Possible impact of a primordial oil slick on atmospheric and chemical evolution
(2002) In Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere 32(3). p.247-253- Abstract
- Low molecular weight liquid hydrocarbons from various sources, could have formed an oil layer covering the primeval ocean (present already 4.0-4.4 x 10(9) yr ago), preventing water from evaporating into the atmosphere. Water from other sources, precipitated by cold traps at higher altitude in the atmosphere, becomes trapped in the ocean. In a thereby more dry and presumably reducing atmosphere (before 3.9 x 10(9) yr ago) even more hydrocarbons, as well as reactive molecules will form. An oil layer can possibly act as a dry solvent for reactions, where the reactive molecules can produce monomers and condensing agents. Monomers and eventual polymers formed could become strongly concentrated at the oil-water interface, favouring molecular... (More)
- Low molecular weight liquid hydrocarbons from various sources, could have formed an oil layer covering the primeval ocean (present already 4.0-4.4 x 10(9) yr ago), preventing water from evaporating into the atmosphere. Water from other sources, precipitated by cold traps at higher altitude in the atmosphere, becomes trapped in the ocean. In a thereby more dry and presumably reducing atmosphere (before 3.9 x 10(9) yr ago) even more hydrocarbons, as well as reactive molecules will form. An oil layer can possibly act as a dry solvent for reactions, where the reactive molecules can produce monomers and condensing agents. Monomers and eventual polymers formed could become strongly concentrated at the oil-water interface, favouring molecular interactions at high mobility and low dilution, without exposure to the destructive action of UV-light. Increased water leakiness of the oil layer due to accumulation of polar molecules within, would lead to photo-oxidation of liquid hydrocarbons, and subsequent emulsification at the oil-water interface, forming cellular structures. The atmosphere would then have lost its reducing character. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/332605
- author
- Nilson, Frans Peder LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2002
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- reducing, oil layer, molecular interactions, dry solvent, hydrocarbons, atmosphere
- in
- Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere
- volume
- 32
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 247 - 253
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:12227429
- wos:000177008700006
- scopus:2242454877
- ISSN
- 0169-6149
- DOI
- 10.1023/A:1016577923630
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 72f583cc-d29a-475d-8aad-d19c7d1ba343 (old id 332605)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 16:24:13
- date last changed
- 2022-01-28 19:28:36
@article{72f583cc-d29a-475d-8aad-d19c7d1ba343,
abstract = {{Low molecular weight liquid hydrocarbons from various sources, could have formed an oil layer covering the primeval ocean (present already 4.0-4.4 x 10(9) yr ago), preventing water from evaporating into the atmosphere. Water from other sources, precipitated by cold traps at higher altitude in the atmosphere, becomes trapped in the ocean. In a thereby more dry and presumably reducing atmosphere (before 3.9 x 10(9) yr ago) even more hydrocarbons, as well as reactive molecules will form. An oil layer can possibly act as a dry solvent for reactions, where the reactive molecules can produce monomers and condensing agents. Monomers and eventual polymers formed could become strongly concentrated at the oil-water interface, favouring molecular interactions at high mobility and low dilution, without exposure to the destructive action of UV-light. Increased water leakiness of the oil layer due to accumulation of polar molecules within, would lead to photo-oxidation of liquid hydrocarbons, and subsequent emulsification at the oil-water interface, forming cellular structures. The atmosphere would then have lost its reducing character.}},
author = {{Nilson, Frans Peder}},
issn = {{0169-6149}},
keywords = {{reducing; oil layer; molecular interactions; dry solvent; hydrocarbons; atmosphere}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{247--253}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere}},
title = {{Possible impact of a primordial oil slick on atmospheric and chemical evolution}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1016577923630}},
doi = {{10.1023/A:1016577923630}},
volume = {{32}},
year = {{2002}},
}