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Prebiotic chemistry in cloudsThe chemical evolution hypothesis of Woese (1979), according to which prebiotic reactions occurred rapidly in droplets in giant atmospheric reflux columns was criticized by Scherer (1985). This paper proposes a mechanism for prebiotic chemistry in clouds that answers Scherer's concerns and supports Woese's hypothesis. According to this mechanism, rapid prebiotic chemical evolution was facilitated on the primordial earth by cycles of condensation and evaporation of cloud drops containing clay condensation nuclei and nonvolatile monomers. For example, amino acids supplied by, or synthesized during entry of meteorites, comets, and interplanetary dust, would have been scavenged by cloud drops containing clay condensation nuclei and would be polymerized within cloud systems during cycles of condensation, freezing, melting, and evaporation of cloud drops.
Document ID
19910051324
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Oberbeck, Verne R.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Marshall, John
(Arizona State University Tempe, United States)
Shen, Thomas
(SETI Institute Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Molecular Evolution
Volume: 32
ISSN: 0022-2844
Subject Category
Space Biology
Accession Number
91A35947
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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