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Slow ion irradiation of sugar: astrobiological implications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2009

M. Tuleta ,
L. Gabla  and
N.C. Wickramasinghe
M. Tuleta*
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Reymonta 4, 30-059 Cracow, Poland
L. Gabla
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Reymonta 4, 30-059 Cracow, Poland
N.C. Wickramasinghe
Affiliation:
Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology, Cardiff University, 2 North Road, Cardiff CF10 3DY, UK
*
e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

As a result of irradiation by slow hydrogen and argon ions of saccharose, humic films having a fractal nature were produced. The use of hydrogen ions simulated roughly the interaction of low-energy solar wind protons with interplanetary dust grains which, in addition to organic and mineral dust, may include clumps of viable bacteria. The type of film generated by this experimental procedure could play a role in shielding the interior of micron-sized clumps from damaging ultraviolet and low-energy cosmic ray irradiation. We argue that such films may have played a role in processes that led to the initial origin of life, and following the emergence of life the same types of films (as, for instance, in biofilms surrounding cells) may have been modified by irradiation to offer protection to viable cells in the interior.

Keywords

astrobiologybiofilminterplanetary mediumion irradiationpanspermiasolar wind
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 8 , Issue 4 , October 2009 , pp. 317 - 319
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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