arXiv subjects

A. Naves de Brito

Publications and source records attributed to A. Naves de Brito.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2009

DNA Nucleobase Synthesis at Titan Atmosphere Analog by Soft X-rays

Titan, the largest satellite of Saturn, has an atmosphere chiefly made up of N2 and CH4 and includes traces of many simple organic compounds. This atmosphere also partly consists of haze and aerosol particles which during the last 4.5 gigayears have been processed by electric discharges, ions, and ionizing photons, being slowly deposited over the Titan surface. In this work, we investigate the possible effects produced by soft X-rays (and secondary electrons) on Titan aerosol analogs in an attempt to simulate some prebiotic photochemistry. The experiments have been performed inside a high vacuum chamber coupled to the soft X-ray spectroscopy beamline at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Source, Campinas, Brazil. In-situ sample analyses were performed by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The infrared spectra have presented several organic molecules, including nitriles and aromatic CN compounds. After the irradiation, the brownish-orange organic residue (tholin) was analyzed ex-situ by gas chromatographic (GC/MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) techniques, revealing the presence of adenine (C5H5N5), one of the constituents of the DNA molecule. This confirms previous results which showed that the organic chemistry on the Titan surface can be very complex and extremely rich in prebiotic compounds. Molecules like these on the early Earth have found a place to allow life (as we know) to flourish.

astro-ph.EP↗

arXiv2008

Survival of gas phase amino acids and nucleobases in space radiation conditions

We present experimental studies on the photoionization and photodissociation processes (photodestruction) of gaseous amino acids and nucleobases in interstellar and interplanetary radiation conditions analogs. The measurements have been undertaken at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), employing vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and soft X-ray photons. The experimental set up basically consists of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer kept under high vacuum conditions. Mass spectra were obtained using photoelectron photoion coincidence technique. We have shown that the amino acids are effectively more destroyed (up to 70-80%) by the stellar radiation than the nucleobases, mainly in the VUV. Since polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have the same survival capability and seem to be ubiquitous in the ISM, it is not unreasonable to predict that nucleobases could survive in the interstellar medium and/or in comets, even as a stable cation.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2004

Core excitation in Ozone localized to one of two symmetry-equivalent chemical bonds - molecular alignment through vibronic coupling

Core excitation from terminal oxygen O$_T$ in O$_3$ is shown to be an excitation from a localized core orbital to a localized valence orbital. The valence orbital is localized to one of the two equivalent chemical bonds. We experimentally demonstrate this with the Auger Doppler effect which is observable when O$_3$ is core-excited to the highly dissociative O$_{T}$1s$^{-1}$7a$_1^1$ state. Auger electrons emitted from the atomic oxygen fragment carry information about the molecular orientation relative to the electromagnetic field vector at the moment of excitation. The data together with analytical functions for the electron-peak profiles give clear evidence that the preferred molecular orientation for excitation only depends on the orientation of one bond, not on the total molecular orientation. The localization of the valence orbital "7a$_1$" is caused by mixing of the valence orbital "5b$_2$" through vibronic coupling of anti-symmetric stretching mode with b$_2$-symmetry. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first discussion of the localization of a core excitation of O$_3$. This result explains the success of the widely used assumption of localized core excitation in adsorbates and large molecules.

physics.chem-ph↗