NAI
2004 Annual Science Report
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Reporting | JUL 2003 – JUN 2004
Executive Summary
The central goal of the Goddard Center for Astrobiology is to understand how organic compounds are created, destroyed, and altered, during stellar evolution leading up to the origin of life on a planet, such as Earth. Planetary systems form by collapse of dense interstellar cloud cores. Some stages in this evolution can be directly observed when stellar nurseries are imaged, while other stages remain cloaked behind an impenetrable veil of dust and gas. Yet to understand the origin of life on Earth, we must first develop a comprehensive understanding of the formation of our own planetary system. To understand the probability of finding life elsewhere we must understand both the similarities and differences between the evolution of our own system and that of a typical star.
Dense cloud cores are very cold (10-50K); their dust grains are coated with ices comprised of water and organic ... Continue reading.
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Michael Mumma
NAI, ASTEP, ASTID, Exobiology -
TEAM Active Dates:
11/2003 - 10/2008 CAN 3 -
Members:
14 (See All) - Visit Team Page
Project Reports
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Cosmic Ice Laboratory: Organic Synthesis in Energetically Processed Ices
Cosmic Ice Laboratory: Organic Synthesis in Energetically Processed Ices
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.1 -
Characterization of the Early Bombardment Through the Investigation of Lunar Breccias
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 -
Establishment of the Goddard Analytical Astrobiology Laboratory
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: None Selected -
Development Advanced Methods for the in Situ Analysis of Complex Organics in Small Bodies in the Solar System
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 7.1 -
Development of Simulation Methods for Particle Evolution and Motions
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 1.1 -
Reactions of CO, N2 and H2 on the Surfaces of Amorphous Silicates
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.1 -
Investigation of Parent Volatiles in Comets at Near Infrared Wavelengths
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.1 -
Investigation of the Composition of Comet 2P/Encke at Infrared Wavelengths
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.1 -
Investigation of the Evolution of Molecular Complexity in the Star-Forming Cores of Molecular Clouds
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.1 -
Year 6 Educational Activities and Progress
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: None Selected -
Numerical Modeling and Experimentation of Chemical Kinetic Catalysis
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: 3.1 -
Observations of the Hot Molecular Core in the Young Stellar Object IRAS 16293-2422 Using the Very Large Array
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: None Selected -
Observations of Comets C/2001, Q4, and C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) at 3mm Wavelength
ROADMAP OBJECTIVES: None Selected
Publications
- There are no publications for this team in the 2004 annual report.
2004 Teams
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Arizona State University
Carnegie Institution of Washington
Harvard University
Indiana University, Bloomington
Marine Biological Laboratory
Michigan State University
NASA Ames Research Center
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Johnson Space Center
Pennsylvania State University
SETI Institute
University of Arizona
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Hawaii, Manoa
University of Rhode Island
University of Washington
Virtual Planetary Laboratory (JPL/CalTech)