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OATS-DAUT SEMINAR
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Speaker: John Brucato (INAF - OA Arcetri )
Title: The role of cosmic dust analogues in prebiotic chemistry
Date: Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Time: 12:00
Venue: Villa Bazzoni
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Abstract: Dust grains could have played an important role in
driving the formation of complex molecular compounds relevant for the
prebiotic chemistry occurred in the early Earth. Dust and molecular
compounds present in space experienced very different environments,
with temperatures ranging from few to thousands of Kelvins, and with
very harsh conditions due to particle and UV
irradiations. Astronomical observations of the interstellar medium,
coupled with direct in-situ investigations of solar system bodies
performed by space missions and laboratory analyses of
extraterrestrial material have shown the presence of large amount of
organic molecules. The detection of more than one hundred molecules
demonstrates that chemical reactions can proceed successfully in
space. However, due to low efficiency, formation of complex molecules
in gas phase is not feasible, then an active chemistry has been
suggested to take place at cryogenic temperatures (~10 K) on cosmic
dust grains acting as catalysts.We will present laboratory results of
catalytic effects of Cosmic Dust Analogues (CDAs) on synthesis of
organic molecules under different physical conditions. We will show
the important role of CDAs in prebiotic chemistry experiments
simulating processes occurring in astronomical environments relevant
for the origin of life in the Solar System.Dust grains could have
played an important role in driving the formation of complex molecular
compounds relevant for the prebiotic chemistry occurred in the early
Earth. Dust and molecular compounds present in space experienced very
different environments, with temperatures ranging from few to
thousands of Kelvins, and with very harsh conditions due to particle
and UV irradiations. Astronomical observations of the interstellar
medium, coupled with direct in-situ investigations of solar system
bodies performed by space missions and laboratory analyses of
extraterrestrial material have shown the presence of large amount of
organic molecules. The detection of more than one hundred molecules
demonstrates that chemical reactions can proceed successfully in
space. However, due to low efficiency, formation of complex molecules
in gas phase is not feasible, then an active chemistry has been
suggested to take place at cryogenic temperatures (~10 K) on cosmic
dust grains acting as catalysts.We will present laboratory results of
catalytic effects of Cosmic Dust Analogues (CDAs) on synthesis of
organic molecules under different physical conditions. We will show
the important role of CDAs in prebiotic chemistry experiments
simulating processes occurring in astronomical environments relevant
for the origin of life in the Solar System.
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contact: Marco Fulle (OATS)