AstRoMap European Astrobiology Roadmap
- Author(s)
- Gerda Horneck, Nicholas Walter, Frances Westall, John Grenfell, William Martin, Felipe Gomez, Stefan Leuko, Natuschka Lee, Silvano Onofri, Kleomenis Tsiganis, Raffaele Saladino, Elke Pilat-Lohinger, Ernesto Palomba, Jesse Harrison, Fernando Rull, Christian Muller, Giovanni Strazzulla, John Brucato, Petra Rettberg, Maria Capria
- Abstract
The European AstRoMap project (supported by the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme) surveyed the state of the art of astrobiology in Europe and beyond and produced the first European roadmap for astrobiology research. In the context of this roadmap, astrobiology is understood as the study of the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the context of cosmic evolution; this includes habitability in the Solar System and beyond. The AstRoMap Roadmap identifies five research topics, specifies several key scientific objectives for each topic, and suggests ways to achieve all the objectives. The five AstRoMap Research Topics are · Research Topic 1: Origin and Evolution of Planetary Systems · Research Topic 2: Origins of Organic Compounds in Space · Research Topic 3: Rock-Water-Carbon Interactions, Organic Synthesis on Earth, and Steps to Life · Research Topic 4: Life and Habitability · Research Topic 5: Biosignatures as Facilitating Life Detection It is strongly recommended that steps be taken towards the definition and implementation of a European Astrobiology Platform (or Institute) to streamline and optimize the scientific return by using a coordinated infrastructure and funding system. Key Words: Astrobiology roadmap - Europe - Origin and evolution of life - Habitability - Life detection - Life in extreme environments. Astrobiology 16, 201-243.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Astrophysics
- External organisation(s)
- European Astrobiology Network Association (EANA), Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), European Science Foundation - ESF, CBM Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Umeå University, Technische Universität München, Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali , University of Valladolid, Belgian User Support and Operations Centre (ESA), Università degli Studi di Catania, INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri
- Journal
- Astrobiology
- Volume
- 16
- Pages
- 201-243
- No. of pages
- 43
- ISSN
- 1531-1074
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2015.1441
- Publication date
- 03-2016
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 103038 Space exploration
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous), Space and Planetary Science
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/astromap-european-astrobiology-roadmap(de107d57-13ca-4574-9dd8-2326bbb86fdf).html