Research supported wholly or in part by NASA is summarized, Topics covered include the molecular analysis of ultraviolet-photoproduced organic solids synthesized under simulated Jovian conditions; the molecular analysis of organic solids produced by electrical discharge in reducing atmospheres; the organic chemistry of interstellar grains; the spectra of possible organic solids present as aerosols in planetary atmospheres; far infrared studies of organic polymers of possible astrophysical interest; organic dust synthesized in reducing environments by ultraviolet radiation or electric discharge; the diffusion of galactic civilizations; eavesdropping on galactic civilizations; Lander imaging as a detector of life on Mars; and continuing puzzles about Mars. Bibliographic data is included for four additional publications not supported by NASA grant, but related to the objectives of the program

Sagan, C.

English

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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19790006611 2020-03-11T19:18:20+00:00Z
N79-14782
Sep :enter, 1978
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CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Center for Radiofihysics and Space Research
ITHACA, N. Y.
ANNUAL STATUS REPORT
to the
NATIONAL AMONAUTICS AND SPACE AE=STRATION
tinder
NASA Grant NGR 33-010-101
EXOBIOLOGY AND THE ORIGIN OF LIFE
October 1, 1977 - September 30, 1978
Principal Investigator: Professor Carl Sawn
I	 I
r
("TASA—CF-157988)	 FXOBIOLCGY AND THE ORIGIN
OF LIFE Annaal status Report, 1 Oct. 1977 -
30 Sep. 1978 (Cornell 11niv., Tthac:a, N. Y.)
13 p HC A02/MF A01	 CSCL 06C
CORNETS, LNI%TRSITY
Laboratory
 for Planetary
 Studies
NASA Grant :*-M 33-010-101
-obey
 1, 1977 -- September 30, 1973
0BIOLOGY AuND THE ORIGIN OF LIFE
Prepared: Senrember 1, 1978
Carl SaQan,
Principal	 s ',ator
Appendix I
11te following is a 'list of papers published or in press or
conpleted since the last annual report and supported wholly or in
part by NASA Grant NCR 33-010-101.
(1) "Ultraviolet-Fhotoproduced Organic Solids Synthesized
Under Simulated Jovian Conditions Molecular Analysis," B.N.  Enure,
Carl Sagmi, Eric L. Bandurski, and Bartholomew Nagy, Sciance, 199,
pp. 1199-1-201 (1918).
In an earlier paper, Piar,_ and Sagan reported the production
of a brownish polymeric material from the ne.-ir-ultraviolet irradiation
of simulated jovi.Rn atitvspheres w+.th a low hydrogen alnmd:mce. F-%miina-
tiun of this product hidicates that hydrogen sulfide is the initial
photon accepter: the powder resulting after extraction with benzene is
84 percent sulfur, largely S 3 1 In results reported here, the ramining
lb percent was pyrolyred and then ex= ned by gas chrcnnatoQriphy-n3ss
spectrometry. Pyrolysis at 4500C yielded a series of alkanes, alkenes,
C 3 -alkvlbe nzenes , arartttics , thicphenes , alkylthiophemes , alkylmercaptans ,
alkyldisulfides, together with the nitrogenous compounds hydro gen cyanide,
methyl cvanide, allcvlisothiocv,=tes, acrylonitrile, and allylisothio-
cyanates . Some of these compnemds might be sought on Jupiter and Saturn
and their satellites by remote infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopy and
directly by entry probes.
At
	
	
(2) "Organic Solids Produced by Electrical Discharges in
Reducing Atmospheres: Iolecular Analysis," B.N. Mare, Carl Swan,
John E. Zunberge, Deborah Sklarew, and Bartholomew Nagy, submitted
to Science (1978) .
The complex brown polymer produced on passage of an elec-
trical discharge through a mixture of methane, xmmia, and water,
is analyzed by pyrolytic (;C/'^S. Pyrolyzates in6.ude a wide range
of alkanes, alkxnes, aramtic hydrocarbons, aliphatic and aromatic
niriles, ovrroles, and pyridine. Similar pyrolyzates are obtained
frccn polypeptides and polynucleotides with hydrocarbon moieties.
This polymer is remarkably stable up to 950oC; its degradation
products are candidate constituaits of plai:etary aerosols in the
outer solar system and the grains and gas in the interstellar mediun.
(3) "Organic Chenistry of Interstellar Grains," Carl Swan
and B.N.  Dare, suhmi. tted to Mature (1973).
A cunplex organic polymer produced by electrical discharge or
ultraviolet irradiation in a mixture of cosmicall y abundant re((!ucinv-
gases exhibits an infrared spectrum, thermoirradiation stabilit y , and
other properties characteristic of interstellar. Grains. Sputtering
nroducts of this polvmer bear a close resemblance to the molecules
found by microwave spectroscopy in the interstellar red--u-n.
r
I
-	
--	
.--A
I-3
(:) "Spectra of Possible Organic Solids Present as :Aerosols i i
AL--roscreres , „ 9.3. :fie and Carl Sagan, Ica.^,:s , to be sLb-
-rrLCted.
Ul=-aviolet. visible and infrared =ar=Lmion spectra are pre-
sented of a variet.7 of organic solids prodLced by ultraviolet irradia-
-on or electrical disc.-u7e of gas tni.,=u--es contai_-ning scree or all of
_he fcllc,^  cons tizuents . CH , C-,H6, "E3 , FO, and HS. Sc=ni-u3
eiectrorn ni=graphs of t.°^ese -aroducts are also eresesnted =erm:itting an
assessment of "te theor y scatter rg protocols for sphe-xrical particles
used i.-1 :-e application of t_-.ese spec=a to pl.3rnetar. 7
 atuestreres.
—e genera; ch racter of absorption feat ,
 es is remarkably independent
of t.'^.e energy source used to prod=e free radicals, and it is clear
t. at substantial blue and ul=z -olet absor ption is rrovi.ded by suL^-
.-ee organic polymer.
(S) "Far Infrared SL-,:dies of Cr;a_ni c Po1,,r.:ers of Possible
A.;=Tohysicsl Interest," B.N.  :^:se and Carl Sages:, As oohvs , J.
to be submitted.
Gmmle`c organic poltmers nreduced r-eri cesm-4 .cally abundant
molecules m&ibit far i_-u `-ared abscrction features '_:z the 5 Co 90 as
rarnpe. ie^. e^^^1e: ate	 ^e :^ri^^: forms stoichicrie*74-ca 1v
formaldehvice and atmnia has su&. a feat'. a at 36 gin. Cln*,.er^cubic
suL`as absorbs at 32	 It is prcr,osed that absorttion and amissicn
I-4
reamxes :oLT.d in a variety of ast+cphysic:al sei=ces at
wavelangt^s , and often attributed to 0 11-&, `--e :eccrsi,!er
the Ught of Giese findirss .
6) " O a ni o Dust Synthes i. ed Ln n acct r^ig ;SltrirO mwn t s
by Gltraviolec Radiaticn or ^.ectric Disc.'=ge , " B.N.  mare and
Carl. Sagan, ?-- c. Conf. m Ttn =dvnamics of Dusc Ln the Space m.edi,=,
i:sar and ?l.arecar,7 Sc ante Lnnsc=-te , in Dress.
A dark reddish-brown !nigh cmlecular wei.ght polymer is prcc..,.ced by
lc r.g -aavelmzth ultraviolet i-radiation of ahmdant uses creser:c in re-
a=sa'reres, M4 , CIH60 NH 3 , H,,O, anal H,,S, Tre pibtociisseciatien
of it S piel:s a hrdregen atom winich is s=e -he=.;al by se,.-eral elec-oc:
volts and ,hick ^r-- :-es subsequent Lhain reactions . In a typical
Per mLm:: t:he imer walls of ---e react-on vessel are cl^.-racte- sti :aliy
zcaced, after a few gars of .. adiation, -with a brrwrish solid. 7.-Lis
solid mce=-4al shc r.-s sc+me spec--=,E=-- c si=Llarity to the brown cLnurs
obser7ed on Jupiter, Sat=, and Titan. Aiter- a typical photol-7s'_s eY-
^e+s-^ent t',.e brown solid after --c action with bernz e is 34 percent
L3rgel;r S3 , The rer '^a?ng^ 16 ^ercent was m,rol,rzed and t^ en ex=d .ed by
gas cl==, t:cgrap'rrr -- mss snec^---r-e=T. P;,-rolysis at 4500C yells
c^e	 3rrav of came ands shorn in Table 1.
I-5
In another experiment, siriilar dark braa,n polymeric material
is produced by electric discharge through a mixtzze of CH 4 , NH 3 , and
H,,O (vapor) which on pyrolvsis at 6000C yields a similar list of com-
pounds.
The dust produced under conditions similar to those described
in these two a anples may be relevant to the observed ultraviolet,
visible and infrared spectroscopic characteristics of planetary atmos-
pheres and the interstellar medium.
The synthesized polymers exhibit an inuressive thermal
stability. Thermogravimetric analysis shows the electrical discharge
I
polymer in particular to be half thermall y dissociated at 10000K.
Another solid material that we consider important is he an-ethylenetetramine
Oe,EA) that is obtained stoichiometrically from ammonia and formaldehyde.
RMIA on heating produces largely IICN., . From the infrared spectra of this
polymer after heating to 9230K, Gre propose that the tradition of attribu-
ting the 9 to 13 tun interstellar features to silicate dust or pure graphite
should be reexanii.ned. Our infrared study of the polymers produced both
by ultraviolet light and electric discharge, their stabilit y at high
temperatures, Douglas' proposal of explaining the diffuse interstellar
lt-ie at 4420 R and the contin= at 2200 R by polyatomic molecules con-
taining carbon as Cn (5 < n < 15), and other arguments, su g est organic
polymers as major constituents of interstellar dust.
i - 0
Table I Polymer comronents from the ultraviolet ,vnthests ecpenments ahe injuat mixture
,;onmsted of CH.. C,H.. NH,, H,S. ind H,41.
Compounds
denuned
Relauve
toun-
,tance'
Nolec-
JlAr
ke,gnt
Compounds
denuned
ReWive
lbun-
lance*
Nulec
War
*eigh t
Hydrogen ,ulfide vt 34 :-`lethvlthtophene M 48
Carbon dwxtdt `1 44 3-Nethvtthtopnene 11 98
Carbonyl sulfide Ni e0 Ethvithwphenes W 11.1
H ydrogen cvanwe M :7 Dtmethvlthtopnenes `A 112
Ammonta St I" C,-a/krlthtophenes m 116
Camondisulfide `A If) m 140
Ethane 11 ?0 `lettivlmercaptan H 44
Propane xt 44 Ethylmercaptan y1 62
Butane n 58 Propylmercaptan `.1 -6
Ethane `1 :8 CH,- S -S-CH, %1 94
Prone x1 42 C,-alkyl(-S- S - it xl 108
Butane `t 56 C.•alkyl(-S-S -It tit I::
Pentene vi '0 C,•aikyl(-S-S-I it \1 136
Helene m $4 C.•alkyl(-S-S-)* tit ISO
Heptenes m 98 CH, - N -C - S i methyl \I 77
Butautene M 54 soth,ocvanalef
Metnvl rib:upentene 3: CH,CH, - N -C -S tit 37
Hexadtene 9: C,•alkyl- N -C-S s N 101
Hexvne t 82 C.-alkyl-N-C-S %1 IIS
Butadl,ne '0 C,•alkyl-N-C-S m 1:9
Benzene M '8 CH,-CHCH,-N-C-S m 99
Totuene b1 92 CH,CV N 41
Xvlent m 106 CH, -CH- CN ^.1 53
C,•alkyibenzene m 1:0 CH,-CH-CH-CN m 67
Styrene m 104 Benzomtnle m 103
Thtophene M 44
'H. vapor com ponent, m. nunor :ompuntnt. t, tentalive denttticstlon - These compounds ire alkyl
ltsullldss (dttmo:ukanes): C. ukyN- i- i-i, for -aampte, , either CH,CH,CH,-i-S-CH, ,x
CH1k:H, - S - 5-C4,C 14,. A lowercase , attar a comtx,und .ndtcues thu two or more somem ire present.
(7) 'The	 me ,: cr: of Galactic Civ' 1i ati=z , " 'W.  I , Ne ran
and Carl Sawn, to be submitted to
It ras been -^r=sc-i (Ha_=. , 1975: Jones , 1975) that the parent
absence of ex—_aterres_ials on or near ti e Ea.th shaves t'.at there are
=.cr_e, since a c_tvi'^ .: aticr. =deratel 7r in advance of cur	 srzuld be
gable of relat .-ely Fast interstellar spacer-lizf:t, crossing the galxv
in a tLe nrxh Less t'.= the age of the ga? a7r. Asstning t`^.at inter-
stellar maceTliznt is associated cr1v with --he -cave of advance or am
e mandi_ g civs' ' na tion, these issues are re-zxi.ed by
	
:Le
I-7
principles of population dvnamics used in treating, biological
species (modified to accommodate "social" influences) . The limiting,
velocity of an extraterrestrial colonization front is reassessed.
Pooulation dispersal in biological problems is generally
modelled after the Lotka-Volterra jr senilinear diffusion equation.
This equation describes in situ growth and saturation (characterized
by a signoid curve) together with random diffusion. The solution for
the population density in the Lotka-Volterra equation is characterized
by a travelling wave. In this commmication, the diffusion term in the
equation is made population densit-Ir dependent in order to reflect diffu-
sion as a response to population pressure, a social influence generally
not included in ;rely biological applications. NuTn i cal studies of
the modified equation reveal the existence of a travelling wave solution
with a eery sharp colonization front.
In terrestrial cultures, the population F .:owth rate diminishes
in response to increasing affluence, the demographic transition. Zero
population growth is a conccxnitant of advanced technology and wealth in
the terrestrial case and, it seems likely, for extraterrestrial ones.
This situation may be modelled by *population density dependent diffusion
with no population ,7cwth mechanism. The solution for the population
Omsity in this case is asymptotically "self-similar" and has a sharp
colonization front characterized by a velocity that rapidly dimini shes
with time.
i
C
I-8
The implications presented by these pooulatian dynastic
models  to the issue raised by the absence of extraterrestrials an
Earth are discussed. Most significant •imon^3 these is that a
colonizing civilization that practices --ero po pulation growth would
expand only over a small fraction of the galactic disc in the age
of the ga laxv .
(8) "Eavesdropping on Calactic Civilizations," Carl Sagan,
Science, in press.
The anthxopogeric radio flux of the Earth is likel y to be a
delta function centered around the present implving that there is no
civilization in the entire Milky ?Jay Galaac,- which should be preferen-
tially detectable through radio eavesdroanine.
(9) "Lander Imaging as a Detector of Life on ''ars," Elliot,
C. l vinthal, Kenneth L. Jones, Paul Fox and Carl Sagan, Journal of
Geophys. Res,, 82, pp. 4468-4478, 1977,
Biological goals were among the important science objectives
of the Viking larder camera. The camera oerformance characteristics
relevant to these goals are discussed. Thev ircl •-v-'e the ability to ob-
ser•,-e (1) morphological detail, (2) color and reflectance spectra, and
(3) :tntion and change. The scenes obtained by the cameras were
scrutinized in many ways: monoscopically , stereoscopically, in color,
and by ccmuterized differencing of camera events. At the lander
I-9
sites and during the times that observations were
surface of .-tars , no evidence , direct or indirect, nos peen (.)oLZIzn*!U
for macroscopic biology on Mars, %. obvious examples of geometric dis-
tortion that might have been motion induced rave been observed. Using
the repeated line scxuiing mode of the camera has revealed no cha „es
or motion suggesting life. These negative results may be due to limita-
tions in sampling, in camera design, or in our understanuing of `Tarty
biology, but they are certainly consistent with the hypothesis that_
macroscopic life is absent on Mars.
(10) "Continuing Puzzles About Yes," Carl Sagan, N. Horowitz
and B. I'A=ay , Bulletin American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 30, (7),
pp. 21-30, April (1977).
The following paper was written in part when one of its co-authors,
?rofessor Blackburn, was in residence at the Laboratory for Planetary
Studies and partially surmorted by this Grant.
(11) "X-ray Phocoelectron Spectrometric and Gas Exchange Evidence
for Surface Oxidation of Martian Regolith Analogues After Ultraviolet Ir-
radiatirnz , " H.D.  Ho l land and T.R.  Blackburn , Presen--ed XXI COSRAR " Ieetiru; ,
Innsbruck (1978); to be published Life Sciences and Space Research 17.
Ultraviolet irradiation of pvrolusite (R-t .1n02) and hematite
(a-Fe203) in a humid, oxygen-rich Mars atmosphere produced changes in
I - 10
the oxygen (ls) and manganese ( 3p) binding enemies as measured by
x-ray photoelectron (F—SCA) spectroscopy, The charges on `An0., are con-
sisr.ent with the formation of a surface laver of an oxide ofMnOl) or
(VI) which, by reference to the properties of the bulk materials, ,Xmld
I e highly oxidizing. The charLge in the O(ls ) spectrum of xFe,,03 is net
as easily interpreted; chanisorhed 0 may account for it. A gas exch=!e
e=eriment on UV-irradiated W2 pmxder results in oxygen evolution on
L--cwsure to water tramr. 71nis transition rietal surface chemistry may
play an indicator role in the explication of extraterrestrial regolith
cheni s=., .
In addition, Following are a few additional publications which,
while net supported by this grant, are nevertheless directly relevant
to its objectives.
(12) 'The west for Intelligent Life in S pace is Just Beginning,"
Snithson	 Magazine, 9, pp. 38-47 (1978); reprinted in Cosmic Search,
Volume 1, Number 1, January 1979, and in ?header's Digest (Canada), in press.
(13) "Other Civilizations in Space," Fncvclonaedia Britannica
Yearbook of Science and the Future, 1978, 112-125.
(14) 'The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence," (with P.
:-Iorrison and 14 others), NASA Snecial Publication SP -419 Nashington:
`	 U.S. Goverment Priting Office), 1978.
-


Exobiology and the origin of life

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