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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