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The Origin of Organic Matter in the Solar System: Evidence from Interplanetary Dust ParticlesThe origin of the organic matter in interplanetary materials has not been established. A variety of mechanisms have been proposed, with two extreme cases being a Fisher-Tropsch type process operating in the gas phase of the solar nebula or a Miller-Urey type process, which requires interaction with an aqueous fluid, presumably occurring on an asteroid. In the Fisher-Tropsch case, we might expect similar organic matter in hydrated and anhydrous interplanetary materials. However, aqueous alteration is required in the case of the Miller-Urey process, and we would expect to see organic matter preferentially in interplanetary materials that exhibit evidence of aqueous activity, such as the presence of hydrated silicates. The types and abundance of organic matter in meteorites have been used as an indicator of the origin of organic matter in the Solar System. Indigenous complex organic matter, including amino acids, has been found in hydrated carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, such as Murchison. Much lower amounts of complex organic matter, possibly only terrestrial contamination, have been found in anhydrous carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, such as Allende, that contain most of their carbon in elemental form. These results seem to favor production of the bulk of the organic matter in the Solar System by aqueous processing on parent bodies such as asteroids, a Miller-Urey process. However, the hydrated carbonaceous chondrite meteorites have approximately solar abundances of the moderately volatile elements, while all anhydrous carbonaceous chondrite meteorites have significantly lower contents of these moderately volatile elements. Two mechanisms, incomplete condensation or evaporation, both of which involve processing at approx. 1200 C, have been suggested to explain the lower content of the moderately volatile elements in all anhydrous meteorites. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.
Document ID
20020002022
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Flynn, G. J.
(State Univ. of New York Plattsburgh, NY United States)
Keller, L. P.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX United States)
Jacobsen, C.
(State Univ. of New York Stony Brook, NY United States)
Wirick, S.
(State Univ. of New York Stony Brook, NY United States)
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 2001
Publication Information
Publication: General Meeting of the NASA Astrobiology Insititute
Subject Category
Exobiology
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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