Three-dimensional complex architectures observed in shock processed amino acid mixtures

Surendra V Singh,Balabhadrapatruni N Rajasekhar,Vijayan Sivaprahasam,Jayaram Vishakantaiah,Vijay Thiruvenkatam,Anil Bhardwaj,Mariyappan Muruganantham,Bhalamurugan Sivaraman,Nigel J Mason,Jaya K Meka,Jennifer Beseres Pollack

doi:10.1017/exp.2021.17

Abstract

Abstract Asteroid and cometary impacts have been considered one of the possible routes for exogenous delivery of organics to the early Earth. It is well established that amino acids can be synthesized due to impact-driven shock processesing of simple molecules and that amino acids can survive the extreme conditions of impact events. In the present study, we simulate impact-induced shock conditions utilizing a shock tube that can maintain a reflected shock temperature of about 5,500 K for 2 ms time scale. We have performed shock processing of various combinations of amino acids with subsequent morphological analysis carried out using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), revealing that the shock processed amino acids demonstrate an extensive range of complex structures. These results provide evidence for the further evolution of amino acids in impact-induced shock environments leading to the formation of complex structures and thus providing a pathway for the origin of life.

Highlights

This peer-reviewed article has been accepted for publication but not yet copyedited or typeset, and so may be subject to change during the production process
Molecular dynamics simulations have shown complex chemistry can occur as a result of impact induced shock processes (Goldman et al, 2010; Goldman & Tamblyn, 2013)
Shock tubes have been used for the shock synthesis of amino acids in the laboratory (Bar-Nun et al, 1970)

Summary

Introduction

This peer-reviewed article has been accepted for publication but not yet copyedited or typeset, and so may be subject to change during the production process. Molecular dynamics simulations have shown complex chemistry can occur as a result of impact induced shock processes (Goldman et al, 2010; Goldman & Tamblyn, 2013). High-temperature heating effect of impact process can be simulated in the laboratory to investigate the chemical modification induce by impact.

Results

Conclusion