Comets and the origin of life [[electronic resource] /] / Janaki Wickramasinghe, Chandra Wickramasinghe, William Napier

• Autore: Wickramasinghe Janaki
• Pubblicazione: Hackensack, N.J. ; ; London, : World Scientific, c2010
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (232 p.)
• Disciplina: 576.839
• Soggetto topico: Comets; Life - Origin; Molecular evolution; Exobiology
• Soggetto genere / forma: Electronic books.
• Altri autori: WickramasingheN. C <1939-> (Nalin Chandra) NapierBill
• Note generali: "The basic structure of the present book started as the PhD thesis of the principal author." -- preface.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliography (p. 201 - 211) and index.
• Nota di contenuto: 1. Overview. 1.1. Introduction. 1.2. Cometary Panspermia. 1.3. History of Panspermia. 1.4. The ultraviolet problem. 1.5. Resilience of bacteria. 1.6. Extremophiles. 1.7. The discovery of organics in cosmic dust. 1.8. Comets. 1.9. The origin of life. 1.10. Modern advances. 1.11. Protoplanetary nebulae and extra-solar planetary systems. 1.12. Habitable zone -- 2. Cosmic dust and life. 2.1. Introduction. 2.2. Constraints on composition. 2.3. Extinction by spherical particles. 2.4. The interstellar extinction and bacterial dust. 2.5. Infrared evidence. 2.6. Comet dust and biomaterial. 2.7. The identification of PAH and biological aromatics. 2.8. Other spectral features. 2.9. Fluorescence. 2.10. The origin of organic molecules in space. 2.11. Direct analysis of comet dust. 2.12. Capture of comet dust in the stratosphere -- 3. The origin of comets. 3.1. The galactic disc. 3.2. The formation of stars. 3.3. Planet formation. 3.4. The formation of comets -- 4. Comets in the galactic environment. 4.1. The mechanism of lithopanspermia. 4.2. The formation sites of comets. 4.3. The sun's orbit in the galaxy. 4.4. The impact cratering record -- 5. Dark comets : a link to Panspermia. 5.2. The impact hazard and the Panspermia connection -- 6. Expulsion of microbes from the solar system. 6.1. Introduction. 6.2. Expectations from impact cratering mechanisms. 6.3. Mechanisms for ejection and fragmentation of boulders. 6.4. [symbol]-meteoroids. 6.5. Protective shielding in small [symbol]-meteoroids. 6.6. Carbonisation of the surface layers of grains. 6.7. Radiation pressure effects. 6.8. Surviving the hazards of galactic cosmic rays. 6.9. How comets distribute life. 6.10. Dispersal of life by impacts -- 7. Liquid water in comets. 7.1. Introduction. 7.2. Primordial melting. 7.3. Evidence of present-day melting. 7.4. Results from Deep Impact. 7.5. Frozen lake surfaces. 7.6. Microbial fossils in carbonaceous meteorites -- 8. Origin of life. 8.1. Preamble 183. 8.2. Cometary interiors as incubators of early life. 8.3. Comparison with a terrestrial origin of life -- 9. Expanding horizons of life.
• Sommario/riassunto: The idea that comets may be connected with the origin of life on Earth was considered heresy a few decades ago, with scientists shying away from this possibility as if from a medieval superstition. However the case that comets may have contributed at least the complex organic building blocks of life has become very strong, and mechanisms have now been identified whereby comets may incubate and transfer microbial life from one cosmic habitat to another in the Galaxy. The latter process cometary panspermia was pioneered by the late Sir Fred Hoyle and one of the present authors in the early 1980's. A theory that was once controversial is slowly gaining scientific respectability and support. The recent surge of interest in astrobiology has led to a spate of books in astrobiology - combining astronomy and biology - but in most of these, cometary panspermia is dealt with only cursorily. The present book sets out the case for cometary panspermia in a cogent way, combining evidence from space science, celestial mechanics, geology and microbiology. It should be an essential part of any university course on astrobiology, and also serve as a reference textbook for researchers in the field.
• Titolo autorizzato: Comets and the origin of life
• ISBN: 1-282-76026-2; 9786612760266; 981-281-400-0
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Record Nr.: 9910455859703321
• Lo trovi qui: Univ. Federico II