Loading...
Please wait, while we are loading the content...
Similar Documents
Nucleobases and prebiotic molecules in organic residues produced from the ultraviolet photo-irradiation of pyrimidine in nh3 and h2o+nh3 ices
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Nuevo, Michel Milam, Stefanie N. Sandford, Scott |
| Copyright Year | 2012 |
| Description | Although not yet identified in the interstellar medium (ISM), N-heterocycles including nucleobases the information subunits of DNA and RNA are present in carbonaceous chondrites, which indicates that molecules of biological interest can be formed in non-terrestrial environments via abiotic pathways. Recent laboratory experiments and ab-initio calculations have already shown that the irradiation of pyrimidine in pure H2O ices leads to the formation of a suite of oxidized pyrimidine derivatives, including the nucleobase uracil. In the present work, NH3:pyrimidine and H2O:NH3:pyrimidine ice mixtures with different relative proportions were irradiated with UV photons under astrophysically relevant conditions. Liquid- and gas-chromatography analysis of the resulting organic residues has led to the detection of the nucleobases uracil and cytosine, as well as other species of prebiotic interest such as urea and small amino acids. The presence of these molecules in organic residues formed under abiotic conditions supports scenarios in which extraterrestrial organics that formed in space and were subsequently delivered to telluric planets via comets and meteorites could have contributed to the inventory of molecules that triggered the first biological reactions on their surfaces. |
| File Size | 578791 |
| Page Count | 75 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_20120013454 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t3033v28w |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2012-01-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Water Cometary Atmospheres Residues Photochemical Reactions Molecular Structure Amino Acids Ice Nucleic Acids Ammonia Gas Chromatography Ultraviolet Radiation Pyrimidines Ribonucleic Acids Deoxyribonucleic Acid Irradiation Carbonaceous Chondrites Uracil Interstellar Matter Bases Chemical Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
