The search for life beyond Earth is entering a new era, ushered in by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and upcoming missions like Europa Clipper and JUICE. As high-resolution data emerge, data-driven methods can help detect subtle patterns and integrate diverse observations. I’ll present two studies that exemplify this approach.
In the first study, we apply a spectral decomposition framework to JWST NIRSpec observations of Europa. We isolate spatial-spectral modes of variability across nine diagnostic bands and three jointly-analyzed observation geometries of the leading hemisphere. We identify anomalous ice textures enriched in volatiles across several geologically active terrains, with implications for ocean— surface exchange processes that may inform our understanding of Europa’s habitability.
In the second study, we propose a new class of biosignature based on the statistical structure of organic assemblages. Using ecodiversity metrics to compare amino acid profiles, we find that biotic samples are consistently more diverse than their abiotic counterparts. This distinction also holds for the deep geologic record and for fatty acids. Relying solely on relative abundances, it is applicable to all planetary missions capable of measuring molecular abundances.