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.

Les expériences de laboratoire ont montré que la photo-irradiation ultraviolette d'analogues de glaces astrophysiques suivie de leur réchauffement à température ambiante mène à la formation de résidus organiques réfractaires. Ces résidus, solubles dans l'eau, consistent en un riche mélange de composés organiques incluant entre autres des acides aminés, molécules potentiellement importantes pour la chimie prébiotique. Ces résidus sont considérés comme des analogues de la matière organique réfractaire que l'on pense être synthétisée sur les grains de poussière dans les nuages moléculaires et/ou dans les disques protoplanétaires, produit de l'évolution des glaces, et qui pourra être accrétée plus tard en comètes ou en astéroïdes et finalement délivrée sur la Terre primitive. Ainsi, l'étude de ces analogues, produits dans des conditions astrophysiques pertinentes, représente un outil efficace pour explorer les processus à l'origine de la formation des molécules organiques complexes dans le Système Solaire et en particulier la possible introduction d'excès énantiomériques dans les molécules chirales.Ce travail de thèse est consacré à l'étude de ces résidus organiques, leur caractérisation et les applications astrophysiques de ces résultats. Nous avons utilisé différentes techniques d'analyse comme la chromatographie en phase gazeuse couplée à la spectrométrie de masse (GC MS, classique et multidimensionnelle), la spectrométrie de masse par résonnance cyclotronique ionique à transformée de Fourier (FT ICR MS) ou encore la spectroscopie infrarouge. Nous avons mesuré les excès énantiomériques induits dans cinq acides aminés par irradiation de nos analogues avec de la lumière UV polarisée circulairement (UV CPL) et insérons nos résultats dans le cadre d'un scénario astrophysique cohérent pour expliquer l'origine des excès énantiomériques observés dans les acides aminés météoritiques. Nous avons étudié le contenu en acides aminés de la météorite de "Paris" et montré des similarités avec la distribution en acides aminés de nos résidus organiques. Nous avons également produit des analogues plus réalistes de grains interstellaires en incluant une surface silicatée, afin de tester l’effet potentiel de cette surface sur la formation et la nature des résidus organiques. Enfin, nous effectuons une discussion générale à propos de la pertinence de ces résultats dans le contexte astrophysique et soulignons le possible lien entre astrochimie et chimie prébiotique. / Laboratory experiments have shown that ultraviolet photo-irradiation of astrophysical ice analogs and their following warm-up until room temperature lead to the formation of refractory organic residues. These residues consist of rich mixtures of organic compounds, including amino acids, which have a potential importance for prebiotic chemistry. They are considered as analogs of the organic refractory materials that are thought to be synthesized on dust grains in molecular clouds and/or in protoplanetary disks, as a product of ices evolution, and that could be later accreted into comets and asteroids and eventually be delivered to the early Earth. Hence, the study of these analogs, produced under astrophysically relevant conditions, represents a valid tool to investigate the processes at work for the origin of complex organic molecules in the Solar System and in particular the possible introduction of enantiomeric excesses in chiral molecules. This PhD work is devoted to the study of these laboratory organic residues, their characterization and the astrophysical applications of the results. We used different analytical techniques such as gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC MS, classical and multidimensional), Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT ICR MS), and infrared spectroscopy. We measured the enantiomeric excesses induced in five chiral amino acids by UV circularly polarized light (UV CPL) irradiation of our analogs and insert our result in a coherent astrophysical scenario for the origin of the enantiomeric excesses observed in meteoritic amino acids. We studied the amino acid content of the Paris meteorite and evidence some similarities with the distribution of the amino acids in our organic residues. We also produced more realistic analogs of interstellar grains, including a silicate surface, to test the potential effect of such a surface on the formation and nature of organic residues. Finally, we discuss the significance of these results in the astrophysical context and the possible relationship between astrochemistry and prebiotic chemistry.

I present herein an ensemble of ROCKE-3D aqua-planet simulations which I compare with the simulations presented in the work of Yang et al. (2019) and other similar works. The focus was on contrasting differences in the greenhouse effect between the models. In contrast to their work, I examined simulations with a dynamic ocean instead of a slab ocean, as well as the inclusion of dynamic sea ice for 2 out of 4 of them. A subset of the simulations examined prevented the formation of sea ice to make them more comparable to Yang et al. (2019), but they never reached radiative equilibrium and this made it difficult to utilize their results. When contrasting the sea ice simulations of ROCKE-3D with the CAM4_Wolf/ExoCAM simulation of Komacek & Abbot(2019), I found that the inclusion of ocean heat transport through a dynamic ocean increases the ice-free region around the sub-tropics for the rapidly rotating aqua-planet around a G-star, thus, resulting in a lower Bond albedo and more surface warming. Supporting previous intercomparisons (Sergeevet al. 2021), ROCKE-3D produces less low- to midlevel clouds toward the equator/substellar point, compared to other models. Consequently, this leads to less cooling through the shortwave cloud radiative forcing. Lastly, I looked at the specific humidity. ROCKE-3D produced the highest stratospheric water vapor content in the M-star scenario, which suggests that ROCKE-3D is closer to the moist greenhouse limit of Kasting et al. (1993); although, the model is still far off. / I detta arbete så presenterar jag vattenplanet simulationer producerade med hjälp av ROCKE-3D, som jag sedan jämför med simulationerna som presenteras i Yang et al. (2019). Fokuset för jämförelsen låg på att jämföra skillnader gällande den producerade växthuseffekten. Alla simulationer utnyttjade ett dynamiskt hav i stället för ett enklare "platt hav", varav 2 utav 4 av dom simulationer som presenteras tillåter havsis att formas. De simulationer som inte tillät is uppnådde aldrig termisk jämvikt vilket gjorde det svårt att antyda något utifrån dom. Vid jämförelse av is-simulationerna som producerades av ROCKE-3D med de is-simulationer producerade med hjälp av CAM4/ExoCAM i Komacek & Abbot (2019), så visades det sig att den is-fria regionen runtomkring de subtropiska områderna vart större för den snabbt roterande vattenplaneten runt en G-klassad stjärna om man inkluderar ett dynamiskt hav i stället för ett "platt hav". Vidare, så stödjer detta arbete dom resultat presenterade i Sergeev et al. (2021), där ROCKE-3D producerar mindre låg- och medelhöga molnformationer runtom ekvatorn/substellära regionen, jämfört med andra modeller. Vidare, så leder detta till en mindre kylningseffekt genom molnens reflektion av kortvågsstrålning. Sist, så undersökte jag den specifika fuktigheten, där ROCKE-3D visar på ett högre värde av stratosfärisk vattenånga i fallet av en tidsvattenlåst havsplanet runt en M-stjärna. Detta tyder på att ROCKE-3D är närmare den fuktiga växthusgränsen som presenteras i Kasting et al. (1993). Dock, så är den fortfarande långt ifrån att uppnås.

The evolving science of astrobiology for the search for life beyond Earth has put focus on the possibility of subsurface bodies of liquid water beneath the surface of icy moons within our Solar System. Specifically, the Jovian moon of Europa and the Saturnian moon of Enceladus show telling characteristics of endogenous heating through their complex tidal resonances with their parent planets – suggesting the presence of oceans of liquid water and therefore a potential for astrobiology. Today, the planning of upcoming satellite missions to guarantee the identification of completely unknown, possibly habitable environments has become an intriguing task for space agencies worldwide. A method of guidance, ground-truthing, debugging and testing of the viability of planned satellite missions is to utilize relatively accessible analogue environments on the Earth. Fortunately, the research of Antarctic subglacial water environments has been acknowledged as the most suitable analogues to the environments of Europa and Enceladus. Given its recorded motions of ice dynamics, erosion, complex thermal systems, and occasions of sampled microbes within – these sensitive, exotic environments beneath the Antarctic ice bed are currently assessed for their suitability as habitats for extremophilic microorganisms, which may provide important insights into the potential existence of habitats, perhaps even life, on icy moons. Ultimately, viable lessons can be drawn from the research of Antarctic subglacial environments given the uncovering of reliable sanitary methodologies that are going to be required during future approaches and sampling of natural systems of extraterrestrial subglacial environments in order to minimize irreparable anthropogenic disturbances on any potential astrobiology. Regardless of the question if the future investigation of Europa’s and Enceladus environments is going to reveal astrobiology within beneath their icy surfaces; this investigation is going to be of invaluable information for the improving familiarity of physical systems beyond Earth. / Sedan länge har forskare vetat att flytande/rinnande vatten är en av de viktigaste förutsättningar för allt liv på Jorden. Under de senaste decennierna har frågan om liv på Jupiters måne Europa, och Saturnus måne Enceladus aktualiserats, efter upptäckten av frusna islager på deras månytor. Evidens från respektive månars omloppsbanor, gör att forskare idag tror att månarnas djupa islager hettas upp inifrån av en aktiv, inre geologi, vilket i sin tur kan tyda på större mängder av flytande vatten. I och med omvandlingen av is till flytande vatten, får detta forskare att tro att cirkulationen av vatten, ihop med den aktiva geologin, möjligtvis har skapat och upprätthåller beboliga förutsättningar för mikroskopiskt liv. I dagsläget planeras ett flertal satelliter skjutas upp till månarna med uppdrag att bekräfta fallet om flytande vatten och beboliga miljöer på månarna, och därmed även undersöka frågan om månarna möjligtvis bär på liv. På den frusna kontinenten Antarktis har ett flertal motsvarande subglaciala miljöer undersökts för att fastställa deras kvalifikationer att upprätthålla liv under extrema levnadsförhållanden. Under dessa undersökningar har ett flertal mikroorganismer påträffats i prover från iskärnor från två subglaciala sjöar (Vostoksjön och Whillanssjön), varav några blivit omstritt påstådda som inhemska extremofiler. Ifall detta stämmer, betyder det att de två subglaciala sjöarna underhålls av ett unikt samspel av drivande faktorer som upprätthåller de nödvändigaste levnadsförutsättningarna för att mikroorganismer kan överleva, även frodas i uppenbart extrema miljöförhållanden. Med forskningen av Antarktis subglaciala sjöar som rapporterar ett unikt samspel mellan is, vatten och underliggande geologi; kan den fortsatta fastställningen av detta fysiska samspel, samt vidare identifikationer av inhemska mikroorganismer att bli en viktig lärdom för framtida satelliters datainsamling av subglaciala vattenmiljöer på Europa och Enceladus. För att underlätta och effektivisera sökandet efter potentiella livsmiljöer, samt möjligtvis hitta utomjordiskt liv på isiga månar bör framtidens satellituppdrag dra stor lärdom och väga in de erfarenheter och resultat som gjorts på subglaciala sjöar i Antarktis.

<p>The class of meteorites called carbonaceous chondrites are examples of material from the solar system which have been relatively unchanged from the time of their initial formation. We investigate the carbonaceous chondrite subclasses CI, CM, CR, CV, and CO, which contain high levels of water and organic material, including amino acids. These subclasses span petrologic types 1 through 3, indicating the degree of internal chemistry undergone by the meteoritic parent body. The goal of this thesis is two-fold: to obtain a comprehensive view of amino acid abundances and relative frequencies in carbonaceous chondrites, and to recreate these patterns via thermodynamic computational models.</p> <p>We collate available amino acid abundance data for a variety of meteorites to identify patterns in total abundance and relative frequencies. We consider only a set of 20 proteinogenic alpha-amino acids created via a specific chemical pathway called Strecker synthesis. We plot abundances of individual amino acids for each subclass, as well as total abundances across all subclasses. We see a predominance in abundance and variety of amino acids in the CM and CR subclasses, which contain concentrations of amino acids greater by several orders of magnitude than other carbonaceous subclasses. These subclasses correspond to an aqueous alteration temperature range of 200 deg. C to 400 deg. C. Within the CM2 and CR2 meteorites, we identify trends in the relative frequencies of amino acids in preparation for computational modeling.</p> <p>Now having a baseline observed amino acid abundance plot, we recreate both the total amino acid abundance pattern as well as the relative frequency of amino acids within the CM2 chondrite subclass using computational models. We use thermodynamic theory of Gibbs free energies to calculate the output of amino acids in a meteoritic parent body assuming chemical equilibrium and some set of initial concentrations of organic material. Our model recreates abundance patterns in the temperature range 200 deg. C to 400 deg. C, ~10⁵ parts-per billion (ppb), and the temperature range 400 deg. C to 500 deg. C, ~10² ppb. Our model does not fit well between temperatures of 150 deg. C to 200 deg. C. Our current model assumes a uniform composition of initial chemical reactants; likely an inhomogeneous composition would be a more accurate physical representation of a parent body. In addition, we match relative frequencies to observed frequencies for each amino acid in the CM2 subclass to well within an order of magnitude.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

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