Chemical Evolution of Organic Molecules in Solar System Small Bodies

Dear Colleagues,

In 1969, after the Murchison carbonaceous meteorite fall, the research field on organic molecules in meteorites was established with the search for the origins of life in the universe. Many kinds of molecules of biochemical interest, as well as complex macromolecules, were identified from the meteorite in the first thirty years. At the beginning of 21st century, with the integration of astronomy and cosmochemistry, this research trend broadened to an extensive view that organic molecules in meteorites record the chemical history of the early Solar System from interstellar clouds. In particular, relationships between molecular and isotopic variations of organic molecules in various meteorite types and physicochemical processes of meteorite parent bodies have been unveiled. Since the Stardust spacecraft returned 81P/Wild2 cometary dust in 2006, the development of the analytical techniques for micron-sized samples, e.g., not only meteorites but also interplanetary dust particles and Antarctic micrometeorites, has enabled our acquisition of organics–minerals associations as well as the most primitive records in the early Solar System. The Rosetta mission has been successfully able to connect the nm- to μm-scale compositions of the cometary materials to the km-scale of dynamical activity and geology of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Most recently, two carbonaceous asteroid sample return missions, Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx, are ongoing.

On the occasion of a 50th anniversary milestone and a new chapter in the studies on organic molecules in space, this Special Issue aims to obtain new insights on the formation of the building blocks of planets and life by integrating the results from sample analyses and observations of various types of small bodies (meteorites, asteroids, comets, dwarf planets, IDPs, and AMMs), past small body explorations, and laboratory experiments. Young scientists and students are encouraged to submit their manuscripts in this field. Papers of future small body mission concepts are also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Hikaru Yabuta
Dr. Joseph A. Nuth III
Dr. Ernesto Palomba
Guest Editors

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