Influence of the UV Environment on the Synthesis of Prebiotic Molecules
Open accessAbstract
Ultraviolet radiation is common to most planetary environments and could play a key role in the chemistry of molecules relevant to abiogenesis (prebiotic chemistry). In this work, we explore the impact of UV light on prebiotic chemistry that might occur in liquid water on the surface of a planet with an atmosphere. We consider effects including atmospheric absorption, attenuation by water, and stellar variability to constrain the UV input as a function of wavelength. We conclude that the UV environment would be characterized by broadband input, and wavelengths below 204 nm and 168 nm would be shielded out by atmospheric CO2 and water, respectively. We compare this broadband prebiotic UV input to the narrowband UV sources (e.g., mercury lamps) often used in laboratory studies of prebiotic chemistry and explore the implications for the conclusions drawn from these experiments. We consider as case studies the ribonucleotide synthesis pathway of Powner et al. (2009) and the sugar synthesis pathway of Ritson and Sutherland (2012). Irradiation by narrowband UV light from a mercury lamp formed an integral component of these studies; we quantitatively explore the impact of more realistic UV input on the conclusions that can be drawn from these experiments. Finally, we explore the constraints solar UV input places on the buildup of prebiotically important feedstock gasses like CH4 and HCN. Our results demonstrate the importance of characterizing the wavelength dependence (action spectra) of prebiotic synthesis pathways to determine how pathways derived under laboratory irradiation conditions will function under planetary prebiotic conditions.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
DNA is most damaged by wavelengths shorter than 290 nm.
“However, it has been observed that wavelengths below 290 nm are most damaging to DNA, and that the Archean Earth would have experienced a higher flux of shorter-wavelength UV radiation though water and atmospheric carbon dioxide may have efficiently blocked wavelengths much below 200 nm (Cockell 1998;Ranjan and Sasselov 2016).”
From Environmental Adaptation from the Origin of Life to the Last Universal Common Ancestor (2018) · cites this paper as Ranjan and Sasselov 2016
UV is thought to have played a significant role in prebiotic synthesis, including the synthesis of uracil and cytosine.
“Despite UV's potentially deleterious effects on life, UV is thought to have played a significant role in prebiotic synthesis (eg., Ranjan and Sasselov 2016;Beckstead et al. 2016;Sutherland 2017), and plays a key role in the prebiotic synthesis of uracil and cytosine achieved by Powner et al. (2009), an important achievement in understanding the prebiotic emergence of RNA.”
From Environmental Adaptation from the Origin of Life to the Last Universal Common Ancestor (2018) · cites this paper as Ranjan and Sasselov 2016
The Archean Earth likely received more short-wavelength UV radiation.
“However, it has been observed that wavelengths below 290 nm are most damaging to DNA, and that the Archean Earth would have experienced a higher flux of shorter-wavelength UV radiation though water and atmospheric carbon dioxide may have efficiently blocked wavelengths much below 200 nm (Cockell 1998;Ranjan and Sasselov 2016).”
From Environmental Adaptation from the Origin of Life to the Last Universal Common Ancestor (2018) · cites this paper as Ranjan and Sasselov 2016
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Bond Dissociation Energies of Organic Molecules
Blanksby, S. J., & Ellison, G. B. (2003) · ChemInform · doi:10.1002/chin.200324299 · Cited by 3,384 · see citing works
Gilbert, W. (1986) · Nature · doi:10.1038/319618a0 · Cited by 2,721 · see citing works
Synthesis of activated pyrimidine ribonucleotides in prebiotically plausible conditions.
Powner, M. W., Gerland, B., & Sutherland, J. D. (2009) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature08013 · Cited by 1,383 · see citing works
Kasting, J. F. (1993) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.11536547 · Cited by 1,374 · see citing works
Chyba, C., & Sagan, C. (1992) · Nature · doi:10.1038/355125a0 · Cited by 1,321 · see citing works
Prebiotic chemistry and the origin of the RNA world.
Leslie E., O. (2004) · Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology · doi:10.1080/10409230490460765 · Cited by 1,124 · see citing works
Common origins of RNA, protein and lipid precursors in a cyanosulfidic protometabolism
Patel, B. H., Percivalle, C., Ritson, D. J., Duffy, C. D., & Sutherland, J. D. (2015) · Nature Chemistry · doi:10.1038/nchem.2202 · Cited by 949 · see citing works
Synthesis of long prebiotic oligomers on mineral surfaces.
Ferris, J. P., Hill, A. R., Liu, R., & Orgel, L. E. (1996) · Nature · doi:10.1038/381059a0 · Cited by 865 · see citing works
Oxygen-isotope evidence from ancient zircons for liquid water at the Earth's surface 4,300 Myr ago
Mojzsis, S. J., Harrison, T. M., & Pidgeon, R. T. (2001) · Nature · doi:10.1038/35051557 · Cited by 863 · see citing works
Experimental Models of Primitive Cellular Compartments: Encapsulation, Growth, and Division
Hanczyc, M. M., Fujikawa, S. M., & Szostak, J. W. (2003) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1089904 · Cited by 848 · see citing works
Racemic amino acids from the ultraviolet photolysis of interstellar ice analogues
Bernstein, M. P., Dworkin, J. P., Sandford, S. A., Cooper, G. W., & Allamandola, L. J. (2002) · Nature · doi:10.1038/416401a · Cited by 782 · see citing works
Template-directed synthesis of a genetic polymer in a model protocell
Mansy, S. S., Schrum, J. P., Krishnamurthy, M., Tobé, S., Treco, D. A., & Szostak, J. W. (2008) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature07018 · Cited by 684 · see citing works
The oxidation state of Hadean magmas and implications for early Earth’s atmosphere
Trail, D., Watson, E. B., & Tailby, N. D. (2011) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature10655 · Cited by 613 · see citing works
Annihilation of ecosystems by large asteroid impacts on the early Earth
Sleep, N. H., Zahnle, K. J., Kasting, J. F., & Morowitz, H. J. (1989) · Nature · doi:10.1038/342139a0 · Cited by 574 · see citing works
Farquhar, J., Savarino, J., Airieau, S., & Thiemens, M. H. (2001) · Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets · doi:10.1029/2000je001437 · Cited by 518 · see citing works
Formation rates of complex organics in UV irradiated CH3OH-rich ices
Öberg, K. I., Garrod, R. T., van Dishoeck, E. F., & Linnartz, H. (2009) · Astronomy and Astrophysics · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/200912559 · Cited by 510 · see citing works
Halmer, M. M., Schmincke, H., & Graf, H.-F. (2002) · Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research · doi:10.1016/s0377-0273(01)00318-3 · Cited by 436 · see citing works
Absorption spectra of nucleotides, polynucleotides, and nucleic acids in the far ultraviolet
Voet, D., Gratzer, W. B., Cox, R. A., & Doty, P. M. (1963) · Biopolymers · doi:10.1002/bip.360010302 · Cited by 411 · see citing works
Impact frustration of the origin of life
Maher, K. A., & Stevenson, D. J. (1988) · Nature · doi:10.1038/331612a0 · Cited by 404 · see citing works
Precursors of Solvated Electrons in Radiobiological Physics and Chemistry
Alizadeh, E., & Sanche, L. (2012) · Chemical Reviews · doi:10.1021/cr300063r · Cited by 380 · see citing works
HCN and chemical evolution: The possible role of cyano compounds in prebiotic synthesis
Ferris, J. P., & Hagan, W. J. (1984) · Tetrahedron · doi:10.1016/s0040-4020(01)99315-9 · Cited by 354 · see citing works
Organic-walled microfossils in 3.2-billion-year-old shallow-marine siliciclastic deposits
Javaux, E., Marshall, C. P., & Bekker, A. (2010) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature08793 · Cited by 308 · see citing works
Noffke, N., Christian, D., Wacey, D., & Hazen, R. M. (2013) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2013.1030 · Cited by 304 · see citing works
Nitrogen-enhanced greenhouse warming on early Earth
Goldblatt, C., Claire, M. W., Lenton, T. M., Matthews, A. J., Watson, A. J., & Zahnle, K. J. (2009) · Nature Geoscience · doi:10.1038/ngeo692 · Cited by 291 · see citing works
Noffke, N., Eriksson, K. A., Hazen, R. M., & Simpson, E. L. (2006) · Geology · doi:10.1130/g22246.1 · Cited by 281 · see citing works
Zahnle, K. J. (1986) · Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/jd091id02p02819 · Cited by 276 · see citing works
THE EVOLUTION OF SOLAR FLUX FROM 0.1 nm TO 160 μm: QUANTITATIVE ESTIMATES FOR PLANETARY STUDIES
Claire, M. W., Sheets, J., Cohen, M., Ribas, I., Meadows, V., & Catling, D. C. (2012) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1088/0004-637x/757/1/95 · Cited by 275 · see citing works
Spectral Evolution of an Earth‐like Planet
Kaltenegger, L., Traub, W. A., & Jucks, K. W. (2007) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1086/510996 · Cited by 274 · see citing works
Microbial habitability of the Hadean Earth during the late heavy bombardment
Abramov, O., & Mojzsis, S. J. (2009) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature08015 · Cited by 269 · see citing works
Long-Wavelength Ultraviolet Photoproduction of Amino Acids on the Primitive Earth
Sagan, C., & Khare, B. N. (1971) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.173.3995.417 · Cited by 258 · see citing works
Prebiotic Synthesis of Simple Sugars by Photoredox Systems Chemistry
Ritson, D., & Sutherland, J. D. (2012) · Nature Chemistry · doi:10.1038/nchem.1467 · Cited by 258 · see citing works
Ultraviolet selection pressure on the earliest organisms
Sagan, C. (1973) · Journal of Theoretical Biology · doi:10.1016/0022-5193(73)90216-6 · Cited by 250 · see citing works
Redox History of the Earth's Interior since ∼3900 Ma: Implications for Prebiotic Molecules
Delano, J. W. (2001) · Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres · doi:10.1023/a:1011895600380 · Cited by 247 · see citing works
Matsunaga, T., Hieda, K., & Nikaido, O. (1991) · Photochemistry and Photobiology · doi:10.1111/j.1751-1097.1991.tb02034.x · Cited by 236 · see citing works
Water VUV electronic state spectroscopy by synchrotron radiation
Mota, R., Parafita, R., Giuliani, A., et al. (2005) · Chemical Physics Letters · doi:10.1016/j.cplett.2005.09.073 · Cited by 222 · see citing works
Nitrogen Isotopic Composition and Density of the Archean Atmosphere
Marty, B., Zimmermann, L., Pujol, M., Burgess, R., & Philippot, P. (2013) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1240971 · Cited by 215 · see citing works
A Sulfur Dioxide Climate Feedback on Early Mars
Halevy, I., Zuber, M. T., & Schrag, D. P. (2007) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1147039 · Cited by 202 · see citing works
Barks, H. L., Buckley, R., Grieves, G. A., Mauro, E. D., Hud, N. V., & Orlando, T. M. (2010) · ChemBioChem · doi:10.1002/cbic.201000074 · Cited by 200 · see citing works
Evidence for biogenic graphite in early Archaean Isua metasedimentary rocks
Ohtomo, Y., Kakegawa, T., Ishida, A., Nagase, T., & Rosing, M. T. (2014) · Nature Geoscience · doi:10.1038/ngeo2025 · Cited by 187 · see citing works
The origin of the RNA world: Co-evolution of genes and metabolism
Copley, S. D., Smith, E., & Morowitz, H. J. (2007) · Bioorganic Chemistry · doi:10.1016/j.bioorg.2007.08.001 · Cited by 184 · see citing works
Fractal Organic Hazes Provided an Ultraviolet Shield for Early Earth
Wolf, E. T., & Toon, O. B. (2010) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1183260 · Cited by 172 · see citing works
A compilation of the absorption cross-sections of SO2 from 106 to 403 nm
MANATT, S. L., & Lane, A. L. (1993) · Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer · doi:10.1016/0022-4073(93)90077-u · Cited by 164 · see citing works
On the electronic structure of liquid water: Facts and reflections
Bernas, A., Ferradini, C., & Jay‐Gerin, J. (1997) · Chemical Physics · doi:10.1016/s0301-0104(97)00213-9 · Cited by 158 · see citing works
Habitat of early life: Solar X‐ray and UV radiation at Earth's surface 4–3.5 billion years ago
Cnossen, I., Sanz‐Forcada, J., Favata, F., Witasse, O. G., Zegers, T. E., & Arnold, N. F. (2007) · Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/2006je002784 · Cited by 154 · see citing works
What are the real constraints on the existence and magnitude of the late heavy bombardment?
Chapman, C. R., Cohen, B. A., & Grinspoon, D. H. (2007) · Icarus · doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.12.020 · Cited by 147 · see citing works
The ultraviolet history of the terrestrial planets — implications for biological evolution
Cockell, C. S. (2000) · Planetary and Space Science · doi:10.1016/s0032-0633(99)00087-2 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
UV SURFACE ENVIRONMENT OF EARTH-LIKE PLANETS ORBITING FGKM STARS THROUGH GEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION
Rugheimer, S., Segura, A., Kaltenegger, L., & Sasselov, D. (2015) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1088/0004-637x/806/1/137 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
Self-citationMcCollom, T. M. (2013) · Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences · doi:10.1146/annurev-earth-040610-133457 · Cited by 135 · see citing works
Unusual nonterrestrial l ‐proteinogenic amino acid excesses in the Tagish Lake meteorite
GLAVIN, D. P., Elsila, J. E., Burton, A. S., Callahan, M. P., Dworkin, J. P., Hilts, R. W., & Herd, C. D. K. (2012) · Meteoritics and Planetary Science · doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01400.x · Cited by 133 · see citing works
Peng, W., & Shaw, B. R. (1996) · Biochemistry · doi:10.1021/bi960001x · Cited by 128 · see citing works
Oceanic protection of prebiotic organic compounds from UV radiation
Cleaves, H. J., & Miller, S. L. (1998) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.95.13.7260 · Cited by 125 · see citing works
CO2 Extinction Coefficient 1700–3000 Å
Shemansky, D. E. (1972) · The Journal of Chemical Physics · doi:10.1063/1.1677408 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Photochemical and climate consequences of sulfur outgassing on early Mars
Tian, F., Claire, M. W., Haqq-Misra, J. D., Smith, M., Crisp, D. C., Catling, D., Zahnle, K., & Kasting, J. F. (2010) · Earth and Planetary Science Letters · doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2010.04.016 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
Au, J. W., Cooper, G., Burton, G. R., et al. (1993) · Chemical Physics · doi:10.1016/0301-0104(93)80142-v · Cited by 109 · see citing works
DETECTING PLANETARY GEOCHEMICAL CYCLES ON EXOPLANETS: ATMOSPHERIC SIGNATURES AND THE CASE OF SO2
Kaltenegger, L., & Sasselov, D. D. (2009) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1088/0004-637x/708/2/1162 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Self-citationSolar irradiance reference spectra
Thuillier, G., Floyd, L. E., Woods, T. N., et al. (2004) · Geophysical monograph · doi:10.1029/141gm13 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
An Efficient and Faithful in Vitro Replication System for Threose Nucleic Acid
Yu, H., Zhang, S., Dunn, M. R., & Chaput, J. C. (2013) · Journal of the American Chemical Society · doi:10.1021/ja3118703 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Ribas, I., de Mello, G. F. P., Ferreira, L. D., Hébrard, É., Selsis, F., Catalán, S., Garcés, A., do Nascimento, J.-D., & Medeiros, J. R. D. (2010) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1088/0004-637x/714/1/384 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Abiotic Production of Methane in Terrestrial Planets
Guzmán-Marmolejo, A., Segura, A., & Escobar-Briones, E. (2013) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2012.0817 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Measurements of light scattering by particles in water
Jonasz, M., & Fournier, G. R. (2007) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-012388751-1/50004-1 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Solar and terrestrial parameterizations for radiative-convective models
Vardavas, I. M., & Carver, J. H. (1984) · Planetary and Space Science · doi:10.1016/0032-0633(84)90074-6 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
The early atmosphere as a source of biogenic compounds
Kasting, J. F., & Brown, L. L. (1998) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511626180.004 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Mulkidjanian, A. Y., Cherepanov, D. A., & Galperin, M. Y. (2003) · BMC Evolutionary Biology · doi:10.1186/1471-2148-3-12 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Chiral-Selective Chemistry Induced by Spin-Polarized Secondary Electrons from a Magnetic Substrate
Rosenberg, R. A., Abu Haija, M., & Ryan, P. J. (2008) · Physical Review Letters · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.101.178301 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
CN(A 2Πi→X 2Σ+) and CN(B 2Σ+→X 2Σ+) yields from HCN photodissociation
Lee, L. C. (1980) · The Journal of Chemical Physics · doi:10.1063/1.439140 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
The vacuum ultraviolet spectra of HCN, C2N2, and CH3CN
Nuth, J. A., & Glicker, S. (1982) · Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer · doi:10.1016/0022-4073(82)90025-5 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Zolotov, M. Y., & Shock, E. L. (2000) · Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres · doi:10.1029/1999jb900369 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Ferris, J. P., & CHEN, C. T. (1975) · Journal of the American Chemical Society · doi:10.1021/ja00844a007 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Reduction in Haze Formation Rate on Prebiotic Earth in the Presence of Hydrogen
DeWitt, H. L., Trainer, M. G., Pavlov, A. A., Hasenkopf, C. A., Aiken, A. C., Jimenez, J. L., McKay, C. P., Toon, O. B., & Tolbert, M. A. (2009) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2008.0289 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Ionization energies of organic compounds by equilibrium measurements
Lias, S. G., & Ausloos, P. (1978) · Journal of the American Chemical Society · doi:10.1021/ja00487a009 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Deep-UV absorption and Rayleigh scattering of carbon dioxide
Ityaksov, D., Linnartz, H., & Ubachs, W. (2008) · Chemical Physics Letters · doi:10.1016/j.cplett.2008.07.049 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Implications of present‐day abiogenic methane fluxes for the early Archean atmosphere
Emmanuel, S., & Ague, J. J. (2007) · Geophysical Research Letters · doi:10.1029/2007gl030532 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Temperature-dependent photoabsorption cross sections of H2S in the 1600–2600Å region
Wu, C., & Chen, F. Z. (1998) · Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer · doi:10.1016/s0022-4073(97)00163-5 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
UV absorption cross-sections of selected sulfur-containing compounds at temperatures up to 500°C
Grosch, H., Fateev, A., & Clausen, S. (2014) · Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer · doi:10.1016/j.jqsrt.2014.11.020 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Powner, M. W., Anastasi, C., Crowe, M. A., Parkes, A. L., Raftery, J., & Sutherland, J. D. (2007) · ChemBioChem · doi:10.1002/cbic.200700098 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Abiotic Nitrogen Fixation on Terrestrial Planets: Reduction of NO to Ammonia by FeS
Summers, D. P., Basa, R. C. B., Khare, B. N., & Rodoni, D. (2012) · Astrobiology · doi:10.1089/ast.2011.0646 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Putative mechanism of the sugar formation on prebiotic Earth initiated by UV-radiation
Тaran, О. P., Simonov, A. N., Snytnikov, V. N., et al. (2005) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2005.02.049 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Absolute oscillator strengths for hydrogen sulphide:
Feng, R., Cooper, G., & Brion, C. E. (1999) · Chemical Physics · doi:10.1016/s0301-0104(99)00088-9 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Romanzin, C., Gazeau, M. ‐., Bénilan, Y., et al. (2005) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2005.03.079 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Possible prebiotic synthesis of monosaccharides from formaldehyde in presence of phosphates
Simonov, A. N., Тaran, О. P., Matvienko, L. G., et al. (2007) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2007.08.002 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Guzmán, M. I., & Martin, S. T. (2008) · International Journal of Astrobiology · doi:10.1017/s1473550408004291 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Mozumder, A. (2002) · Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics · doi:10.1039/b106017c · Cited by 32 · see citing works
The role of photochemistry in Titan’s atmospheric chemistry
Ferris, J. P., Tran, B. N., Joseph, J. C., et al. (2005) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2005.03.056 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Planetary atmospheres and life
Catling, D., & Kasting, J. F. (2007) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511812958.006 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Photo-alteration of hydantoins against UV light and its relevance to prebiotic chemistry
Sarker, P. K., Takahashi, J.-I., Obayashi, Y., Kaneko, T., & Kobayashi, K. (2013) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2013.01.029 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Horváth, A. K., Papp, S. J., & Décsy, Z. (1984) · Journal of Photochemistry · doi:10.1016/0047-2670(84)80015-5 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
The earliest records of life on Earth
Buick, R. (2007) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511812958.014 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Ayres, T. R., & Linsky, J. L. (1980) · The Astrophysical Journal · doi:10.1086/157612 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Guillemin, J., Bouyahyi, M., & Riague, E. H. (2003) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2003.07.015 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Banerjee, A., Ganguly, G., Tripathi, R., Nair, N. N., & Paul, A. (2014) · Chemistry - A European Journal · doi:10.1002/chem.201304627 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Study of the peptide prebiotic synthesis in context of exobiological investigations on earth orbit
Kuzicheva, E. A., & Gontareva, N. B. (2001) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/s0273-1177(01)00325-8 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Deamer, D. W. (2007) · Planets and Life · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511812958.011 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Searle (1999) · doi:10.1130/0016-7606(1999)111
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 13
- Bernstein, M., S. A. Sandford, L. J. Allamandola, J. P. Dworkin, S. J. Gillette, and R. N. Zare (2000). Formation of Prebiotic Molecules in Interstellar and Cometary Ices. In G. Lemarchand and K. Meech (Eds.),
- Farquhar, J., J. Savarino, S. Aireau, and M. H. Thiemens (2001). Sulfur isotope effects during SO2 photolysis: Implications for the early atmosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research 106 (E12), 3282932839.
- Ferris, J., B. Tran, J. Joseph, V. Vuitton, R. Briggs, and M. Force (2005). The role of photochemistry in Titans atmospheric chemistry. Advances in Space Research 36 (2), 251-257.
- Hofmann, H. J., K. Grey, A. H. Hickman, and R. I. Thorpe (1999). Origin of 3.45 Ga coniform stromatolites in Warrawoona Group, Western Australia. Geological Society of America Bulletin 111 (8), 1256-1262.
- Huestis, D. L. and J. Berkowitz (2010). Critical Evaluation of the Photoabsorption Cross Section of CO2 from 0.125 to 201.6 nm at Room Temperature, pp. 229-242. Advances in Geosciences (25), 229242.
- Wieliczka D. M., Segelstein D. J. 1991. [Refractive index of] Water (H2O). In: Handbook of optical constants of solids. Palik, E. D. (ed.). Academic Press, New York, pp. 1059-1077.
- Jonasz, M. and G. R. Fournier (2007). Light Scattering by Particles in Water . Boston, MA: Academic Press.
- Keady, J. J. and D. Kilcrease (2000). Radiation. In A. N. Cox (Ed.), Allen's Astrophysical Quantities (4 ed.). New York, NY: Springer-Verlag.
- Magnani, C. J. (2015). Life's first steps: Exploring the feasibility of prebiotic chemical reactions through ultraviolet dependence. A.B. Thesis, Harvard University.
- Moradpour, A. and H. B. Kagan (1974). Preparation of Chiral Compounds with High Optical Purity by Irradiation with Circularly Polarized Light, A Model Reaction for the Prebiotic Generation of Optical Activity . Journal of the American Chemical Society 292 (23), 51525158.
- Querry, M. R., D. M. Wieliczka, and D. J. Segelstein (1991). Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids II , Chapter Water (H2O), pp. 1059-1077. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, Inc.
- Segelstein, D. J. (1981). The complex refractive index of water. Master's thesis, University of Missouri - Kansas City, Kansas City, MO.
- Wozniak, B. and J. Dera (2007). Light Absorption In Sea Water , Volume 33 of Atmospheric and Oceanographic Sciences Library . New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The origin of life as a planetary phenomenon
Sasselov, D. D., Grotzinger, J. P., & Sutherland, J. D. (2020) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.aax3419 · Cited by 210 · see citing works
Self-citationUV-light-driven prebiotic synthesis of iron-sulfur clusters
Bonfio, C., Valer, L., Scintilla, S., Shah, S., Evans, D. J., Jin, L., Szostak, J. W., Sasselov, D. D., Sutherland, J. D., & Mansy, S. S. (2017) · Nature Chemistry · doi:10.1038/nchem.2817 · Cited by 158 · see citing works
Self-citationDeal, A. M., Rapf, R. J., & Vaida, V. (2021) · The Journal of Physical Chemistry A · doi:10.1021/acs.jpca.1c02864 · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Nitrogen Oxide Concentrations in Natural Waters on Early Earth
Ranjan, S., Todd, Z. R., Rimmer, P. B., Sasselov, D. D., & Babbin, A. R. (2019) · Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems · doi:10.1029/2018gc008082 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Self-citationMimicking the Surface and Prebiotic Chemistry of Early Earth Using Flow Chemistry
Ritson, D. J., Battilocchio, C., Ley, S. V., & Sutherland, J. D. (2018) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-018-04147-2 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Supply of phosphate to early Earth by photogeochemistry after meteoritic weathering
Ritson, D. J., Mojzsis, S. J., & Sutherland, J. D. (2020) · Nature Geoscience · doi:10.1038/s41561-020-0556-7 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Environmental Adaptation from the Origin of Life to the Last Universal Common Ancestor
Cantine, M. D., & Fournier, G. P. (2018) · Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres · doi:10.1007/s11084-017-9542-5 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
A Continuous Reaction Network that Produces RNA Precursors
Yi, R., Tran, Q. P., Ali, S., Yoda, I., Adam, Z. R., Cleaves, H. J., & Fahrenbach, A. C. (2020) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1922139117 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Radicals in Prebiotic Chemistry
Lim, R. W. J., & Fahrenbach, A. C. (2020) · Pure and Applied Chemistry · doi:10.1515/pac-2020-0805 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ranjan, S., & Sasselov, D. D.
- Affiliations
- Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Smithsonian (US)
- ORCID
- Ranjan, Sukrit
- Venue
- Astrobiology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2016-01
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 68-88
- ISSN
- 1531-1074 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-8070
- OpenAlex
- W1955599522
- Cited by
- 159
- References
- 94
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 8.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- arxiv.org
- Locations
- Astrobiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
- Keywords
- ultraviolet radiation, prebiotic chemistry, origin of life, water attenuation, stellar variability, mercury lamp irradiation, ribonucleotide synthesis, sugar synthesis, methane, hydrogen cyanide, planetary atmospheres, liquid water
- MeSH terms
- Origin of Life, Carbon Dioxide, Environment, Methane, Photolysis, Ultraviolet Rays, Solar System
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
