185 New Advances and Voices in Geobiology (Posters)

This session will focus on new research at the intersection between geologic and biologic processes with special emphasis on novel materials and methods, new field sites, and advances at the intersections of scientific fields.

Tuesday, 21 October 2025
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, Hall 1

A Potential Computational Method for Estimating Trace Amino Acid Concentrations from MODIS Chlorophyl Data

Paper number: 185-3
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Authors

Abstract

Tryptophan (C11H12N2O2) is an essential amino acid crucial for responding to environmental stress It

does this by acting as a regulator for functions like photosynthesis 1 in organisms such as algae and

cyanobacteria, but more broadly it acts as a precursor metabolite for other compounds such as alanine and

serotonin. These compounds serve as a vital instrument for tracking the effects of anthropogenic climate

change, particularly in polar regions which are critical to the field of study in astrobiology. Normally,

tryptophan monitoring is done in small-scale field operations, which, while helpful, can be costly over

time. And while satellites such as ESA’s upcoming FLEX mission have sensors to measure UV

fluorescence, they are designed for the purposes of terrestrial vegetation rather than marine environments.

Our study presents a Python computation method for large-scale trace amino acid monitoring derived from

the kynurenine metabolic pathway in tandem with Chl-A concentration data from MODIS and available insitu

measurements of 0.262, 0.214, 0.064, 0.23, 0.0416, 0.389, and 0.536 uM. (December 11-16, 2020) in

the Ross Sea (Kim et.al., 2024). Currently, we are evaluating the suitability of this method for other

potential tracers in similar environments. 

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-413264

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