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SUMMARY:Astrochemical Origins of Planetary Habitability - Karin Öberg\, H
 arvard University (Department of Astronomy)​
DTSTART:20250514T150000Z
DTEND:20250514T160000Z
UID:TALK224116@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Selen Etingü
DESCRIPTION:The initial conditions for the origins of life are set long be
 fore a planet exists\, in interstellar clouds where water first forms\, an
 d icy grain chemistry efficiently converts C\, CO\, and CO2 into a range o
 f organic molecules. If these survive the perilous journey from cloud to p
 lanet\, they may profoundly influence the subsequent prebiotic chemistry b
 oth on the young Earth and on potentially habitable exoplanets. This talk 
 will review what we know of interstellar organic reservoirs from astronomi
 cal observations\, and then introduce how such molecules may form at 10 K\
 , focusing on the role that excited atoms\, radicals\, and molecules may p
 lay in this interstellar organic ice chemistry. We will next consider whet
 her interstellar water and organics are likely to survive the different st
 ages of star and planet formation\, and how we can use isotopic fractionat
 ion to track their journey from cloud to planetesimal. Finally\, we will c
 onsider under which planetary conditions interstellar organics are likely 
 to play a decisive role in setting the stage for an origins of life chemis
 try that can convert small organics into biomolecules. 
LOCATION:East Seminar Room\, Ray Dolby Centre
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