All interested researchers and students are invited to attend. No registration is required for the short course. Seating is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis.
Program
Talk 1 – “Meteorites, Asteroids, and Sample Science” – Dionysis Foustoukos, Carnegie Institution for Science
- Organic detections on meteorites, asteroids including moons of planets, and samples returned to earth
- Overview of techniques and isotopic fractionation, including stable isotopes of H-C-N and 1H – 13C NMR.
- Discussion of processes and effects on organics on the surface and interior
Talk 2 – “Abiotic/Prebiotic Organic Synthesis” – Laurie Barge, JPL
- Biotic, prebiotic, abiotic organic chemistry and how to conceptualize the search for biosignatures in context of different organic containing environments
- The importance of environment / conditions on organic reactions
- Impact of minerals (e.g., iron minerals and others) on organic reactivity
- Organic synthesis under different conditions, e.g. role of Fe oxidation state, pH, temperature, presence of other geochemical species (phosphorus, nitrogen, sulfur etc), radiation
Talk 3 – “Cycling of Organic Molecules” – Kirt Robinson, Arizona State University
- Broad overview of: organic cycling on earth; carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle; organic reservoirs and sinks
- Chemical kinetics and thermodynamics relating to abiotic/geological carbon and nitrogen cycles via computational simulations of geochemical environments and laboratory investigations (mainly organic chemistry) of hydrothermal fluids
Talk 4 – “Organics Detected on Spacefight Missions” – Marc Neveu, University of Maryland / NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
- Detection of organics in spaceflight missions and in situ missions
- Focus on outer solar system missions (Cassini, Dawn, Clipper) and mission concepts (Enceladus, Ceres)
- Definition of organic biosignatures, discussion of detecting organics vs inorganics
Short Course Presentations
| Speaker | Affiliation | Presentation |
|---|---|---|
| Dionysis Foustoukos | Carnegie Institution for Science | Meteorites, Asteroids, and Sample Science (.pdf) |
| Laurie Barge | JPL | Abiotic/Prebiotic Organic Synthesis (.pdf) |
| Kirt Robinson | Arizona State University | Cycling of Organic Molecules (.pdf) |
| Marc Neveu | University of Maryland / NASA Goddard Space Flight Center | Organics Detected on Spaceflight Missions (.pdf) |
