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Formation of biomolecule precursors in space?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2008

Wolf D. Geppert ,
Erik Vigren ,
Mathias Hamberg ,
Vitali Zhaunerchyk ,
Magdalena Kaminska ,
Richard D. Thomas ,
Fabian Österdahl ,
Fredrik Hellberg ,
Anneli Ehlerding  and
Mathias Danielsson
...Show all authors
Wolf D. Geppert
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
Erik Vigren
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
Mathias Hamberg
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
Vitali Zhaunerchyk
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
Magdalena Kaminska
Affiliation:
Swietokrzyska Akademy, Swietokrzyska, PL-25406 Kielce, Poland
Richard D. Thomas
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
Fabian Österdahl
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
Fredrik Hellberg
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
Anneli Ehlerding
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
Mathias Danielsson
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
Mats Larsson
Affiliation:
Physics Department, Stockholm UniversityRoslagstullsbacken 21, S-10691, Stockholm, Sweden email: wgeppert@physto.se
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Abstract

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The possibility of an extraterrestrial origin of biomolecule building blocks has been a subject of intense discussions for many years. The detection of amino acids in meteorites opens the possibility of a delivery of biomolecules synthesized in the interstellar medium or star-forming regions to the primeval Earth. Whereas it can be doubted if more complex species like amino acids can survive the strong UV radiation in the early Solar System, this does not necessary hold for more primitive precursor molecules like nitriles. These compounds can also be synthesized very efficiently in methane-nitrogen dominated atmospheres like the one present on Titan and the early ages of Earth. This Contribution focuses on the formation and degradation processes of nitriles in interstellar clouds and planetary atmospheres and on their possible role in the generation of biomolecules.

Keywords

Astrochemistrymolecular processesplasmasISM: moleculesastrobiology
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 4 , Symposium S251: Organic Matter in Space , February 2008 , pp. 349 - 354
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2008

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