Circular Polarization in Star- Formation Regions: Implications for Biomolecular Homochirality
- 31 July 1998
- journal article
- other
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 281 (5377), 672-674
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.281.5377.672
Abstract
Strong infrared circular polarization resulting from dust scattering in reflection nebulae in the Orion OMC-1 star-formation region has been observed. Circular polarization at shorter wavelengths might have been important in inducing chiral asymmetry in interstellar organic molecules that could be subsequently delivered to the early Earth by comets, interplanetary dust particles, or meteors. This could account for the excess ofl–amino acids found in the Murchison meteorite and could explain the origin of the homochirality of biological molecules.Keywords
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