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Putative fossil life in a hydrothermal system of the Dellen impact structure, Sweden

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 April 2010

Paula Lindgren ,
Magnus Ivarsson ,
Anna Neubeck ,
Curt Broman ,
Herbert Henkel  and
Nils G. Holm
Paula Lindgren*
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, StockholmS-106 91, Sweden
Magnus Ivarsson
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, StockholmS-106 91, Sweden
Anna Neubeck
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, StockholmS-106 91, Sweden
Curt Broman
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, StockholmS-106 91, Sweden
Herbert Henkel
Affiliation:
Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan, Stockholm S-100 44, Sweden
Nils G. Holm
Affiliation:
Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, StockholmS-106 91, Sweden
*
e-mail: paula.lindgren@geo.su.se
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Abstract

Impact-generated hydrothermal systems are commonly proposed as good candidates for hosting primitive life on early Earth and Mars. However, evidence of fossil microbial colonization in impact-generated hydrothermal systems is rarely reported in the literature. Here we present the occurrence of putative fossil microorganisms in a hydrothermal system of the 89 Ma Dellen impact structure, Sweden. We found the putative fossilized microorganisms hosted in a fine-grained matrix of hydrothermal alteration minerals set in interlinked fractures of an impact breccia. The putative fossils appear as semi-straight to twirled filaments, with a thickness of 1–2 μm, and a length between 10 and 100 μm. They have an internal structure with segmentation, and branching of filaments occurs frequently. Their composition varies between an outer and an inner layer of a filament, where the inner layer is more iron rich. Our results indicate that hydrothermal systems in impact craters could potentially be capable of supporting microbial life. This could have played an important role for the evolution of life on early Earth and Mars.

Keywords

early Earthearly Marshydrothermal systemimpact structuremicrofossils
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , July 2010 , pp. 137 - 146
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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