Nora Noffke

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Noffke

Nora Noffke is an American geologist who is a professor in the Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. Noffke's research focuses on the sedimentology of biofilm forming sedimentary structures in modern aquatic environments, where clastic deposits dominate. Such structures occur in the fossil record as well. Her studies are interdisciplinary combining sedimentology with microbiology, geochemistry, and mineralogy.[1]

Early life[edit]

Noffke's interest in fossils originated from her early years when she would spend time hiking with her parents on the Schwaebische Alb, a mountain chain in Germany. The area was rich in fossils, paving the way for her lifelong career in the field of paleontology and geology.[2]

Education[edit]

Noffke received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Sciences (Diploma) in geology-paleontology from the University of Tübingen, Germany. Her diploma thesis advisor was Dolf Seilacher. Together they carried out research on trace fossils including Daedalus halli from the Lower Arenigian, Montagne Noire, France.[3] Noffke did her Ph.D. in Geomicrobiology at the University of Oldenburg, Germany where she worked alongside Gisela Gerdes, a microbiologist who conducted research in the field of modern microbial mats in siliciclastic deposits.[3] In 2000, Noffke migrated to the US, where she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Organismic Biology and Evolution, at Harvard University, as a guest of Andy Knoll. Shortly thereafter, she became professor for sedimentology at the Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia.[4]

Career and research[edit]

Noffke is known for her work on microbial mats causing microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS) in sandy deposits. Her work employs the actuopaleontological approach in the examination of the Earth's past.[1][5] MISS allow insight into past prokaryote and single-celled benthos, and the paleoenvironment and paleoclimate. Noffke discovered 17 different types of MISS that result from microbial growth and EPS-production, trapping, biostabilization, baffling, and binding. The Dresser Formation, Pilbara, Western Australia, includes some of the oldest MISS.[6] The fossil microbial mats covered clastic tidal flats, channels and pools.[7] MISS at Dinosaur Ridge, added knowledge on paleoenvironmental conditions under which the Upper Crustaceous "J" Sandstone formed, and broadened insight of track sites development.[8]

In collaboration with Gerdes, Thomas Klenke, and Wolfgang E. Krumbein, Noffke suggested a new, fifth group to Pettijohn and Potter's classification of primary sedimentary structures. They called the group bedding modified by microbial mats and biofilms, and divided it into two classes: one for those on bedding planes, and the second for those within beds.[9] The first class includes microbial wrinkle structures, mat/sand chips, erosional remnants and pockets, palimpsest/multidirectional ripple marks, shrinkage cracks and mat curls.[9] The second class, within beds, includes biolaminites, gas domes, sponge pore fabrics and fenestrae structures, as well as "microbially induced sedimentary textures (MIST) such as oriented grains, sinoidal laminae, and mat-layer-bound grain sizes.[9]

Noffke's work on microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS) in sandy deposits is summarized in a textbook.[5] The book describes MISS as biosignatures valuable for the exploration extraterrestrial life.[10]

Noffke is Acting Chair of the Subcommission on Precambrian Stratigraphy of the International Stratigraphic Commission,[11] and is the editor for the volume Prokaryota of the Treatise of Invertebrate Paleontology.[12] Noffke has organized the SEPM Field Conference on Siliciclastic Microbial Mats 2010, and together with John Stolz has established the Gordon Research Conference: Geobiology.[5] She was one of the early chairs of the Division for Geobiology and Geomicrobiology of the Geological Society of America (GSA).[13]

In honor of Noffke's service to the science community, a 550 million year old fossil group from the Ediacaran Grant Bluff Formation, Australia, was named after her: Noffkarkys storaaslii[14] ('net of Noffke')

Noffke was named a fellow of the American Association for the advancement of Science (AAAS). This award is the equivalent of an Oscar for an actor. The AAAS cited her for her work.

"seminal contributions to the field of geobiology, particularly for elucidation of the previously unrecognized 3.5 billion year fossil record of microbially induced sedimentary structures".[15]

Recently, she was elected president of the geological society of Washington, D.C.

Publications[edit]

  • Geobiology: Microbial Mats in Sandy Deposits from the Archean Era to Today (2010) is a textbook on microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS): formation, preservation, morphologies, facies associations, texture content.[16]
  • Geobiology: Objectives, Concepts, Perspectives (2005)[17]
  • Sedimentology: Microbially induced sedimentary structures: a new category within the classification of primary sedimentary structures. (2001) A journal on Sedimentary Research focusing on biotic-physical interactions; erosion, deposition, and deformation of sediments that were influence by major biological components such as Cyanobacterial films and mats.[18]
  • Sedimentology: Microbial signatures in peritidal siliciclastic sediments: a catalogue. (2000) A journal listing of microbial structural signatures is provided along with an overview of a number of sedimentary structures from two contemporary siliciclastic peritidal habitats in various climate zones.[19]
  • Astrobiology: Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures Recording an Ancient Ecosystem in the ca. 3.48 Billion-Year-Old Dresser Formation, Pilbara, Western Australia. (2013) Focuses on where Microbially induced sedimentary structures are found and come from. They can be found in a variety of contemporary habitats, such as shelves, tidal flats, lagoons, and more.[20]

Awards and honors[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Hazen, Robert M. (2012). The story of Earth : the first 4.5 billion years, from stardust to living planet. New York, NY. pp. 171–176. ISBN 978-0-14-312364-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ "Newly Discovered Fossil Named After ODU Professor". Old Dominion University. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  3. ^ a b NOFFKE, N.; DECHO, A. W.; STOODLE, P. (2013-01-18). "Slime Through Time: The Fossil Record of Prokaryote Evolution". PALAIOS. 28 (1): 1–5. Bibcode:2013Palai..28....1N. doi:10.2110/palo.2013.so1. ISSN 0883-1351. S2CID 85963989.
  4. ^ "Nora Noffke". Old Dominion University. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
  5. ^ a b c Noffke, Nora (2010). Geobiology: Microbial Mats in Sandy Deposits from the Archean Era to Today. Springer; 2010th edition. ISBN 978-3642127717.
  6. ^ "Geobiologist Noffke Reports Signs of Life that Are 3.48 BillionYears Old". Old Dominion University. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  7. ^ Noffke, Nora. "Turbulent Lifestyle: Microbial mats on Earth's sandy beaches" (PDF). Geological Society of America.
  8. ^ Noffke, Nora; Hagadorn, James; Bartlett, Sam (2019-11-15). "Microbial structures and dinosaur trackways from a Cretaceous coastal environment (Dakota Group, Colorado, U.S.A.)". Journal of Sedimentary Research. 89 (11): 1096–1108. Bibcode:2019JSedR..89.1096N. doi:10.2110/jsr.2019.57. ISSN 1527-1404. S2CID 213305931.
  9. ^ a b c Noffke, Nora; Gerdes, Gisela; Klenke, Thomas; Krumbein, Wolfgang E. (2001-09-01). "Microbially Induced Sedimentary Structures: A New Category within the Classification of Primary Sedimentary Structures". Journal of Sedimentary Research. 71 (5): 649–656. Bibcode:2001JSedR..71..649N. doi:10.1306/2DC4095D-0E47-11D7-8643000102C1865D. ISSN 1527-1404.
  10. ^ Knoll, Andrew H. (2011). "The Riddle of the Sands". Research Gate.
  11. ^ "Subcommission on Precambrian Stratigraphy". precambrian.stratigraphy.org. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  12. ^ "Treatise Online". paleo.ku.edu. Retrieved 2022-06-23.
  13. ^ "Newsletter of the Geobiology & Geomicrobiology · PDF fileNewsletter of the Geobiology & Geomicrobiology Division of GSA Volume 2, Issue 2 September 2010 Chair's Corner The next - [PDF Document]". documents.pub. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  14. ^ Retallack, Gregory J.; Broz, Adrian P. (2020-05-13). "Arumberia and other Ediacaran–Cambrian fossils of central Australia". Historical Biology. 33 (10): 1964–1988. doi:10.1080/08912963.2020.1755281. ISSN 0891-2963. S2CID 219432483.
  15. ^ "Noffke Finds Potential Signs of Ancient Life in Mars Rover Photos". Old Dominion University. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  16. ^ "'Geobiology: Microbial Mats in Sandy Deposits from the Archean Era to Today' by Nora Noffke | astrobiologysociety.org". Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  17. ^ Noffke, N. (30 June 2005). Geobiology: Objectives, Concepts, Perspectives | ScienceDirect. Elsevier. ISBN 9780444520197. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  18. ^ "Microbially induced sedimentary structures: a new category within the classification of primary sedimentary structures". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  19. ^ "Microbial signatures in peritidal siliciclastic sediments: a catalogue". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  20. ^ "Microbially induced sedimentary structures recording an ancient ecosystem in the ca. 3.48 billion-year-old Dresser Formation, Pilbara, Western Australia". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  21. ^ "Past Science Awards Winners". www.sepm.org. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  22. ^ "Nora Noffke". Old Dominion University. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  23. ^ Rowanmartindale (2018-03-19). "GSA Geobiology and Geomicrobiology: Help us choose the 2018 Awardees". GSA Geobiology and Geomicrobiology. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  24. ^ "Historic Fellows | American Association for the Advancement of Science". www.aaas.org. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  25. ^ "Nora Noffke". Old Dominion University. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
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