Studies in the search for life on Mars.
The ability of living organisms to survive extraterrestrial conditions has implications for the origins of life in the solar system.  We have therefore studied the survival of viruses, bacteria, yeast, and fungi under simulated Martian conditions.  The environment on Mars was simulated by low temperature, proton irradiation, ultraviolet irradiation, and simulated Martian atmosphere (CO2 95.46%, N2 2.7%, water vapor 0.03%) in a special cryostat.  After exposure to these conditions, tobacco mosaic virus and spores of Bacillus, Aspergillus, Clostridium, and some species of coccus showed significant survival.
Koike
J
J
Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan.
Oshima
T
T
Kobayashi
K
K
Kawasaki
Y
Y
D001234:Aspergillus niger; D001272:Atmosphere; D001412:Bacillus subtilis; D003013:Clostridium; D003081:Cold Climate; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control; D018559:Exobiology; D006095:Gram-Positive Cocci; D007053:Ice; D018535:Mars; D011522:Protons; D018561:Space Simulation; D013171:Spores, Bacterial; D013172:Spores, Fungal; D014027:Tobacco Mosaic Virus; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014618:Vacuum
D007053:Ice; D011522:Protons