Ammonia Photolysis and the Role of Ammonia in Chemical Revolution

Abstract

THE suggestion that the primitive atmosphere was highly reducing and consisted mainly of methane, ammonia and water vapour1 is supported by Miller's observation that amino-acids are formed by electrical discharges through such a mixture2 and the synthesis of various biomolecules under presumed primitive Earth atmospheres containing ammonia3. Bada and Miller4 point out that an ammonium ion concentration of 10−2 to 10−3 M is necessary for the synthesis of these biomolecules while Rasool and McGovern5 suggest that a methane–ammonia atmosphere could have been maintained for 109 years by a low leakage rate of hydrogen.