The origin of RNA precursors on exoplanets.

ABSTRACT: Given that the macromolecular building blocks of life were likely produced photochemically in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light, we identify some general constraints on which stars produce sufficient UV for this photochemistry. We estimate how much light is needed for the UV photochemistry by experimentally measuring the rate constant for the UV chemistry ("light chemistry", needed for prebiotic synthesis) versus the rate constants for the bimolecular reactions that happen in the absence of the UV light ("dark chemistry"). We make these measurements for representative photochemical reactions involving SO32- and HS^-. By balancing the rates for the light and dark chemistry, we delineate the "abiogenesis zones" around stars of different stellar types based on whether their UV

SUBMITTER: Rimmer PB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6070314 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature