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Survival of gas phase amino acids and nucleobases in space radiation conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2008

S. Pilling ,
D. P. P. Andrade ,
R. B. de Castilho ,
R. L. Cavasso-Filho ,
A. F. Lago ,
L. H. Coutinho ,
G. G. B. de Souza ,
H. M. Boechat-Roberty  and
A. Naves de Brito
S. Pilling
Affiliation:
LNLS, Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, São Paulo, Brazil email: sergiopilling@yahoo.com.br, cavasso@lnls.br, alago@lnls.br, arndaldo@lnls.br
D. P. P. Andrade
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: diana_andrade@ufrj.br, castilho@iq.ufrj.br, gerson@iq.ufrj.br, heloisa@ov.ufrj.br
R. B. de Castilho
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: diana_andrade@ufrj.br, castilho@iq.ufrj.br, gerson@iq.ufrj.br, heloisa@ov.ufrj.br
R. L. Cavasso-Filho
Affiliation:
LNLS, Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, São Paulo, Brazil email: sergiopilling@yahoo.com.br, cavasso@lnls.br, alago@lnls.br, arndaldo@lnls.br
A. F. Lago
Affiliation:
LNLS, Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, São Paulo, Brazil email: sergiopilling@yahoo.com.br, cavasso@lnls.br, alago@lnls.br, arndaldo@lnls.br
L. H. Coutinho
Affiliation:
UEZO, Centro Universitário Estadual da Zona Oeste, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: coutinholh@yahoo.com
G. G. B. de Souza
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: diana_andrade@ufrj.br, castilho@iq.ufrj.br, gerson@iq.ufrj.br, heloisa@ov.ufrj.br
H. M. Boechat-Roberty
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: diana_andrade@ufrj.br, castilho@iq.ufrj.br, gerson@iq.ufrj.br, heloisa@ov.ufrj.br
A. Naves de Brito
Affiliation:
LNLS, Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, São Paulo, Brazil email: sergiopilling@yahoo.com.br, cavasso@lnls.br, alago@lnls.br, arndaldo@lnls.br
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Abstract

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We present experimental studies on the photoionization and photodissociation processes (photodestruction) of gaseous amino acids and nucleobases in interstellar and interpla-netary radiation analogs conditions. The measurements have been undertaken at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), employing vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and soft X-ray photons. The experimental set up basically consists of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer kept under high vacuum conditions. Mass spectra were obtained using a photoelectron photoion coincidence technique. We have shown that the amino acids are effectively more destroyed (up to 70–80%) by the stellar radiation than the nucleobases, mainly in the VUV. Since polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have the same survival capability and seem to be ubiquitous in the ISM, it is not unreasonable to predict that nucleobases could survive in the interstellar medium and/or in comets, even as a stable cation.

Keywords

Methods: laboratorymolecular dataastrochemistryastrobiology
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 4 , Symposium S251: Organic Matter in Space , February 2008 , pp. 371 - 376
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2008

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