Nucleosynthesis of heavy elements such as carbon in stars allowed the formation of organic molecules in space, which appear to be widespread in our Galaxy. The physical and chemical conditions - including density, temperature, ultraviolet radiation and energetic particles - determine reaction pathways and the complexity of organic molecules in different space environments. Dense interstellar clouds are the birth sites of stars of all masses and their planetary systems. During the protostellar collapse, gaseous and solid interstellar organic molecules are integrated into protostellar disks from which planets and smaller solar system bodies form. After the formation of the planets in …
continued below
Publisher Info:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
Place of Publication:
Livermore, California
Provided By
UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Serving as both a federal and a state depository library, the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department maintains millions of items in a variety of formats. The department is a member of the FDLP Content Partnerships Program and an Affiliated Archive of the National Archives.
Descriptive information to help identify this report.
Follow the links below to find similar items on the Digital Library.
Description
Nucleosynthesis of heavy elements such as carbon in stars allowed the formation of organic molecules in space, which appear to be widespread in our Galaxy. The physical and chemical conditions - including density, temperature, ultraviolet radiation and energetic particles - determine reaction pathways and the complexity of organic molecules in different space environments. Dense interstellar clouds are the birth sites of stars of all masses and their planetary systems. During the protostellar collapse, gaseous and solid interstellar organic molecules are integrated into protostellar disks from which planets and smaller solar system bodies form. After the formation of the planets in our own solar system, 4.6 billion years ago, all of them, including the Earth, were subjected to frequent impacts for several hundred million years. First indications for life on Earth are dated 3.8-3.5 billion years ago. That life arose very shortly after this heavy bombardment phase raises many questions. A prebiotic non-reducing atmosphere predicts that building blocks of macromolecules--such as amino acids, sugars, purines and pyrimidines were not formed in abundance. A part of the prebiotic organic content of the early Earth could have been delivered by asteroids, comets and smaller fragments such as meteorites and interplanetary dust particles (IDPs). Current experimental research investigating the origin of life is focused on the spontaneous formation of stable polymers out of monomers. However, understanding the spontaneous formation of structure is not enough to understand the formation of He. The introduction and evolution of information and complexity is essential to our definition of life. The formation of complexity and the means to distribute and store information is currently investigated in a number of theoretical frameworks; such as evolving algorithms, chaos theory, and modem evolution theory. In this article we review the physical and chemical processes that form and shape organic matter in space. In particular we discuss the chemical pathways of organic matter in the interstellar medium, their evolution in protoplanetary disks and their integration into solar system material. Furthermore we investigate the role of impacts and the delivery of organic matter to the prebiotic Earth. Processes that may have assembled prebiotic molecules to produce the first genetic material and ideas about the formation of complexity in chemical networks are discussed.
This report is part of the following collection of related materials.
Office of Scientific & Technical Information Technical Reports
Reports, articles and other documents harvested from the Office of Scientific and Technical Information.
Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) is the Department of Energy (DOE) office that collects, preserves, and disseminates DOE-sponsored research and development (R&D) results that are the outcomes of R&D projects or other funded activities at DOE labs and facilities nationwide and grantees at universities and other institutions.
Ehrenfreund, P; Becker, L; Blank, J; Brucato, J; Colangeli, L; Derenne, S et al.Astrophysical and Astrochemical Insights into the Origin of Life,
report,
April 30, 2002;
Livermore, California.
(https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1406361/:
accessed July 18, 2025),
University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu;
crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.