Primitive Materials

Details Primitive Materials Primitive Materials

Dec 1996

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1996asbi.work...48b&link_type=abstract

Astrobiology Workshop: Leadership in Astrobiology, p. A48-A49

Biology

Asteroids, Comets, Interplanetary Dust, Interstellar Matter, Planetary Evolution, Planetary Nebulae, Solids, Sun, Solar System, Planets

Scientific paper

During formation of the solar system, most of the mass of the solar nebula was incorporated into the Sun and planets or was ejected back into the interstellar medium. Only a tiny fraction survived as small bodies capable of preserving 'primitive materials', solids not severely altered since the early history of the solar system. Solar system repositories of primitive materials include the comets, and some asteroids and small satellites. Information on primitive materials can be obtained by telescopes and by close-up study with spacecraft. Primitive materials are very fine grained and the most detailed information is obtained by laboratory analyses of meteoritic samples, either meteorites or collected samples of interplanetary dust. In the future, missions like STARDUST will directly return samples of known comets and asteroids. The solar system's small bodies carry records on the materials, conditions, time scales and processes that occurred during planetary formation. They also contain the best clues on the form and processing of the key biogenic elements in the stages that preceded planet formation and the development of life.

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