恒星形成地域における円形の極化:生物分子ホモキラリティへの影響

Bailey¹, Chrysostomou, Hough

¹J. Bailey, Anglo-Australian Observatory, Post Office Box 296, Epping, New South Wales 2121, Australia. A. Chrysostomou, J. H. Hough, T. M. Gledhill, A. McCall, S. Clark, Department of Physical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hat.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|July 31, 1998

まとめ

オリオンの塵からの強力な赤外線循環的偏振は,初期の地球にキラルな有機分子を蒔いた可能性があり,生命のホモキラル性の起源を説明する可能性があります.

科学分野:

天文学と天体物理学について
アストロケミストリーアストロケミストリー
生命の起源の研究生命の起源の研究

背景:

星間塵が反射星雲で散らばると,偏光が生じる.
生物分子におけるキラル非対称性は,生命の基本的な特徴である.
この地球上のホモキラリティの起源は,重要な科学的疑問のままである.

研究の目的:

オーガニック分子におけるキラリティを誘発する星間塵からの偏光が果たす役割を調査する.
初期地球に地球外からキラル分子が送られてきた可能性のあるメカニズムを探求する.
隕石で観察されたL-アミノ酸の過剰に対する説明を提供するために.

主な方法:

オリオン OMC-1 星の形成地域における強力な赤外線円形の偏振の観測.
反射星雲における塵の散らばる性質の分析.
星間有機分子に対する極化効果の理論的検討.

主要な成果:

オリオン OMC-1の塵散乱による強力な赤外線円形の偏振が確認されました.
波長が短い円形の偏振が有機分子におけるキラル非対称性を誘発すると仮定した.
この非対称性は,地球外物質を介して初期の地球に届く可能性があると提案した.

結論:

粉塵の散乱による星間循環的偏振は,有機分子におけるキラル非対称性を生み出すための有効なメカニズムである.
この過程は,生物学的分子におけるホモキラリティの起源と隕石におけるL-アミノ酸過剰の潜在的な説明を提供する.

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