Open AccessExploiting the multivariate isotopic nature of organic compounds
Author(s) -
Hinrichs KaiUwe,
Eglinton Geoffrey,
Engel Michael H.,
Summons Roger E.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.928
H-Index - 136
ISSN - 1525-2027
DOI - 10.1029/2001gc000142
Subject(s) - geology , multivariate statistics , earth science , multivariate analysis , geochemistry , paleontology , statistics , mathematics
[1] NASA’s latest plans for Mars sample returns [Lawler, 2000] mean that pristine rocks from carefully selected sites on the Red Planet could be back in the Houston Space Center as early as 2014. With a mission price tag of over $2 billion, the scientists bidding for the right to analyze these samples will need to be able to offer the most powerful, sensitive, and precise techniques known, just as was done in 1969 with the lunar returned samples [e.g., Lunar Sample Analysis Planning Team, 1970]. Whether or not it turns out that Mars has, or had, living organisms on or beneath its surface, we will want to know everything we can about its G Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems