Biological activity in the early solar system in its outer regions

Authors
Hoyle, F Wickramasinghe, NC
Citation
F. Hoyle et Nc. Wickramasinghe, Biological activity in the early solar system in its outer regions, ASTRO SP SC, 268(1-3), 1999, pp. 33-41
Categorie Soggetti
Space Sciences
Journal title
ASTROPHYSICS AND SPACE SCIENCE
ISSN journal
0004640X → ACNP
Volume
268
Issue
1-3
Year of publication
1999
Pages
33 - 41
Database
ISI
SICI code
0004-640X(1999)268:1-3<33:BAITES>2.0.ZU;2-Y
Abstract
Chemoautotrophic microorganisms were able to replicate and evolve in the in teriors of some 10(11) cometary bodies that occupied the outer regions of t he solar system some 4 billion years ago. The requirement of a liquid condi tion within comets was maintained for an initial epoch through the energy r eleased in radioactive decays. When such energy sources eventually became e xhausted inward freezing led to the production of multi-cracked, fragile co metary structures.