***********************************************************
OATS-DAUT SEMINAR
***********************************************************
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

***********************************************************
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.
***********************************************************
contact: Marco Fulle (OATS)