| Title: | Possible complex organic compounds on Mars |
| Author(s): | Kobayashi K; Sato T; Kajishima S; Kaneko T; Ishikawa Y; Saito T; |
| Address: | "Faculty of Engineering, Yokohama National University, Hodogaya-ku, Japan" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/s0273-1177(97)00355-4 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0273-1177 (Print) 0273-1177 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "It is suggested that primitive Mars had somehow similar environments as primitive Earth. If life was born on the primitive earth using organic compounds which were produced from the early Earth environment, the same types of organic compounds were also formed on primitive Mars. Such organic compounds might have been preserved on Mars still now. We are studying possible organic formation on primitive and present Mars. A gaseous mixture of CO2, CO, N2 and H2O with various mixing ratios were irradiated with high energy protons (major components of cosmic rays). Hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde were detected among volatile products, and yellow-brown-colored water-soluble non-volatile substances were produced, which gave amino acids after acid-hydrolysis. Major part of 'amino acid precursors' were not simple molecules like aminonitriles, but complex compounds which eluted earlier than free amino acids in cation-exchange HPLC. These organic compounds should be major targets in the future Mars mission. Strategy for the detection of the complex organics on Mars will be discussed" |
| Keywords: | "Amino Acids/analysis Carbon Dioxide/chemistry/radiation effects Carbon Monoxide/chemistry/radiation effects *Cosmic Radiation Evolution, Planetary Extraterrestrial Environment *Mars Meteoroids Nitrogen/chemistry/radiation effects Organic Chemicals/analysi;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineKobayashi, K Sato, T Kajishima, S Kaneko, T Ishikawa, Y Saito, T eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 1997/01/01 Adv Space Res. 1997; 19(7):1067-76. doi: 10.1016/s0273-1177(97)00355-4" |
