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The sources, distributions, and transformation of organic compounds in the solar system are active study areas as a means to provide information about the evolution of the solar system and the possibilities of life elsewhere in the universe. There are many organic synthesis processes, however, and ambiguity surrounds the relative effectiveness of these processes in explaining the distribution of organic compounds in the solar system. As a consequence, NASA directed the NRC to determine what processes account for the reduced carbon compounds found throughout the solar system and to examine how planetary exploration can advance understanding of this central issue. This report presents a discussion of the chemistry of carbon; an analysis of the formation, modification, and preservation of organic compounds in the solar system; and an assessment of research opportunities and strategies for enhancing our understanding of organic material in the solar system.

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Suggested Citation

National Research Council. 2007. Exploring Organic Environments in the Solar System. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11860.

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Publication Info

124 pages |  8.5 x 11 |  Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-309-10235-3
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/11860
Chapters skim
Front Matter i-xii
Executive Summary 1-8
I—The Chemistry of Carbon, 1 Biotic and Abiotic Carbon Compounds 9-20
II—The Formation, Modification, and Preservation of Organic Compounds in the Solar System, 2 Interstellar Chemistry 21-36
3 Meteorites 37-51
4 Primitive Bodies 52-71
5 The Giant Planets and Their Satellites 72-84
6 The Terrestrial Planets 85-100
III—Exploration: Where to Go and What to Study, 7 Approaches to Research 101-106
Appendix Glossary 107-112

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