Abiotic synthesis of organic molecules from minerals containing traces of dissolved $ H_{2} $O, $ CO_{2} $ and $ N

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Abiotic synthesis of organic molecules from minerals containing traces of dissolved $ H_{2} $O, $ CO_{2} $ and $ N_{2} $ part II: Experimental data

Knobel, Rolt / Breuer, Herbert / Freund, Friedemann

Abstract Even though a given mineral, for instance olivine, may contain only traces of dissolved $ H_{2} $O, $ CO_{2} $ and $ N_{2} $ the gases which evolve from its surface during heating comprise (a) highly reduced molecules such as $ H_{2} $, $ CH_{4} $, $ C_{m} $$ H_{n} $ and more complex hydrocarbons, HCN and other N-bearing compounds (b) oxidized species in various degrees of oxidation from formaldehyde and CO to oxygen. These gases evolve sequentially besides $ H_{2} $O, $ CO_{2} $ and possibly $ N_{2} $, their relative amounts being controlled by experimental parameters such as the rate of heating. Preliminary indications of amino acids have been obtained by liquid extraction. The chemical complexity is a consequence of radical reactions between different solute species in the surface and the bulk of the mineral grains. Data for synthetic MgO and for mantle-derived olivine are presented.