Capri, Italy “Origin of Life” conference November 2005

 

Provenance of volatile carbon-bearing gases in carbonaceous chondrites

 

Mark A. Sephton¹, Ann L. Butterworth², Randall S. Perry¹.

 

 

 

 

1) IARC, Department of Earth Science and Engineering, South Kensington

 

Campus

 

 

Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ

 

 

2) University of California, Space Sciences Lab,

7 Gauss Way, Berkeley

,

 

CA 94720-7450

 

 

Carbonaceous meteorites contain organic matter and carbonate minerals in

 

significant amounts (ca. 5 % and 0.2 % respectively). The genetic

 

relationship between meteoritic organic matter and carbonate is

 

uncertain. As both organic matter and carbonate both contain carbon, one

 

appropriate approach is the use of carbon isotopes to explore any common

 

origin. We have analysed the carbon isotopic composition of carbon

 

dioxide and methane from two carbonaceous chondrites, Murchison and Cold

 

Bokkeveld, and have compared these values with published carbonate values

 

for the same meteorites. The data reveal clues to the origin of the

 

various carbon-bearing phases and associated meteorite parent body

 

(asteroid) processes in the early Solar System.