Study on chemical evolution by simulation experiments regarding the plasma processes and hydrothermal conditions with minerals under the Hadean Earth environments

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02017
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 17050:Biogeosciences-related
• Research Institution: Hiroshima Shudo University
• Principal Investigator: Kawamura Kunio 広島修道大学, 人間環境学部, 教授 (50204772)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 佐々木 満 熊本大学, 産業ナノマテリアル研究所, 准教授 (40363519)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 生命の起源 / プラズマ / 熱水反応 / RNA / ペプチド

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chemical evolution processes on the primitive Earth have been investigated by different types of simulation experiments. However, there were no suitable research techniques for identifying how different chemical evolution processes had linked on the vast Earth. In the present study, two experimental systems, the hydrothermal-mineral system and the radical reaction system, are merged to develop a new type of simulation method for chemical evolution. By using the method, we analyze the chemical evolution of RNA and peptides drawing a realistic chemical evolution scenario.

Free Research Field

生命の起源

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ラジカル反応は放射線・放電・隕石衝突などに由来し、化学進化の重要であるが、良い研究手法がなかった。本研究では、ナノパルス放電と超音波をプラズマ発生源とする新しい手法を確立し、タンパク質とRNAの化学進化に対するラジカル反応の役割を明らかにする。また、個別の模擬環境で行われた化学進化実験を組み合わせて、原始地球環境や水の存在する天体環境と整合性のある化学進化過程の一般的な道筋を、明らかにする。