Why is it in the news?
Scientists found gypsum in Salar de Pajonales preserves microbial life and fossils.
The site provides insights for future Mars exploration.
Category: Geography
Important Points:
● Salar de Pajonales located in Atacama Desert, northern Chile
● Situated at ~3,500 m elevation on Altiplano-Puna plateau
● 3rd largest salar in Atacama Region
● Hyperarid conditions with intense UV radiation and temperature fluctuations
● Endorheic basin sustained by groundwater
● Surface dominated by evaporitic deposits including gypsum
● Active extremophile microbes found within gypsum microhabitats
● Fossilized biosignatures preserved for thousands of years
● Gypsum shields biological material from radiation and desiccation
● Suggests Mars rovers should target gypsum deposits for biosignatures