Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

Survival of Organic Materials in Hypervelocity Impacts of Ice on Sand, Ice, and Water in the Laboratory

Burchell, Mark J., Bowden, Stephen A., Cole, Michael, Price, Mark C., Parnell, John (2014) Survival of Organic Materials in Hypervelocity Impacts of Ice on Sand, Ice, and Water in the Laboratory. Astrobiology, 14 (6). pp. 473-485. ISSN 1531-1074. (doi:10.1089/ast.2013.1007) (KAR id:43557)

Abstract

The survival of organic molecules in shock impact events has been investigated in the laboratory. A frozen mixture of anthracene and stearic acid, solvated in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), was fired in a two-stage light gas gun at speeds of ?2 and ?4?km s?1 at targets that included water ice, water, and sand. This involved shock pressures in the range of 2–12 GPa. It was found that the projectile materials were present in elevated quantities in the targets after impact and in some cases in the crater ejecta as well. For DMSO impacting water at 1.9?km s?1 and 45° incidence, we quantify the surviving fraction after impact as 0.44±0.05. This demonstrates successful transfer of organic compounds from projectile to target in high-speed impacts. The range of impact speeds used covers that involved in impacts of terrestrial meteorites on the Moon, as well as impacts in the outer Solar System on icy bodies such as Pluto. The results provide laboratory evidence that suggests that exogenous delivery of complex organic molecules from icy impactors is a viable source of such material on target bodies.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1089/ast.2013.1007
Additional information: This is a gold open access paper freely available from the journal website
Uncontrolled keywords: Organic—Hypervelocity—Shock—Biomarkers
Subjects: Q Science
Q Science > QB Astronomy
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Depositing User: Mark Burchell
Date Deposited: 21 Oct 2014 13:57 UTC
Last Modified: 10 Dec 2022 22:53 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/43557 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Burchell, Mark J..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2680-8943
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Price, Mark C..

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.