Prebiotic organic synthesis in early Earth and Mars atmospheres: Laboratory experiments with quantitative determination of products formed in a cold plasma flow reactor

Heinrich, Michael; Khare, B. N.; McKay, Christopher P.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2007.05.017

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…This model does not specifically take into account chemical reactions between gas-phase N-containing species and other atmospheric species such as C-containing gases ( e.g., CO 2 , CO, and CH 4 ), though these could have a marked impact on some of the fluxes. For example, the oxidation state and pressure of C-containing gases govern the nature of N transformations in the atmosphere (a CH 4 -dominated atmosphere is prone to generating HCN and NH 3 , while a CO 2 -dominated atmosphere tends to predominantly generate NO x species [Folsome et al, 1981 ; Heinrich et al , 2007 ; Cleaves et al, 2008 ]).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Earth Without Life: A Systems Model of a Global Abiotic Nitrogen Cycle

2018

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Nitrogen is the major component of Earth's atmosphere and plays important roles in biochemistry. Biological systems have evolved a variety of mechanisms for fixing and recycling environmental nitrogen sources, which links them tightly with terrestrial nitrogen reservoirs. However, prior to the emergence of biology, all nitrogen cycling was abiological, and this cycling may have set the stage for the origin of life. It is of interest to understand how nitrogen cycling would proceed on terrestrial planets with comparable geodynamic activity to Earth, but on which life does not arise. We constructed a kinetic mass-flux model of nitrogen cycling in its various major chemical forms (e.g., N2, reduced (NHx) and oxidized (NOx) species) between major planetary reservoirs (the atmosphere, oceans, crust, and mantle) and included inputs from space. The total amount of nitrogen species that can be accommodated in each reservoir, and the ways in which fluxes and reservoir sizes may have changed over time in the absence of biology, are explored. Given a partition of volcanism between arc and hotspot types similar to the modern ones, our global nitrogen cycling model predicts a significant increase in oceanic nitrogen content over time, mostly as NHx, while atmospheric N2 content could be lower than today. The transport timescales between reservoirs are fast compared to the evolution of the environment; thus atmospheric composition is tightly linked to surface and interior processes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Earth Without Life: A Systems Model of a Global Abiotic Nitrogen Cycle

2018

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“…Most CO 2 (except in GB) was evolved below 450°C, which was consistent with CO 2 derived from organics. Excluding the possible background sources, the organic sources could be indigenous to Mars from igneous, hydrothermal, atmospheric or biological sources, or exogenous from interplanetary dust particles, cometary, or meteoritic infall [e.g., Flynn, 1996;Jull et al, 2000;Yen et al, 2006;Heinrich et al, 2007;Steele et al, 2007;Leshin et al, 2013;Ming et al, 2014;Freissinet et al, 2015]. Carbonates (RN, TP, and GH) and MMC (CH, MJ, BS, and GH) are possible higher-temperature sources of CO 2 .…”

Section: 1002/2016je005225mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolved gas analyses of sedimentary rocks and eolian sediment in Gale Crater, Mars: Results of the Curiosity rover's sample analysis at Mars instrument from Yellowknife Bay to the Namib Dune

et al. 2017

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The sample analysis at Mars instrument evolved gas analyzer (SAM-EGA) has detected evolved water, H 2 , SO 2 , H 2 S, NO, CO 2 , CO, O 2 , and HCl from two eolian sediments and nine sedimentary rocks from Gale Crater, Mars. These evolved gas detections indicate nitrates, organics, oxychlorine phase, and sulfates are widespread with phyllosilicates and carbonates occurring in select Gale Crater materials. Coevolved CO 2 (160 ± 248-2373 ± 820 μgC (CO2) /g) and CO (11 ± 3-320 ± 130 μgC (CO) /g) suggest that organic C is present in Gale Crater materials. Five samples evolved CO 2 at temperatures consistent with carbonate (0.32 ± 0.05-0.70 ± 0.1 wt % CO 3 ). Evolved NO amounts to 0.002 ± 0.007-0.06 ± 0.03 wt % NO 3 . Evolution of O 2 suggests that oxychlorine phases (chlorate/perchlorate) (0.05 ± 0.025-1.05 ± 0.44 wt % ClO 4 ) are present, while SO 2 evolution indicates the presence of crystalline and/or poorly crystalline Fe and Mg sulfate and possibly sulfide. Evolved H 2 O (0.9 ± 0.3-2.5 ± 1.6 wt % H 2 O) is consistent with the presence of adsorbed water, hydrated salts, interlayer/structural water from phyllosilicates, and possible inclusion water in mineral/amorphous phases. Evolved H 2 and H 2 S suggest that reduced phases occur despite the presence of oxidized phases (nitrate, oxychlorine, sulfate, and carbonate). SAM results coupled with CheMin mineralogical and Alpha-Particle X-ray Spectrometer elemental analyses indicate that Gale Crater sedimentary rocks have experienced a complex authigenetic/diagenetic history involving fluids with varying pH, redox, and salt composition. The inferred geochemical conditions were favorable for microbial habitability and if life ever existed, there was likely sufficient organic C to support a small microbial population.

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“…As demonstrated by Miller (1953), a spark discharge applied to a highly reducing atmosphere led to the production of amino acids. Owing to our advanced understanding of planet formation and resulting atmospheric composition, it now seems that the atmosphere of early Earth was only mildly reducing than was simulated for Miller's landmark experiment, and hence the potential yield of endogenous organics is correspondingly less (Heinrich et al, 2007). Nonetheless, their contribution to the terrestrial prebiotic organic inventory is considered important (Chyba and Sagan, 1992).…”

Section: Organic Electron Donorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plausible microbial metabolisms on Mars

Nixon

Cousins

Cockell

2013

Astronomy & Geophysics

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Port Mulgrave shale, and Mark Sephton and Wren Montgomery (Imperial College) provided the characterised kerogen samples used in growth experiments. The latter also conducted the pyrolysis GC-MS analysis on all bulk carbonaceous materials. I am greatly indebted to all members of the Astrobiology research group at Edinburgh, which I have seen grow to the group of varied expertise it is now since the move from the Open University. In particular I wish to thank Mark Fox-Powell for his advice on molecular techniques, and Susana Dereito for her guidance in DGGE analysis. I would also like to thank Casey Bryce,

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Prebiotic organic synthesis in early Earth and Mars atmospheres: Laboratory experiments with quantitative determination of products formed in a cold plasma flow reactor

Cited by 12 publications

References 48 publications

Earth Without Life: A Systems Model of a Global Abiotic Nitrogen Cycle

Earth Without Life: A Systems Model of a Global Abiotic Nitrogen Cycle

Evolved gas analyses of sedimentary rocks and eolian sediment in Gale Crater, Mars: Results of the Curiosity rover's sample analysis at Mars instrument from Yellowknife Bay to the Namib Dune

Plausible microbial metabolisms on Mars

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