Download Setting the stage

Utilization of spectroscopy in the
determination of the origins of life
Helgi Rafn Hróðmarsson
Friday seminar 28.03.14
Overview
 Setting the stage

„In the beginnning...“
 The spectroscopy

„He saw the light was good and separated it from darkness.“
 The implications

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened.”
Overview
 Setting the stage

„In the beginnning...“
 The spectroscopy

„He saw the light was good and separated it from darkness.“
 The implications

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened.”
4
1
1𝐻
1
1𝐻
→
+
2
1𝐻
1
1𝐻
+
3
2𝐻𝑒
12
6𝐶
16
8𝑂
13
7𝑁
→
4
2𝐻𝑒
+
→
1
1𝐻
2
1𝐻
→
+
3
2𝐻𝑒
16
8𝑂
13
6𝐶
13
7𝑁
+
+ 2𝜈𝑒 + 2𝛾
𝑒+
→
+ 𝜈𝑒
15
7𝑁
+𝛾
1
1𝐻
→
16
8𝑂
→
+𝛾
+
𝑒+
12
6𝐶
12
6𝐶
+ 42𝐻𝑒 →
17
8𝑂
7
3𝐿𝑖
+ 11𝐻 → 85𝐵 + 𝛾
20
10𝑁𝑒
+ 11𝐻 →
+ 𝜈𝑒
+ 126𝐶 →
12
6𝐶
17
9𝐹
+𝛾
14
7𝑁
+𝛾
3
2𝐻𝑒
+ 11𝐻 → 2 42𝐻𝑒
+ 42𝐻𝑒 → 74𝐵𝑒 + 𝛾
→ 84𝐵𝑒 + 𝑒 + + 𝜈𝑒
+𝛾
8
4𝐵𝑒
+ 42𝐻𝑒
13
6𝐶
+ 42𝐻𝑒 →
+ 11𝐻 →
+ 42𝐻𝑒
7
5𝐵
8
4𝐵𝑒
15
7𝑁
16
8𝑂
+ 𝑒 − → 73𝐿𝑖 + 𝜈𝑒
+ 11𝐻 →
7
3𝐵𝑒
16
8𝑂
+𝛾
+ 𝑒 + + 𝜈𝑒
+ 42𝐻𝑒 ↔ 84𝐵𝑒
7
4𝐵𝑒
24
4
12𝑀𝑔 + 2 2𝐻𝑒
28
4
14𝑆𝑖 + 2𝐻𝑒
31
+
15𝑃 + 𝑝
15
8𝑂
15
7𝑁
4
2𝐻𝑒
+ 32𝐻𝑒 → 42𝐻𝑒 + 2 11𝐻
+ 11𝐻 →
+
2𝑒 +
+ 11𝐻 →
12
6𝐶
→ 2 42𝐻𝑒
14
7𝑁
+𝛾
+ 42𝐻𝑒 →
16
8𝑂
16
4
15
14
1
8𝑂 + 2 2𝐻𝑒 7𝑁 + 1𝐻 → 8𝑂 + 𝛾
20
4
10𝑁𝑒 + 2𝐻𝑒
17
17
+
23
+
9𝐹 → 8𝑂 + 𝑒 + 𝜈𝑒
11𝑁𝑎 + 𝑝
+𝛾
Overview
 Setting the stage

„In the beginnning...“
 The spectroscopy

„He saw the light was good and separated it from darkness.“
 The implications

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened.”
 1968 – Interstellar NH3.1
 1969 – Interstellar H2O vapour2 & H2CO.3
 1970 – Interstellar CO.4
1Cheung,
A. C., Rank, D. M. Townes, C. H., Thornton, D. D., and Welch, W. J. 1969, Phys. Rev. Letters. 21, 1701.
2Cheung,
A. C., Rank, D. M., Townes, C. H., Thornton, D.D. And Welch, W. J. 1969, Nature. 221, 626.
3Snyder,
L.E., Buhl, D., Zuckerman, B., and Palmer, P. 1969, Phys. Rev. Lett., 22, 679.
4Wilson, R.
W., Jefferts, K. B. And Penzias, A. A. 1970, Astrophys. J. Lett. 161, L43.

White, G. J., Araki, M., Greaves, J. S., Ohishi, M., and Higginbottom, N. S. 2003. A&A, 407, 589.

Walmsley, C. M., & Ungerecths, H. 1983, A&A, 122, 164.
Infrared spectroscopy
 What if we compile all of the interstellar and circumstellar
molecules that have been detected with these spectroscopic
techniques?
 Well... According toWikipedia...
 43 Diatomics, 41 triatomics, 26 with four atoms, 19 with
five atoms, 15 with six atoms, 9 with seven atoms, 10 with
eight atoms, 9 with nine atoms, 15 with ten or more atoms
and 17 deuterated molecules.
 204 different molecules altogether who‘s ingredients include
H, C, N, O, F, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ti, Fe, I.
„Mixtures of free molecular PAHs
dominated by PAH ions, can account
for the global appearance of
interstellar emission spectra and the
variations of those spectra.“
Then what???
-Allamandola & Hudgins. Solid State Astrochemistry. 2000, pp.263.
THE NASA Ames PAH Spectral
Database
 580 theoretically computed and 200 laboratory
measured spectra of PAHs ranging in size from
C10H8 to C130H28.
 Spectra of PAHs in neutral and singly charged
(+/–) states. Spectra of a few multiply charged
species also included.
 www.astrochem.org/pahdb

-Allamandola & Hudgins. Solid State Astrochemistry. 2000, pp.265-267.
 H2O:CH3OH:NH3:
CO:C3H8
(100:50:10:10:10)
interstellar ice
analogs as traced by
infrared spectra
measured at 10 K.
 Note the ready
formation of CO2,
H2CO, CH4 and
XCN at the expense
of CH3OH.

Allamandola, L. J., Sandford, S. A., and Valero, G.
(1988), Icarus, 76, 225.

Bernstein, M. P., Sandford S. A., Allamandola L. J., Chang S., and Scharberg M. A. (1995), Ap. J., 454, 327.
Interstellar/Precometary Ice Photolysis: Abiotic
synthesis of Important Prebiotic Organics
 N-Formyl glycine
 All the necessary
 Cycloserine
components to make an
RNA world.
 Sugar precursors
 Amino acids
 Molecules capable of
vesicle formation.
 Hydantoin
 Amino malonic acid
 Urea
 Ethanolamine
 Serine
 Glyeric Acid
 Glycerol

Bernstein, et al.(2002), Nature, 416, 401.

Deamer, D. W. Evolution: Ivestigating the Evidence, Paleontological Society Special Publication. 1999, 9.

Deamer, D. W. 2012, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2012, 41, 5375.
Overview
 Setting the stage

„In the beginnning...“
 The spectroscopy

„He saw the light was good and separated it from darkness.“
 The implications

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened.”
Conclusion
 Microwave and infrared spectroscopy have been used to
detect a wide variety of interstellar molecules and illuminate
properties of their stellar environments.
 Infrared spectroscopy utilized in chemical simulations of
reactions on interstellar ices.
 Various studies have been performed on amphiphilic vesicle
forming molecules.
Thank you for your attention!