Impact formation of amino acids in nitrogen gas using a light gas gun simulating the impact reactions of asteroids on planets/satellites with a gas atmosphere

In space, asteroids have collided with planets and satellites throughout their long history, and many types of organic molecules have been synthesized. In particular, on satellites with gas atmospheres such as titan, a satellite of saturn, asteroid impacts cause hot reactions in a hot gas plume. To investigate the effects of asteroid impacts, simulation experiment has been carried out using a two-stage light-gas gun in nitrogen gas. we used a small polycarbonate bullet to impact on an iron-based target in nitrogen gas at a pressure of 100 kpa and a speed of approximately 7 km/s. As a result, many carbonaceous nanoparticles were produced. By analyzing the produced soot, using a water extraction method, a dabsylation method and a liquid chromatography method, we detected markedly large amounts of amino acids (glycine and alanine). The reaction process in the hot gas plume was considered. Many types of radicals collide with each other in nitrogen gas and the impact provides a suitable environment for the synthesis of amino acids and precursors of amino acids.