Frances Westall is Director of Research at the CNRS and Head of the Astrobiology Group in Orleans. President of the European Astrobiology Network Association, she is a specialist on microbial biosignatures, Early Earth geology and is part of the ExoMars2020 rover mission.
Foreword.- Preface.- Chemical Biosignatures at the Origins.- Organic Matter in Interplanetary Dusts and Meteorites.- Biosignatures of Cellular Components and Metabolic Activity.- The Deep Subseafloor and Biosignatures.- A Systematic Way to Life Detection Combining Field, Lab and Space Research in Low Earth Orbit.- Mineralogical Identification of Traces of Life.- Biosignatures in Deep Time.- The Search for Biosignatures in Martian Meteorite Allan Hills 84001.- Role of Mineral Surfaces in Prebiotic Processes and Space-like Conditions.- Photochemistry and Photoreactions of Organic Molecules in Space.- Exoplanetary Biosignatures for Astrobiology.- The Enigma of Methane on Mars.- Detection of Biosignatures Using Raman Spectroscopy.- Searching for Signs of Life on Other Planets: Mars a Case Study.- The History and Philosophy of Biosignatures.