Fate of Glycine During Collapse of Interstellar Clouds and Star Formation

Abstract

Many bio-molecules have now been observed in meteorites which showered the Earth. However, even though about 124 organic molecules have been observed in star forming regions, it is doubtful if any amino acids have been detected. The problem is probably not that these bio-molecules are not present, but that they are of very small in abundance so that the present detection techniques are sufficiently sensitive.Inour view, for any reaction rate, given alarge laboratory such as a molecular cloud and a sufficient time such as about ten million years (the time scale of collapse) it is not unlikely that complex bio-molecules could form during the star formation itself. The problems lies in (a) to identify the pathways to produce these molecule, given that the ice chemistry and grain-chemistry are very important, (b) to use appropriate reaction rates for each pathways and finally (c) to use an appropriate hydrodynamic evolution of the collapse which govern the temperature and density of the collapsing matter.