Explaining the Variations in Isotopic Ratios in Meteoritic Amino Acids

Michael A Famiano; Richard N Boyd; Toshitaka Kajino; Satoshi Chiba; Yirong Mo; Takashi Onaka; Toshio Suzuki

doi:10.1089/ast.2019.2186

Explaining the Variations in Isotopic Ratios in Meteoritic Amino Acids

Astrobiology. 2020 Aug;20(8):964-976. doi: 10.1089/ast.2019.2186.

Authors

Michael A Famiano^{1

2

3}, Richard N Boyd⁴, Toshitaka Kajino^{2

3

5}, Satoshi Chiba^{3

6}, Yirong Mo⁷, Takashi Onaka^{8

9}, Toshio Suzuki^{2

10}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physics and Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA.
² National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tokyo, Japan.
³ School of Physics, Beihang University (Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Beijing, P.R. China.
⁴ Department of Physics, Department of Astronomy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
⁵ Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
⁶ Laboratory for Advanced Nuclear Energy, Institute of Innovative Research, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
⁷ Department of Chemistry, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA.
⁸ Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
⁹ Department of Physics, Meisei University, Tokyo, Japan.
¹⁰ Department of Physics, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan.

PMID: 32783564
DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2186

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.

Keywords: Chirality; Homochirality; Interstellar molecules; Meteors.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amino Acids / chemistry*
Amino Acids / isolation & purification
Electrons*
Evolution, Chemical*
Extraterrestrial Environment / chemistry*
Meteoroids*
Stereoisomerism

Substances

Amino Acids