacts (2003)
Presents a scientific response to small asteroid and comet impacts. Effects of impact events; Problems and opportunities in disaster response; Information on the scientific impact response team.
The science and scientific legacy of Operation Chastise (2002)
Operation Chastise, more often known as the 'Dambusters raids', was one of the most audacious aerial military operations of the Second World War, in that it made use of operationally untested...
Impact-induced microbial endolithic habitats (2002)
Cockell, C.S., Lee, P., Osinski, G., Horneck, G., Broady, P.
Cockell, C. S., Brandt, D., Hand, K., Lee, P. C.
We describe microbial mats from the Tswaing impact crater in South Africa. The mats provide insights into the unique biological characteristics of impact craters and can help strategies for the...
Ultraviolet protection on a snowball Earth (2001)
Cockell, C. S., Wynn-Williams, D. D., Horneck, G.
Habitats in the Antarctic provide an insight into habitats available on snowball earth. Physical UV protection on snowball earth would have been dominated by the manifestations of ice and snow in...
Stoker, C.R., Cabrol, N.A., Roush, T.R., Moersch, J., Aubele, J., Barlow, N., ...
We report on a field experiment held near Silver Lake playa in the Mojave Desert in February 1999 with the Marsokhod rover. The payload (Descent Imager, PanCam, Mini-TES, and Robotic Arm Camera),...
Cockell, C S, Marshall, J M, Dawson, K M, Cederholm-Williams, S A, Ponting, C P
Human Glu-plasminogen adopts at least three conformations that provide a means for regulating the specificity of its activation in vivo. It has been proposed previously that the closed (alpha)...
Cockell, C S, Marshall, J M, Dawson, K M, Cederholm-Williams, S A, Ponting, C P
Human Glu-plasminogen adopts at least three conformations that provide a means for regulating the specificity of its activation in vivo. It has been proposed previously that the closed (alpha)...