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Planetary and Interstellar Processes Relevant to the Origins of Life

  • Book
  • © 1997

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Editors:
  1. D. C. B. Whittet

    1. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, USA

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-iii
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  2. Commentary

    • D. C. B. Whittet
    Pages 1-1

  3. Origin of the Biologically Important Elements

    • Virginia Trimble
    Pages 3-21

  4. Circumstellar and Interstellar Synthesis of Organic Molecules

    • A. G. G. M. Tielens, S. B. Charnley
    Pages 23-51

  5. Detection of Organic Matter in Interstellar Grains

    • Yvonne J. Pendleton
    Pages 53-78

  6. The Nature and Evolution of Interstellar Ices

    • Jean E. Chiar
    Pages 79-100

  7. Interstellar Ices Studied with the Infrared Space Observatory

    • D. C. B. Whittet
    Pages 101-113

  8. The Search for Interstellar Glycine

    • Lewis E. Snyder
    Pages 115-133

  9. The Origin of Low Mass Stars

    • B. A. Wilking
    Pages 135-155

  10. Analogs of the Early Solar System

    • David W. Koerner
    Pages 157-184

  11. The Early Solar System

    • Michael J. Gaffey
    Pages 185-203

  12. Physics and Chemistry of the Solar Nebula

    • Jonathan I. Lunine
    Pages 205-224

  13. Chemical Evolution on Titan: Comparisons to the Prebiotic Earth

    • David W. Clarke, James P. Ferris
    Pages 225-248

  14. Is Extraterrestrial Organic Matter Relevant to the Origin of Life on Earth?

    • D. C. B. Whittet
    Pages 249-262

  15. The Search for Life on Mars

    • Christopher P. Mckay
    Pages 263-289

  16. Habitable Zones Around Low Mass Stars and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

    • James F. Kasting
    Pages 291-307

  17. Back Matter

    Pages 309-316
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Keywords

About this book

These are exciting times for exobiology. The ubiquity of organic molecules in interstellar clouds, comets and asteroids strongly supports a cosmic perspective on the origin of life. Data from both ground-based telescopes and the recently launched Infrared Space Observatory are providing new insight into the complexity of carbon-based chemistry beyond the Earth. Meteorites give us solid evidence for extraterrestrial amino acids, and putative fossil evidence for life in a 3.6 billion-year-old Martian meteorite hints that life in our system might not be the sole prerogative of the Earth. Giant planets have now been discovered orbiting other stars, and although such planets seem unlikely to be habitable themselves, their existence strongly suggests what many astronomers have long believed - that planetary systems are commonplace.
All these topics are reviewed in this volume by active researchers. The level is appropriate for graduate students in astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and related disciplines. It will also provide a valuable source of reference for active researchers in these fields.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, USA

    D. C. B. Whittet

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