Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T03:02:27.988Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

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: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
D. P. P. Andrade
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
R. B. de Castilho
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
R. L. Cavasso-Filho
Affiliation:
LNLS, Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, São Paulo, Brazil email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
A. F. Lago
Affiliation:
LNLS, Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, São Paulo, Brazil email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
L. H. Coutinho
Affiliation:
UEZO, Centro Universitário Estadual da Zona Oeste, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: [email protected]
G. G. B. de Souza
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
H. M. Boechat-Roberty
Affiliation:
UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
A. Naves de Brito
Affiliation:
LNLS, Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, São Paulo, Brazil email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

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

References

Allamandola, L. J., Tielens, A. G. G. M., & Barrer, J. R. 1986, ApJS, 71, 733.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boechat-Roberty, H. M., Pilling, S., & Santos, A. C. F. 2005, A&A, 438, 915.Google Scholar
Brown, R. D., Godfrey, P. D., Storey, J. W. V., Bassez, M.-P., et al. 1979, MNRAS, 186, 5P.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cavasso-Filho, R. L., Homem, M. G. P., Lago, A., Pilling, S., & Naves de Brito, A. 2007, J El. Spect. Rel. Phen., 156–158, 168.Google Scholar
Coutinho, L. H., Homem, M. G. P., Cavasso-Filho, R. L., Marinho, R. R. T., Lago, A.F., de Souza, G. G. B., & Naves de Brito, A. 2005, Braz. J. Phys., 35, 940.Google Scholar
Cronin, J. R. 1998, in: Brack, A. (eds.), The Molecular Origins of Life, (Cambridge University Press, UK)Google Scholar
Crovisier, J., Bockelée-Morvan, D., Colom, P., Biver, N., Despois, D., Lis, D.C., et al. 2004, A&A, 418, 1141.Google Scholar
Cunningham, M. R., Jones, P. A., Godfrey, P. D., et al. 2007, MNRAS, 376, 1201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gueymard, C. A. 2004, Solar Energy, 76, 423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jochims, H.-W., Schwell, M., Baumgartel, H., & Leach, S. 2005, Chem. Phys., 314, 263.Google Scholar
Jochims, H.-W., Schwell, M., Chotin, J.-L., Clemino, M., Dulieu, F., Baumgärtel, H., & Leach, S. 2004, Chem. Phys., 298, 279.Google Scholar
Kissel, J. & Krueger, F. R. 1987, Nature, 326, 755.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kuan, Y.-J., Charnley, S. B., Huang, H.-C., Tseng, W.-L., & Kisiel, Z. 2003a, ApJ, 593, 848.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kuan, Y.-J., Yan, C.-H., Charnley, S. B., Kisiel, Z., Ehrenfreund, P., & Huang, H.-C. 2003b, MNRAS, 345, 650.Google Scholar
Lago, A. F., Coutinho, L. H., Marinho, R. R. T., Naves de Brito, A., & de Souza, G.G.B. 2004, Chem. Phys., 307, 9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marinho, R. R. T., Lago, A. F., Homem, M. G. P., Coutinho, L. H., de Souza, G. G. B., & Naves de Brito, A. 2006, Chem. Phys., 324, 420.Google Scholar
Pilling, S., Andrade, D. P. P., Neves, R., Ferreira-Rodrigues, A. M., Santos, A.C.F., & Boechat-Roberty, H. M. 2007a, MNRAS, 375, 1488.Google Scholar
Pilling, S., Lago, A. F., Coutinho, L. H., de Castilho, R.B., de Souza, G. G. B., & Naves de Brito, A. 2007b, Rapid Commun. on Mass Spectrom., 21, 3646.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pilling, S., Neves, R., Santos, A. C. F., & Boechat-Roberty, H. M. 2007c, A&A, 464, 393.Google Scholar
Pilling, S., Santos, A. C. F., & Boechat-Roberty, H. M. 2006, A&A, 449, 1289.Google Scholar
Schwell, M., Jochims, H.-W., Baumgärtel, H., Dulieu, F., & Leach, S. 2006, P&SS, 54, 1073.Google Scholar
Simon, M. N., & Simon, M. 1973, ApJ, 184, 757.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snyder, L. E., Lovas, F. J., Hollis, J. M., Friedel, D. N., Jewell, P. R., Remijan, A., Ilyushin, V. V., Alekseev, E. A. & Dyubko, S. F. 2005, ApJ, 619, 914.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stocks, P. G. & Schartz, A. W. 1981, Geochim Cosmochim. Acta, 45, 563.Google Scholar