High-spatial resolution functional chemistry of nitrogen compounds in the observed UK meteorite fall Winchcombe.

ABSTRACT: Organic matter in extraterrestrial samples is a complex material that might have played an important role in the delivery of prebiotic molecules to the early Earth. We report here on the identification of nitrogen-containing compounds such as amino acids and N-heterocycles within the recent observed meteorite fall Winchcombe by high-spatial resolution spectroscopy techniques. Although nitrogen contents of Winchcombe organic matter are low (N/C ~ 1-3%), we were able to detect the presence of these compounds using a low-noise direct electron detector. These biologically relevant molecules have therefore been tentatively found within a fresh, minimally processed meteorite sample by high spatial resolution techniques conserving the overall petrographic context. Carbon functional chemistry inve

SUBMITTER: Vollmer C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10817942 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature