Carbonaceous chondrites are primitive stony meteorites that contain a diverse suite of soluble organic compounds, among them a variety of amino acids. The abundances, structural distributions, and stable isotopic ratios of these compounds reflect their synthesis and evolutionary history.  Amino acid compositions vary between the different carbonaceous chondrite groups, with thermally altered CV and CO chondrites showing distinct differences from the more aqueously altered CM, CI, and CR chondrites as well as from the metal-rich CH and CB chondrites.  Here, we report on the differences in structural distributions and isotopic compositions between amino acids in these chondrite groups, and show how these differences may result from the activation of different formation mechanisms depending on meteorite parent body conditions.

Amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites and potential formation mechanisms

246th National Meeting (2013)

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