Organic matter in carbonaceous meteorites: past, present and future research

2005 ◽  
Vol 363 (1837) ◽  
pp. 2729-2742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A Sephton
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Chemical Evolution ◽  
Chemical Environment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Organic Chemical ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
Organic Mixtures ◽  
Prebiotic Chemical ◽  
Life On Earth

Carbonaceous meteorites are fragments of ancient asteroids that have remained relatively unprocessed since the formation of the Solar System. These carbon-rich objects provide a record of prebiotic chemical evolution and a window on the early Solar System. Many compound classes are present reflecting a rich organic chemical environment during the formation of the planets. Recent theories suggest that similar extraterrestrial organic mixtures may have acted as the starting materials for life on Earth.

scholarly journals Synthesis of 13C-enriched amino acids with 13C-depleted insoluble organic matter in a formose-type reaction in the early solar system

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (18) ◽  
pp. eabd3575
Author(s):  
Yoshihiro Furukawa ◽  
Yoshinari Iwasa ◽  
Yoshito Chikaraishi
Keyword(s):  
Aqueous Solution ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Acid Synthesis ◽  
Soluble Organic Matter ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
Cold Region ◽  
Amino Acid Synthesis ◽  
Type Reaction ◽  
Insoluble Organic Matter

Solvent-soluble organic matter (SOM) in meteorites, which includes life’s building molecules, is suspected to originate from the cold region of the early solar system, on the basis of 13C enrichment in the molecules. Here, we demonstrate that the isotopic characteristics are reproducible in amino acid synthesis associated with a formose-type reaction in a heated aqueous solution. Both thermochemically driven formose-type reaction and photochemically driven formose-type reaction likely occurred in asteroids and ice-dust grains in the early solar system. Thus, the present results suggest that the formation of 13C-enriched SOM was not specific to the cold outer protosolar disk or the molecular cloud but occurred more widely in the early solar system.

Origin of organic matter in the early solar system—VII. The organic polymer in carbonaceous chondrites

1977 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 1325-1339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryoichi Hayatsu ◽  
Sumiko Matsuoka ◽  
Robert G. Scott ◽  
Martin H. Studier ◽  
Edward Anders
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Organic Polymer ◽  
Carbonaceous Chondrites ◽  
Early Solar System

scholarly journals Clues to the early solar system: Extraterrestrial organic molecules in meteorites

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 13-15
Author(s):  
Zita Martins
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Present Article ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Carbonaceous Chondrites ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
Very Old ◽  
The Impact

Meteorites are extraterrestrial objects that survive the impact on the Earth's surface. A particular class of meteorites, carbonaceous chondrites, are very old, having remained nearly unaltered since the formation of the solar system approximately 4.6 billion years ago. They contain a rich organic inventory of abiotic molecules with important roles in present day biochemistry. The present article describes the organic compounds present in meteorites, their sources and how to distinguish extraterrestrial organic matter from their terrestrial counterparts.

scholarly journals Thermal and chemical evolution in the early Solar System as recorded by FUN CAIs: Part II – Laboratory evaporation of potential CMS-1 precursor material

2017 ◽  
Vol 201 ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruslan A. Mendybaev ◽  
Curtis D. Williams ◽  
Michael J. Spicuzza ◽  
Frank M. Richter ◽  
John W. Valley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Chemical Evolution ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
Precursor Material

scholarly journals Origin of organic matter in early solar system—I. Hydrocarbons

1968 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin H. Studier ◽  
Ryoichi Hayatsu ◽  
Edward Anders
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Early Solar System

scholarly journals Clay mineral-organic matter relationships in the early solar system

2002 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 1829-1833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria K. Pearson ◽  
Mark A. Sephton ◽  
Anton T. Kearsley ◽  
Philip A. Bland ◽  
Ian A. Franchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Clay Mineral ◽  
Early Solar System

Origin of organic matter in early solar system—II. Nitrogen compounds

1968 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryoichi Hayatsu ◽  
Martin H. Studier ◽  
Atsuko Oda ◽  
Kiyono Fuse ◽  
Edward Anders
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Nitrogen Compounds ◽  
Early Solar System

scholarly journals Molecular, isotopic and in situ analytical approaches to the study of meteoritic organic material

2004 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan S. Watson ◽  
Victoria K. Pearson ◽  
Mark A. Sephton ◽  
Iain Gilmour
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Solar System ◽  
Interstellar Space ◽  
Early Solar System ◽  
Stable Isotopic ◽  
Isotopic Studies ◽  
Biological Sources ◽  
Analytical Approaches

Organic materials isolated from carbonaceous meteorites provide us with a record of pre-biotic chemistry in the early Solar System. Molecular, isotopic and in situ studies of these materials suggest that a number of extraterrestrial environments have contributed to the inventory of organic matter in the early Solar System including interstellar space, the Solar nebula and meteorite parent bodies.There are several difficulties that have to be overcome in the study of the organic constituents of meteorites. Contamination by terrestrial biogenic organic matter is an ever-present concern and a wide variety of contaminant molecules have been isolated and identified including essential plant oils, derived from either biological sources or common cleaning products, and aliphatic hydrocarbons, most probably derived from petroleum-derived pollutants. Only 25% of the organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites is amenable to extraction with organic solvents; the remainder is present as a complex macromolecular aromatic network that has required the development of analytical approaches that can yield structural and isotopic information on this highly complex material.Stable isotopic studies have been of paramount importance in understanding the origins of meteoritic organic matter and have provided evidence for the incorporation of interstellar molecules within meteoritic material. Extending isotopic studies to the molecular level is yielding new insights into both the sources of meteoritic organic matter and the processes that have modified it.Organic matter in meteorites is intimately associated with silicate minerals and the in situ examination of the relationships between organic and inorganic components is crucial to our understanding of the role of asteroidal processes in the modification of organic matter and, in particular, the role of water as both a solvent and a reactant on meteorite parent bodies.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document