Amino acids as probes for ancient life in the solar system

Michael H. Engel; Randall S. Perry

doi:10.1117/12.678793

14 September 2006 Amino acids as probes for ancient life in the solar system

Michael H. Engel, Randall S. Perry

Proceedings Volume 6309, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology IX; 630907 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.678793
Event: SPIE Optics + Photonics, 2006, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Surface and atmospheric conditions make it unlikely that life as we know it presently exists elsewhere in our solar system. However, this does not preclude the possibility of ancient, extraterrestrial life, which could have originated from Earth or have been introduced to Earth. Since the oldest known sediments on Earth contain evidence for life, it is not possible to determine what the Earth's chemical composition was like prior to life's origin. This evidence can only be sought from meteorites and planetary materials that were formed during the early stages of solar system formation approximately 4.5 to 4.0 GΑa. Criteria are presented that can be used to determine if amino acids in these ancient materials are evidence of ancient life or if they were formed by non-biological processes.

Citation Download Citation

Michael H. Engel and Randall S. Perry "Amino acids as probes for ancient life in the solar system", Proc. SPIE 6309, Instruments, Methods, and Missions for Astrobiology IX, 630907 (14 September 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.678793

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