Entender como se originou a vida é um dos desafios propostos pela astrobiologia. Este trabalho busca compreender como argilas aniônicas do tipo hidróxidos duplos lamelares (LDH) interagem com alguns aminoácidos quando submetido a condições presentes no passado do nosso planeta. Para tanto, foi estudada a interação dos aminoácidos cisteína (cys), cistina (cyss) e ácido glutâmico (glu) com duas variações de LDHs: hidrotalcita, que consistem em um LDH de Mg e Al (LDHal), e as piroauritas, um LDH de Mg e Fe III (LDHfe). Os LDHs foram sintetizados com cada um dos três aminoácidos por coprecipitação (cop) e reconstrução (rec). Todos os compostos produzidos foram submetidos a irradiação com UV-C (254 nm), longa exposição à temperatura de 70 °C e ciclos de hidratação e dessecação a 70 °C, tentando simular condições próximas à Terra primitiva. Os resultados obtidos indicam que os aminoácidos estão presentes no espaço interlamelar dos LDHs. Sendo que os LDHfe e os LDHal_glu se mostraram mais inertes, não sofrendo variações significativas com as simulações prebióticas. Para os LDHal_cys ocorreu a formação de ligações do tipo S-S durante a síntese; a irradiação UV-C afetou de maneira distinta os LDHs cop e rec, sendo que apenas nos reconstruídos ocorreu a formação de SO4-2. A simulação de temperatura causou o rompimento das ligações S-S e a formação de ligações S-H, enquanto os ciclos de hidratação, ao que tudo indicam, acarretam a liberação da cisteína do meio interlamelar. Essas características presentes no LDHal_cys estão, em partes, também presentes para os LDHal_cyss. De maneira geral, os LDHs são eficientes na intercalação de aminoácidos e estáveis quanto à temperatura e, em alguns casos, a radiação UV-C. Desta forma os LDHs se mostram como um mineral que pode ter tido a sua importância na Terra prebiótica, sendo aptos a atuar na retenção de aminoácidos, resistência a algumas das condições presentes e com a possibilidade de liberar estas biomoléculas novamente no ambiente, tornando-as disponíveis para o aumento de complexidade química / Understanding how life originated is one of the challenges proposed by astrobiology. This work aims to understand how layered double hydroxides (LDH), a type of anionic clay, may interact with amino acids when submitted to conditions present in prebiotic Earth. It was studied the interaction between amino acids cysteine (cys), cystine (cyss) and glutamic acid (glu) with two LDHs variations: hydrotalcite, LDH of Mg and Al (LDHal), and pyroaurite, a LDH of Mg and Fe III (LDHfe). LDHs were synthesized with each of the three amino acids by coprecipitation (cop) and reconstruction (rec). All the LDHs produced were submitted to UV-C irradiation (254 nm), long exposure to the temperature of 70 °C and cycles of hydration and desiccation at 70 °C, trying to simulated the conditions presents in primordial Earth. The results indicate that amino acids are present in the interlayer region of LDHs. Since LDHfe and LDHal_glu were shown to be more inert, they did not undergo significant variations with the prebiotic simulations. For LDHal_cys the formation of S-S type bonds occurred during the synthesis; the UV-C irradiation differently affected the LDHs cop and rec, being that only in the reconstructed the formation of SO4-2 occurred. The temperature simulation induced breakage of the S-S bonds and formation of S-H bonds, whereas the hydration cycles leaded to the release of cysteine from the interlamellar space. These features present in LDHal_cys are, partially, also present for the LDHal_cyss. In general, LDHs are efficient in the intercalation of amino acids, stable in temperature and, in some cases, to UV-C radiation. In this manner, the LDHs may have been important minerals in the prebiotic Earth, being able to act in the retention of amino acids, resisting to some of the prevailing conditions and possibly releasing these biomolecules back into the environment, making them available for increasing chemical complexity

Esta tese se insere no contexto da química prebiótica, que estuda a evolução química que ocorreu antes do surgimento da vida na Terra. Tal área pertence ao ramo de pesquisa da Astrobiologia, que estuda o surgimento, a evolução, distribuição e futuro da vida na Terra ou em outro lugar do Universo. Dentre as várias hipóteses abordadas na química prebiótica, a hipótese mineral é foco de estudo deste trabalho, ou seja, se os minerais podem ter agido como preconcentradores ou protetores de moléculas biologicamente relevantes para a química prebiótica e como catalisadores de reações. A classe mineral de hidróxidos duplo lamelares (HDL) é estudada inicialmente considerando se sua síntese seria possível em um ambiente prebiótico. Desta forma, o HDL foi sintetizado por dois métodos de síntese (coprecipitação e reconstrução) e em quatro composições distintas de água do mar sintética, que mimetizam diferentes fases geológicas da Terra, os resultados mostraram a formação deste mineral em todas as composições de água do mar analisadas. Posteriormente, o estudo da interação de biomoléculas com HDL foi feito visando caracterizar se estas poderiam estar inseridas no espaço interlamelar deste mineral. O íon tiocianato, precursor de biomoléculas, e as bases nitrogenadas adenina, timina, e uracila mostraram-se presentes nas amostras de HDL sintetizadas pelos dois métodos, coprecipitação e reconstrução. As amostras foram caracterizadas por difratometria de raios X, análise termogravimétrica, análise elementar e por espectroscopia vibracional, Raman e no infravermelho. Embora os resultados iniciais indiquem que as biomoléculas possam estar interagindo com o mineral por adsorção e não necessariamente estejam intercaladas, estudos com lavagem das amostras com carbonato de sódio mostraram a troca iônica das biomoléculas pelo ânion inorgânico e sugerem que estas encontravam-se realmente no espaço interlamelar do mineral. Foram feitas então simulações de ambientes extremos nos sistemas HDL + biomoléculas para avaliar se a presença do mineral aumenta a estabilidade das biomoléculas frente a aquecimento, radiação UVC e radiação ionizante já que tais condições extremas estariam presentes na Terra primitiva / This thesis subject is related to prebiotic chemistry, which studies the chemical evolution that happened before the origin of life on Earth. This subject belongs to the Astrobiology research area, which studies the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life on Earth and elsewhere in the Universe. Among the many hypothesis that prebiotic chemistry encompass, the mineral hypothesis is the aim of this thesis, that is, if minerals could have had a role in preconcentrating and protecting molecules relevant to prebiotic chemistry, and also if they could have acted as catalists. The layered double hydroxide (LDH) minerals are studied and the first question is if they could have been synthetized in a prebiotic environment. Four different seawater compositions are analyzed, considering many geological periods of Earth, and two synthesis methods were studied: coprecipitation and reconstruction. The results showed that the LDHs are formed in all seawater types studied. Following these studies, we discuss whether biomolecules could be in the interlayer space of this mineral. Thiocyanate, a biomolecule precursor, and the nucleic acids adenine, thymine and uracil were present in the LDH samples synthetized either by coprecipitation and reconstruction, and they were characterized by X-Ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis and by vibrational spectroscopy: IR and Raman. Although the preliminary results showed that the biomolecules are not necessarily intercalated, but may simply be adsorbed on the minerals, after washing with a sodium carbonate solution, the biomolecules were replaced by the inorganic anion, suggesting that the former was in fact intercalated in the mineral. Extreme conditions simulations were then performed on the LDH plus biomolecules systems to evaluate whether the mineral may act as a protector and stabilize the biomolecules when these were heated or irradiated with UV-C and ionizing radiation, since such scenarios would be common on early Earth

Entender como se originou a vida é um dos desafios propostos pela astrobiologia. Este trabalho busca compreender como argilas aniônicas do tipo hidróxidos duplos lamelares (LDH) interagem com alguns aminoácidos quando submetido a condições presentes no passado do nosso planeta. Para tanto, foi estudada a interação dos aminoácidos cisteína (cys), cistina (cyss) e ácido glutâmico (glu) com duas variações de LDHs: hidrotalcita, que consistem em um LDH de Mg e Al (LDHal), e as piroauritas, um LDH de Mg e Fe III (LDHfe). Os LDHs foram sintetizados com cada um dos três aminoácidos por coprecipitação (cop) e reconstrução (rec). Todos os compostos produzidos foram submetidos a irradiação com UV-C (254 nm), longa exposição à temperatura de 70 °C e ciclos de hidratação e dessecação a 70 °C, tentando simular condições próximas à Terra primitiva. Os resultados obtidos indicam que os aminoácidos estão presentes no espaço interlamelar dos LDHs. Sendo que os LDHfe e os LDHal_glu se mostraram mais inertes, não sofrendo variações significativas com as simulações prebióticas. Para os LDHal_cys ocorreu a formação de ligações do tipo S-S durante a síntese; a irradiação UV-C afetou de maneira distinta os LDHs cop e rec, sendo que apenas nos reconstruídos ocorreu a formação de SO4-2. A simulação de temperatura causou o rompimento das ligações S-S e a formação de ligações S-H, enquanto os ciclos de hidratação, ao que tudo indicam, acarretam a liberação da cisteína do meio interlamelar. Essas características presentes no LDHal_cys estão, em partes, também presentes para os LDHal_cyss. De maneira geral, os LDHs são eficientes na intercalação de aminoácidos e estáveis quanto à temperatura e, em alguns casos, a radiação UV-C. Desta forma os LDHs se mostram como um mineral que pode ter tido a sua importância na Terra prebiótica, sendo aptos a atuar na retenção de aminoácidos, resistência a algumas das condições presentes e com a possibilidade de liberar estas biomoléculas novamente no ambiente, tornando-as disponíveis para o aumento de complexidade química / Understanding how life originated is one of the challenges proposed by astrobiology. This work aims to understand how layered double hydroxides (LDH), a type of anionic clay, may interact with amino acids when submitted to conditions present in prebiotic Earth. It was studied the interaction between amino acids cysteine (cys), cystine (cyss) and glutamic acid (glu) with two LDHs variations: hydrotalcite, LDH of Mg and Al (LDHal), and pyroaurite, a LDH of Mg and Fe III (LDHfe). LDHs were synthesized with each of the three amino acids by coprecipitation (cop) and reconstruction (rec). All the LDHs produced were submitted to UV-C irradiation (254 nm), long exposure to the temperature of 70 °C and cycles of hydration and desiccation at 70 °C, trying to simulated the conditions presents in primordial Earth. The results indicate that amino acids are present in the interlayer region of LDHs. Since LDHfe and LDHal_glu were shown to be more inert, they did not undergo significant variations with the prebiotic simulations. For LDHal_cys the formation of S-S type bonds occurred during the synthesis; the UV-C irradiation differently affected the LDHs cop and rec, being that only in the reconstructed the formation of SO4-2 occurred. The temperature simulation induced breakage of the S-S bonds and formation of S-H bonds, whereas the hydration cycles leaded to the release of cysteine from the interlamellar space. These features present in LDHal_cys are, partially, also present for the LDHal_cyss. In general, LDHs are efficient in the intercalation of amino acids, stable in temperature and, in some cases, to UV-C radiation. In this manner, the LDHs may have been important minerals in the prebiotic Earth, being able to act in the retention of amino acids, resisting to some of the prevailing conditions and possibly releasing these biomolecules back into the environment, making them available for increasing chemical complexity

La sonde spatiale européenne Rosetta, après un voyage de dix années, a rejoint le 6 août 2014 son objet d’étude, la comète 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P/C-G). Afin de l’étudier de manière intensive durant deux ans, un total de 21 instruments était embarqué sur l’orbiteur Rosetta et l’atterrisseur Philae. Le spectromètre de masse d’ions secondaires à temps de vol, COSIMA (COmetary Secondary Ions Mass Analyzer), était l’un des instruments de l’orbiteur et a été conçu pour analyser in situ la composition chimique des particules solides éjectées de la comète 67P/C-G. L’objectif de cette thèse est de caractériser la composante organique réfractaire contenue dans les poussières cométaires, à l’aide de l’instrument COSIMA. Dans le cadre de ces travaux, j’ai mis au point au point et appliqué une méthodologie pour analyser les spectres de masse cométaires, plus particulièrement dans le mode positif de l’instrument. A l’aide de cette méthodologie, cinq ions organiques d’origine cométaire ont été détectés et identifiés : C+ (m/z = 12,00), CH+ (m/z = 13,01), CH2+ (m/z = 14,02), CH3+ (m/z = 15,02) et C2H3+ (m/z = 27,02). La caractérisation de cette composante organique a été effectuée à l’aide de spectres de masse de calibration. Les composés de référence utilisés dans ces travaux de thèse incluent des molécules organiques pures et des analogues de la matière organique cométaire, tels que des échantillons naturels (des météorites carbonées, une micrométéorite ultracarbonée, de la matière organique insoluble extraite de météorites carbonées) et un échantillon synthétisé en laboratoire. La matière organique insoluble extraite des chondrites carbonées est, à ce jour, le meilleur analogue à la matière organique réfractaire contenue dans les particules de 67P/C-G. Ainsi, la matière organique cométaire serait de haut poids moléculaire et le carbone lié dans de grandes structures macromoléculaires. Le carbone est également l’un des éléments le plus abondant dans les particules avec un rapport C⁄Si = 5,5 (+1,4/-1,2). La comète 67P/C-G figure ainsi parmi les corps les plus riches en carbone du système solaire. Enfin, un composé spécifique a été recherché, le polyoxyméthylène. Cependant, les indicateurs développés et appliqués aux données cométaires ne permettent pas de conclure quant à sa présence dans les particules analysées par COSIMA / After a ten-year journey, the European spacecraft Rosetta arrived at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gersasimenko (67P/C-G) on August 6, 2014. In order to conduct intensive research for two years, a total of 21 instruments were on board the Rosetta orbiter and the Philae lander. The time-of-flight secondary ions mass spectrometer, COSIMA (COmetary Secondary Ions Mass Analyzer), was one of the orbiter instruments and was designed for in situ analysis of the chemical composition of cometary particles ejected from the comet 67P/C-G. This thesis aims to characterize the refractory organic component of the cometary dust, with the COSIMA instrument. As part of this work, I have developed and applied a methodology to analyze the cometary mass spectra, more specifically in the positive mode of the instrument. Using this methodology, five organic ions of cometary origin were detected and identified: C+ (m/z = 12.00), CH+ (m/z = 13.01), CH2+ (m/z = 14.02), CH3+ (m/z = 15.02) and C2H3+ (m/z = 27.02). The characterization of this organic component has been carried out with calibration mass spectra. The reference compounds used during this thesis include pure organic molecules and cometary organic matter analogs, such as natural samples (carbonaceous chondrites, ultracarbonaceous micrometeorite, insoluble organic matter extracted from carbonaceous chondrites) and one sample synthetized in the laboratory. The best analogue found so far to the refractory component of 67P/C-G particles is the insoluble organic matter extracted from carbonaceous chondrites. The cometary organic matter would be of high-molecular-weight and the carbon bounded in very large macromolecular compounds. Carbon is also one of the most abundant element in the dust particles with an elemental ratio of C⁄Si = 5.5 (+1.4/-1.2). Comet 67P/C-G is among the most carbon-rich bodies of the solar system. Finally, a specific compound was sought, the polyoxymethylene. However, indicators developed and applied to the cometary data do not allow to conclude on the presence of polyoxymethylene in the particles analyzed by COSIMA

abstract: The search for life on Mars is a major NASA priority. A Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, Mars 2020, will be NASA's next step towards this goal, carrying an instrument suite that can identify samples containing potential biosignatures. Those samples will be later returned to Earth for detailed analysis. This dissertation is intended to inform strategies for fossil biosignature detection in Mars analog samples targeted for their high biosignature preservation potential (BPP) using in situ rover-based instruments. In chapter 2, I assessed the diagenesis and BPP of one relevant analog habitable Martian environment: a playa evaporite sequence within the Verde Formation, Arizona. Coupling outcrop-scale observations with laboratory analyses, results revealed four diagenetic pathways, each with distinct impacts on BPP. When MSR occurs, the sample mass returned will be restricted, highlighting the importance of developing instruments that can select the most promising samples for MSR. Raman spectroscopy is one favored technique for this purpose. Three Raman instruments will be sent onboard two upcoming Mars rover missions for the first time. In chapters 3-4, I investigated the challenges of Raman to identify samples for MSR. I examined two Raman systems, each optimized in a different way to mitigate a major problem commonly suffered by Raman instruments: background fluorescence. In Chapter 3, I focused on visible laser excitation wavelength (532 nm) gated (or time-resolved Raman, TRR) spectroscopy. Results showed occasional improvement over conventional Raman for mitigating fluorescence in samples. It was hypothesized that results were wavelength-dependent and that greater fluorescence reduction was possible with UV laser excitation. In Chapter 4, I tested this hypothesis with a time-resolved UV (266 nm) gated Raman and UV fluorescence spectroscopy capability. I acquired Raman and fluorescence data sets on samples and showed that the UV system enabled identifications of minerals and biosignatures in samples with high confidence. The results obtained in this dissertation may inform approaches for MSR by: (1) refining models for biosignature preservation in habitable Mars environments; (2) improving sample selection and caching strategies, which may increase the success of Earth-based biogenicity studies; and (3) informing the development of Raman instruments for upcoming rover-based missions. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Geological Sciences 2016

This study investigated selective pressures associated with encephalization in mammals and discussed broader implications. Relative brain size as measured by EQ (Encephalization Quotient) was compared between ecological categories. Omnivores had higher average EQ than ecological specialists. Since specialists are disproportionately affected by extinction events, selection for ecological generalism is proposed as encephalization mechanism. This mechanism may reinforce the more widely known Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH)—the idea that possessing relatively large brains has buffered lineages against environmental change. CBH is tested here by comparing EQs in Procyon lotor (raccoon) in urban and rural environments. CBH predicts that raccoons in the most radically altered environment, the city, experience the strongest selection for encephalization. Urban raccoons studied here exhibit a higher EQ. Although results are preliminary, data suggest that encephalization is accelerated during abrupt periods of environmental change. Finally, implications for the evolution of biological complexity more generally are discussed.

In this licentiate thesis, I consider debris disks from an observational, astronomical viewpoint, but also discuss a potential astrobiological application. Debris disks are essentially disks of dust and rocks around main-sequence stars, analogue to the Kuiper- or the asteroid belt in our solar system. Their observation and theoretical modeling can help to constrain planet formation models and help in the understanding of the history of the solar system. After a general introduction into the field of debris disks and some basic debris disk physics, the thesis concentrates on the observation of gas in debris disks. The possible origins of this gas and its dynamics are discussed and it is considered what it can tell us about the physical conditions in the disk and possibly about the dust composition. In this way, the paper associated with this thesis (dealing with the gas in the β Pic debris disk) is set into context. More in detail, we observed the CII emission originating from the carbon-rich β Pic disk with Herschel HIFI and attempted to constrain the spatial distribution of the gas from the shape of the emission line. This is necessary since the gas production mechanism is currently unknown, but can be constraint by obtaining information about the spatial profile of the gas. The last part of the thesis describes our preliminary studies of the possibility of a debris disk containing biomarkers, created by a giant impact on a life-bearing exoplanet.

<p>Unexplained signals emanating from the pervasive Venusian clouds have intrigued scien- tists for more than half a century. Efforts to account for a myriad of perplexing measurements have motivated the development of new atmospheric missions to Venus. Fulfillment of science objectives in the inhospitable Venusian environment necessitates a range of mission archi- tectures, each of which poses significant design challenges which guide the development of new technologies. Missions of greater scope require increasingly intricate sample collection and measurement techniques, leading inevitably to the demand for long-duration science operations within the clouds. Sustained flight in the Venusian atmosphere may be afforded by high-altitude balloons. As such platforms have been studied extensively for terrestrial applications, it is prudent to consider which designs are most suitable for a given set of science goals. We present four balloon design options to accommodate Venus atmospheric science missions. We discuss system masses, envelope volumes, material characteristics, and mechanisms for altitude control as determined by the science objectives and cloud condi- tions. We consider three variations of a baseline mission architecture and corresponding gondola designs accommodating their distinct science instrument suites. The scientific value of long-duration in situ atmospheric sampling is surpassed only by the return of Venusian cloud material to Earth for investigation in a laboratory setting. Sample capture, orbit ac- quisition, and subsequent return to Earth may be accommodated by a high-altitude balloon, rocket, and rendezvous vehicle. Precise understanding of the balloon-rocket dynamics inside the clouds is required for launch attitude acquisition and may inform sample capture strat- egy. We present a generalized dynamical model for a balloon-gondola system. We model the system as a triple-spherical-floating-compound pendulum (TSFCP). Dynamical analyses of pendular motion frequently rely on the use of Eulerian angles as generalized coordinates, in- evitably resulting in the residence of trigonometric functions in the denominator. We present nonsingular equations of motion in terms of Euler parameters. We characterize a notional Venus sample return platform and simulate its motion in the Venusian atmosphere. We discuss the behavior of the system in response to wind gusts and initial perturbation. We consider limitations of the model as well as opportunities for its extension into future work.</p>

La découverte de plus de 900 planètes autour d’autres étoiles que le Soleil rend notre époque excitante. Ces systèmes planétaires nous ont fait changer notre perception du monde qui était jusqu’alors basée sur nos connaissances du système solaire. Certains systèmes détectés sont beaucoup plus compacts que notre système solaire et les planètes se trouvent extrêmement proches de leur étoile. Pour comprendre la structure de ces systèmes et leur évolution, il est important d’étudier les effets de marée.Les missions d’observations des exoplanètes commencent à détecter des planètes de moins en moins massives dans la zone autour d’une étoile appelée zone habitable. La zone habitable est définie comme la plage de distances orbitales pour laquelle une planète ayant une atmosphère peut avoir de l’eau liquide à sa surface. L’étude du climat des exoplanètes, étant donné un flux et un spectre stellaire, est importante pour la caractérisation de l’atmosphère de ces exoplanètes (que JWST sera en mesure de faire).Dans cette thèse, ces problématiques d’évolution dynamique de systèmes planétaires et de climats de planètes sont développées pour le cas de systèmes planétaires orbitant des naines brunes et des étoiles de faible masse dans le but futur de contraindre des paramètres des modèles de marée ou des observations. Dans un premier temps, j’ai traité le cas de l’évolution par effet de marée d’une planète orbitant une naine brune, une naine M ou une étoile de type solaire dont l’évolution du rayon est prise en compte. L’objectif était d’étudier l’influence de la contraction de l’étoile (ou naine brune) sur l’évolution orbitale des planètes. Dans un deuxième temps, j’ai cherché à étudier l’influence des effets de marée sur l’évolution dynamique d’un système multiplanétaire orbitant une naine brune, une naine M ou une étoile de type solaire dont l’évolution du rayon est aussi prise en compte.Ces deux projets permettent d’aborder le problème de l’habitabilité des planètes au- tour de ces objets, en particulier autour des naines brunes qui refroidissent avec le temps. En effet, une planète se trouvant dans la zone habitable d’une naine brune se situe suffisamment proche de la naine brune pour ressentir l’influence des effets de marée. Ainsi, des paramètres importants pour l’étude des climats sont en partie déterminés par les effets de marée – paramètres comme l’excentricité et l’obliquité entre autres. Dans cette thèse, cette problématique est succinctement abordée en vue d’une poursuite en post-doctorat. / The discovery of more than 900 planets orbiting other stars than our Sun makes this period very exciting. Our knowledge which was based on the Solar System has been challenged by new planetary systems which are very different from our system. Some of them are much more compact than the Solar System. Some planets are located extremely close-in from their star, within the orbital distance of Mercury, in a region where tidal effects are important. Understanding the structure of the known exoplanetary systems and the future ones requires to take into account the physics of tidal evolution.The missions dedicated to the finding of exoplanets are beginning to detect less massive planets in the habitable zone of their host star. The habitable zone is here defined as the range of orbital distances where a planet with an atmosphere can sustain liquid water at its surface. The study of the climate of exoplanets, given a stellar flux and spectra, is important for the characterization of planetary atmosphere – which JWST will make possible.This thesis provides a study of the dynamical and tidal evolution of planetary systems orbiting evolving brown dwarfs and low mass stars in order to constrain some tidal parameters and in the case of planets around brown dwarfs put some constrains on observability. First, I studied the tidal evolution of single-planet systems orbiting a brown dwarf, a M-dwarf or a Sun-like star whose radius evolution is taken into account. The aim of this study was to study the influence of the contraction of the brown dwarf or star on the orbital evolution of the planets. Second, I endeavored to study the tidal evolution of multiple-planet systems orbiting a brown dwarf, a M-dwarf or a Sun-like star whose radius evolution is also taken into account.These two projects allow me to study the question of the habitability of planets orbiting those objects, in particular orbiting brown dwarfs which are known to cool down with time. A planet orbiting a brown dwarf in its habitable zone is sufficiently close to the brown dwarf to feel tidal effects. So parameters such as the eccentricity or obliquity, which are important for the climate are partially determined by tides. In this thesis, this question is briefly addressed but will be deepened in a future post-doc.

O presente trabalho tem o objetivo principal de compreender os possíveis efeitos da radiação energética de um evento de Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) sobre o meio interestelar no entorno de seu local de geração e em planetas possivelmente iluminados. Gamma-Ray Bursts foram detectados pela primeira vez nos anos 60 e rapidamente atraíram a atenção da comunidade astrofísica, uma vez que as energias emitidas apenas em poderiam alcançar 1054erg, o equivalente a massa de repouso do Sol. Não se conhecia nenhum mecanismo tão eficiente para extrair energia gravitacional para produzir tal evento. Mais tarde, a possibilidade da emissão ser colimada abaixou a energia em para 5x1050erg, mas o mecanismo central de geração ainda não foi completamente desvendado, havendo muito espaço para alternativas exóticas. Estudamos os efeitos de um GRB sobre o meio interestelar, em uma tentativa de distinguir os remanescentes do GRB do gerado por múltiplas supernovas. Usamos argumentos energéticos e sobre a possibilidade de alterações químicas e isotópicas devido a reações fotonucleares. Também trabalhamos com as implicações biológicas da iluminação de planetas por um GRB, concluindo que os efeitos de tais eventos podem afetar seriamente a biosfera de um planeta mesmo a distâncias de ~10kpc. / The present work has the main goal of understanding the possible effects of the hard gamma radiation produced during a Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) event both on the interstellar medium surrounding the source of the burst and on planets possibly illuminated. Gamma-Ray Bursts were first detected on the 60s and quickly have attracted the attention of the astrophysical community, since the energies emitted just in could reach 1054erg, the rest mass of the Sun. No mechanism was known to be so efficient in extracting gravitational energy to produce such emission. Later on, the possibility of the emission being collimated has lowered the energy of the to 5x1051erg, but the central engine has not yet been completely understood, and there is still ample room for exotic alternatives. We have studied the effects of GRB on the ISM, in an attempt to distinguish the candidates of GRB remnants from those generated by multiple supernovae. We have used both energetic arguments and the possibility of chemical alterations due to photonuclear reactions. We have also worked on the biological implications of the illumination of planets by a GRB, concluding that the effects of such event could seriously harm the biosphere of a planet even at distances of ~10kpc.