Explaining the Variations in Isotopic Ratios in Meteoritic Amino Acids

Abstract

Measurements of the isotopic abundances in meteoritic amino acids have found enhancements of 2H/H, 15N/14N, and 13C/12C in the amino acids in the meteorites studied. We show that they are consistent with the processing of the constituents of the meteorites by electron antineutrinos that would be expected from a core-collapse supernova or neutron-star merger. Using theoretical electron antineutrino cross-sections, we are able to predict these isotopic ratio variations depending on the time-integrated antineutrino flux at the site where the amino acids were processed.