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Highly Altered Organic Matter on Earth: Biosignature Relevance

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Astrobiology: Future Perspectives

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 305))

Abstract

On earth, organic matter of biological origin is subjected to various alteration processes, dominated by oxidation and thermal metamorphism due to deep burial, typically a result of plate-tectonic processes. Other alteration processes unrelated to the oxidizing atmosphere and plate tectonics include impact metamorphism, irradiation and thermal degradation of dissolved organic species. The implications of these transformation processes as observed on earth for the use of carbon forms as biosignatures on other planetary bodies are discussed. Carbon minerals, such as graphite and diamond, are potential biosignatures, their major advantage being a high degree of stability.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Natural History Museum Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Beda A. Hofmann

Authors
  1. Beda A. Hofmann
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Leiden Observatory, The Netherlands

    Pascale Ehrenfreund

  2. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA

    William Irvine

  3. University of Hawaii, Honolulu, USA

    Toby Owen

  4. University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

    Luann Becker

  5. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, USA

    Jen Blank

  6. Naples Observatory, Naples, Italy

    John Brucato  & Luigi Colangeli  & 

  7. ENS de Chimie de Paris, Paris, France

    Sylvie Derenne

  8. Bordeaux Observatory, Floirac, France

    Anne Dutrey  & Didier Despois  & 

  9. UNAM, México D.F., México

    Antonio Lazcano

  10. LEME, Paris, France

    Francois Robert

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© 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Hofmann, B.A. (2004). Highly Altered Organic Matter on Earth: Biosignature Relevance. In: Ehrenfreund, P., et al. Astrobiology: Future Perspectives. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 305. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-2305-7_13

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