Extraterrestrial Environment

Although both HC1 (234) and HF (235) are present in interstellar space, it came as a stunning surprise when meteorites were found to contain organohalogen compounds (236). The several earlier claims of meteoritic organochlorines were only cautiously advanced and perhaps even viewed with skepticism (237-240). In various forms, chlorine has been detected in and around Io, Jupiter s largest moon (241-245). 

---

The third period, from the mid-1960s until the present, began with the discovery that nature predated man s fabrication of hydrates by millions of years, in situ in both the deep oceans and permafrost regions as well as in extraterrestrial environments. 

Carbon is likely to congeal to high-molecular-weight polymers as H2 distills off. In extraterrestrial environments, we expect lower hydrocarbons eventually to transform into pure carbon, either diamond (in which all the carbons are singly bonded to other carbons), fullerenes and graphite (in which each interaction between a pair of carbons is the approximate equivalent of 1.5 bonds), or carbon bonded to other elements that cannot be converted to a volatile form. 

The FITC labeling method was also applied to chiral separations of amino acids on a microchip to determine the enantiomeric ratios of amino acids found on a meteorite [27], Since biotic amino acids are normally single enantiomers, chiral separations of amino acids are not truly clinical in nature, but illustrate the potential for chiral separations of small molecules of clinical interest. Ma-thies and co-workers used this technique to search for evidence of life in extraterrestrial environments. Enantiomeric forms of Val, Ala, Glu, and Asp could be discriminated by addition of a-, (3-, or y-cyclodextrin (CD) to the run buffer. Improved resolution with faster separations was found with respect to conventional CE. This method has been modified, by addition of SDS to the buffer, to perform cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography (CD-MEKC) [28]. Increasing the SDS concentration decreased the magnitude of elec-troosmotic flow (EOF), increasing the effective migration distance, and therefore the resolution on the microchips. 

Any device sent into outer space must have certain characteristics. It must be able to withstand the stress of propulsion into space. It must also be able to use power efficiently. And it must be able to operate under thermal extremes. It is also very favorable for such devices to be as small and lightweight as possible. Several space microdevices have been created that meet these criteria. Miniature gas chromatographic ionization detectors, ion mobility spectrometers, x-ray diffraction devices, and fluorescence instruments are all in various stages of development. Each of these devices plays an important role in exobiology, the science of extraterrestrial environments that may support life. 

Interestingly, the presence of the methyl group of methylacetylene strongly increases the complexity of the reaction if compared to that of the unsubstituted acetylene. In particular, amongst the possible products only cyanomethylacetylene and cyanoacetylene (routes 14.9a and 14.9c) preserve the triple acetylenic bond in the nitrile products, while the formation of cyanoallene (routes 14.9b) or allene (route 14.9d and 14.9e) can also occur. This observation implies two consequences relevant to observations and ast-rochemical models on one side, it should be possible to observe cyanoallene in the same extraterrestrial environments where cyanomethylacetylene was observed, if reaction 14.9a is the real formation route of cyanomethylacetylene on the other side, the models should take into account that the reactions of CN radical with short methyl-substituted polyynes do not necessarily form cyanopolyynes. 

Kaiser, R.I. Vereecken, L, Peeters, J. Bettinger, H.F. Schleyer, P.v. Schaefer, H.F. Elementary reactions of the phenyl radical, CgHs, with C3H4 isomers, and of benzene, CgHg, with atomic carbon in extraterrestrial environments. Astron. Astrophys. 2003, 406, 385-391. 

Kaiser, R.I. Balucani, N. Asvany, O. Lee, Y.T. Crossed molecular beam experiments of radical-neutral reactions relevant to the formation of hydrogen deficient molecules in extraterrestrial environments. In Astrochemistry from Molecular Clouds to Planetary Systems. Mihn, Y.C., van Dishoek, E.F., Eds., Astronomical Society of the Pacific - lAU Series, Volume 197, 2000, 251-264. 

Soot condensed in a carbon vapor produced in an electric arc technique contained Cgo and C70 fullerene and linear carbon crystals, (110) = 0.435 nm, with 60 to 80 (probably 70) carbon atoms [96]. The new carbyne model suggests they are hexagonal crystals with six Cn or C12 chains but unfortunately there are no TEM images of these crystals [96]. Amorphous carbon was produced containing both sp and sp bonds [77]. While the VIS-IR spectrum of carbonaceous matter containing carbyne did not resemble Astronomical carbon spectra [97], the notion of carbyne-containing amorphous carbons as precursors in extraterrestrial environments is supported by the meteorite data [67] and laboratory experiments [4]. The original... 

Cosmic elements, i.e., ones that are naturally abundant in their elemental form in extraterrestrial environments, are mostly hydrogen and helium. 

This reactor is intended for use on Mars. Unlike many other extraterrestrial environments. Mars has an atmosphere. Specifically the atmosphere is roughly 4-7 millibar of pressure and composed of 95% carbon dioxide, 2.7% nitrogen, 1.5% argon, 0.15% oxygen, and 0.15% water (Keifer, 1992). This presents a host of complications for materials choices in the reactor. The pressure vessel of the reactor will be exposed to this environment while at an elevated temperature. While this temperature is lower than what one would expect for a liquid metal or rankine cycle reactor, it is high enough to... 

A new factor pertaining both to stability and reactivity is the behavior of pyrochemical components under the influence of certain types of radiation. One aspect is the exposure to neutrons in an extraterrestrial environment or perhaps in the proximity of nuclear devices. An example of a material sensitive to such exposure is the element boron. Ordinary boron consists of 80% of isotope Bn and 20% of Bi4). Of these, captures neutrons at a rate about 10,000 times higher than that of Bn- Boron-containing compositions are therefore regarded with suspicion where extreme conditions of exposure to certain types of radiation are possible. A way to avoid the difficulty would be the use of a Bn-enriched (up to 98%) boron. Unfortunately, this raises the price to 25 per gram, which might be a bit steep for use in a pyrotechnic application. 

Rodier, C, Sternberg, R., Szopa, C., Buch,A., Cabane, M., Raulin, F. (2005) Search for organics in extraterrestrial environments by in situ gas chromatography aualysis. Advances in Space Research, 36(2), 195-200. 

---