Reaching for life in the distant past – deciphering the geobiology of modern and ancient hydrothermal sulfides

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jan-Peter Duda
• Subject Area: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry ; Palaeontology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 422423310

Deep-sea hydrothermal systems appear to have been critical for the early evolution of life on Earth, yet their geobiology has barely been explored and remains poorly understood. I hypothesize that ancient hydrothermal systems harbored significantly more diverse biological communities than previously thought and that the rock record can yield detailed insights into their fundamental geobiology (e.g., microbial community structures, environmental conditions). Our Emmy Noether junior research group will test this hypothesis by deciphering the geobiology of selected modern and ancient settings, including the Sulphur Springs Group (Pilbara Craton, Western Australia), the oldest known black smoker deposit on Earth. More specifically, we will achieve this through the combined analysis of rock fabrics and textures, organic-inorganic spatial relationships, and (kerogen bound-) lipid biomarkers. This integrative approach will yield important insights into the geobiology of the investigated hydrothermal sulfide systems. At the same time, it will reveal how the interplay of microbial life and physicochemical processes translates into geologically stable biosignatures – a crucial requisite for the interpretation of the fingerprints of life that may potentially be preserved in ancient hydrothermal systems.

• DFG Programme: Independent Junior Research Groups
• International Connection: USA
• Major Instrumentation: Catalytic hydropyrolysis ; Triple quadrupole GC-MS
• Instrumentation Group: 1110 Reaktionsgefäße für Niederdruck, (Hydrierung, Katalyse, Polymerisation) ; 1700 Massenspektrometer
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Gordon Love