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Prebiotic Matter in Space

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2015

Pascale Ehrenfreund ,
Andreas Elsaesser  and
J. Groen
Pascale Ehrenfreund
Affiliation:
Leiden Institute of Chemistry, P O Box 9502, 2300RA Leiden, The Netherlands email: [email protected]
Andreas Elsaesser
Affiliation:
Leiden Institute of Chemistry, P O Box 9502, 2300RA Leiden, The Netherlands email: [email protected]
J. Groen
Affiliation:
Leiden Institute of Chemistry, P O Box 9502, 2300RA Leiden, The Netherlands email: [email protected]
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Abstract

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A significant number of molecules that are used in contemporary biochemistry on Earth are found in interstellar and circumstellar regions as well as solar system environments. In particular small solar system bodies hold clues to processes that formed our solar system. Comets, asteroids, and meteorite delivered extraterrestrial material during the heavy bombardment phase ~3.9 billion years ago to the young planets, a process that made carbonaceous material available to the early Earth. In-depth understanding of the organic reservoir in different space environments as well as data on the stability of organic and prebiotic material in solar system environments are vital to assess and quantify the extraterrestrial contribution of prebiotic sources available to the young Earth.

Keywords

Prebiotic mattercometsasteroidsmeteoritescarbonaceous materialearly Earth
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 10 , Highlights H16: Highlights of Astronomy , August 2012 , pp. 709 - 710
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2015 

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