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Photostability of gas- and solid-phase biomolecules under astrophysical analog soft X-rays field

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2010

S. Pilling
Affiliation:
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP/IP&D), São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil.
D. P. P. Andrade
Affiliation:
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Universidade do Vale do Paraíba (UNIVAP/IP&D), São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil.
R. T. Marinho
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Bahia, BA, Brazil.
E. M. do Nascimento
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Bahia, BA, Brazil.
H. M. Boechat-Roberty
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
R. B. de Castilho
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
G. G. B. de Souza
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
L. H. Coutinho
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
R. L. Cavasso-Filho
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), São Paulo, Brazil.
A. F. Lago
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), São Paulo, Brazil.
A. N. de Brito
Affiliation:
Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron (LNLS), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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Abstract

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We present experimental studies on the interaction of soft X-rays on gas-phase and solid-phase amino acids and nucleobases in an attempt to verify if these molecules (supposed to be formed in molecular clouds/protostellar clouds) can survive long enough to be observed or even to be found in meteorites. Measurements have been undertaken employing 150 eV photons under high vacuum conditions at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS). The produced ions from the gas-phase experiments (glycine, adenine and uracil) have been mass/charge analyzed by time-of-flight spectrometer. The analysis of solid phase samples (glycine, DL-proline, DL-valine, adenine and uracil) were performed by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer coupled to the experimental chamber. Photodissociation cross sections and halflives were determined and extrapolated to astrophysical environments. The nucleobases photostability was up to two orders of magnitude higher than for the amino acids.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2010

References

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