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Submit a ProposalPlanet Formation and Panspermia
 | New Prospects for the Movement of Life through Space Edited by Branislav Vukotic, Joseph Seckbach and Richard Gordon Series: Astrobiology Perspectives on Life in the Universe Copyright: 2021 | Status: Published ISBN: 9781119640394 | Hardcover | 346 pages | 48 illustrations Price: $235 USD  |
One Line Description
An in-depth view of the panspermia hypothesis examined against the latest knowledge of planetary formation and related processes.
Audience
Given the intrinsic interdisciplinary nature of the panspermia hypothesis the book will have a wide audience across various scientific disciplines covering astronomy, biology, physics and chemistry. Apart from scientists, the book will appeal to engineers who are involved in planning and realization of future space missions.
Given the intrinsic interdisciplinary nature of the panspermia hypothesis the book will have a wide audience across various scientific disciplines covering astronomy, biology, physics and chemistry. Apart from scientists, the book will appeal to engineers who are involved in planning and realization of future space missions.
Description
Panspermia is the concept that life can be passively transported through space on various bodies and seed, habitable planets and moons, which we are beginning to learn may exist in large numbers. It is an old idea, but not popular with those who prefer that life on Earth started on Earth, an alternative, also unproven hypothesis. This book updates the concept of panspermia in the light of new evidence on planet formation, molecular clouds, solar system motions, supernovae ejection mechanisms, etc. Thus, it is to be a book about newly understood prospects for the movement of life through space.
The novel approach presented in this book gives new insights into the panspermia theory and its connection with planetary formation and the evolution of galaxies. This offers a good starting point for future research proposals about exolife and a better perspective for empirical scrutiny of panspermia theory. Also, the key to understanding life in the universe is to understand that the planetary formation process is convolved with the evolution of stellar systems in their galactic environment. The book provides the synthesis of all these elements and gives the readers an up-to-date insight on how panspermia might fit into the big picture.
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Panspermia is the concept that life can be passively transported through space on various bodies and seed, habitable planets and moons, which we are beginning to learn may exist in large numbers. It is an old idea, but not popular with those who prefer that life on Earth started on Earth, an alternative, also unproven hypothesis. This book updates the concept of panspermia in the light of new evidence on planet formation, molecular clouds, solar system motions, supernovae ejection mechanisms, etc. Thus, it is to be a book about newly understood prospects for the movement of life through space.
The novel approach presented in this book gives new insights into the panspermia theory and its connection with planetary formation and the evolution of galaxies. This offers a good starting point for future research proposals about exolife and a better perspective for empirical scrutiny of panspermia theory. Also, the key to understanding life in the universe is to understand that the planetary formation process is convolved with the evolution of stellar systems in their galactic environment. The book provides the synthesis of all these elements and gives the readers an up-to-date insight on how panspermia might fit into the big picture.
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Author / Editor Details
Branislav Vukotić, PhD obtained his MSc. and PhD from the University of Belgrade, Serbia. He researches the astrobiological history of the Milky Way using probabilistic cellular automata and N-body simulations. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Publications of the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade and a vice-chair of the Management Board of the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade.
Branislav Vukotić, PhD obtained his MSc. and PhD from the University of Belgrade, Serbia. He researches the astrobiological history of the Milky Way using probabilistic cellular automata and N-body simulations. He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Publications of the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade and a vice-chair of the Management Board of the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade.
Joseph Seckbach, PhD earned his MSc. and PhD from the University of Chicago and did his postdoc at Caltech, Pasadena. CA. He is retired from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and spent periods in research at the USA: UCLA, Harvard, Baton-Rouge (LSU); in Germany (Tübingen and Munich as an exchange scholar). He has edited a series of books “Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology” and has over 40 edited volumes for various publishers as well as about 140 scientific articles. His interest is in astrobiology and iron in plants (phytoferritin).
Richard Gordon, PhD is a theoretical biologist with a PhD in Chemical Physics from the University of Oregon, retired from the Department of Radiology, University of Manitoba in 2011. He is presently at the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab & Aquarium, Panacea, Florida and Adjunct Professor, C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth & Development, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit Michigan. His interest in exobiology (now astrobiology) dates from 1960s undergraduate work on organic matter in the Orgueil meteorite with Edward Anders. He has published critical reviews of panspermia and the history of claims of life in meteorites.
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Table of Contents
Preface
Part I: Philosophical Aspects of Panspermia
1. “On the Origin of Life”
Lord Kelvin (William Thomson)
2. Why We Should Take Interstellar Panspermia Seriously
Amedeo Balbi
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The Case for Interstellar Panspermia
2.3 Theoretical Consequences of Interstellar Panspermia
2.4 Conclusions
References
3. The Extended Continuity Thesis, Chronocentrism, and Directed Panspermia
Milan M. Ćirković
3.1 Introduction: The Continuity as a Pre-Requisite for Scientific Grounding of Astrobiology
3.2 Versions and Resistance
3.3 Cultural Evolution and Directed Panspermia
3.4 Conclusion and Prospects
Acknowledgements
References
4. Life in the Milky Way: The Panspermia Prospects
Branislav Vukotić and Richard Gordon
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Three Levels of Habitability and Panspermia
4.2.1 Stellar System Level
4.2.2 Galaxies: Cosmic Cradles of Life
4.2.3 Cosmological Level: Interactions of Galaxies
4.3 Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References
Part II: Microorganisms and Panspermia
5. Planetary Protection: Too Late
Margarita Safonova and C. Sivaram
5.1 Introduction
5.2 What is Planetary Protection
5.3 Extent of Earth Biosphere
5.4 Extension to Other Planetary Bodies
5.4.1 Moon
5.4.2 Mars
5.4.3 Icy Moons
5.5 Backward Contamination
5.6 Interplanetary Exchange
5.7 Habitable Conditions for Interplanetary Micronauts
5.8 Conclusion
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Acknowledgments
References
6. Microbial Survival and Adaptation in Extreme Terrestrial Environments—The Case of the Dallol Geothermal Area in Ethiopia
Cavalazzi Barbara and Filippidou Sevasti
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Planetary Field Analog: The Case of the Dallol Geothermal Area
6.2.1 The Dallol Hot Springs
6.2.2 Dallol Geothermal Area Planetary Field Analogs
6.3 Life in Extreme Environments
6.4 Conclusion and Remarks on Panspermia
Acknowledgment
References
7. Escape From Planet Earth: From Directed Panspermia to Terraformation Roy D. Sleator and Niall Smith
Acknowledgements
References
Part III: Formation and Evolution of Planets: Material Exchange Prospects
8. Catalyzed Lithopanspermia Through Disk Capture of Biologically Active Interstellar Material
Evgeni Grishin and Hagai B. Perets
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Capture of Interstellar Planetesimals
8.2.1 Planetesimal Size Distribution
8.2.2 Encounter Rates
8.2.3 Capture Condition
8.2.4 Capture Probability
8.2.5 Total Number of Captured Planetesimals
8.3 Catalyzed Lithopanspermia
8.3.1 Types of Panspermia
8.3.2 Fraction of Life-Bearing Rocks
8.3.3 Delivery Rates
8.4 Conclusion and Discussion
Acknowledgements
References
9. Lithopanspermia at the Center of Spiral Galaxies
Howard Chen
9.1 Introduction
9.2 The Kepler Transit Survey and the Distribution of Living Worlds
9.3 XUV Hydrodynamic Escape and the Formation of Habitable Evaporated Cores 9.3.1 Activity of Supermassive Black Holes
9.3.2 Overabundance of HECs Driven by Quasar Illumination
9.4 Frequency of Exchange in High Stellar Densities
9.4.1 Ejection of Planetary Bodies on Intragalactic Scales
9.4.2 Implications for Other Stellar Populations
9.5 Detecting Panspermia
9.6 Concluding Remarks
References
10. Wet Panspermia
Jaroslav Jiřík and Richard Gordon
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Earth and Its Isotopic World: Geological and Environmental Implications
10.3 Quest for the Primordial Water Worlds
10.4 Looking for the Biotic Traces in Extraterrestrial Material
10.5 Ices of the Moon and Proposal of Earth-Induced Wet Panspermia in the Solar System
10.6 Implications for Other Planets of the Inner Solar System?
10.7 Conclusions
References
11. There Were Plenty of Day/Night Cycles That Could Have Accelerated an Origin of Life on Earth, Without Requiring Panspermia
Richard Gordon and George Mikhailovsky
Acknowledgement
References
12. Micrometeoroids as Carriers of Organics: Modeling of the Atmospheric Entry and Chemical Decomposition of Sub-Millimeter Grains
G. Micca Longo and S. Longo
12.1 Micrometeorites and the Search for Life
12.2 White Soft Minerals
12.2.1 Carbonates in Space
12.2.2 Sulfates in Space
12.3 Atmospheric Entry Model
12.4 Results
12.4.1 Atmospheric Entry of MgCO3 Micrometeoroids
12.4.2 Atmospheric Entry of CaCO3 Micrometeoroids
12.4.3 Atmospheric Entry of FeCO3 Micrometeoroids
12.4.4 Atmospheric Entry of CaSO4 Micrometeoroids
12.5 The Role of Primordial Atmospheres
12.5.1 Isothermal Atmosphere Model
12.5.2 Hydrogen Atmosphere
12.5.3 Carbon Dioxide Atmosphere
12.5.4 Methane Atmosphere
12.6 Conclusions
References
13. Dynamical Evolution of Planetary Systems: Role of Planetesimals
Vladimir Ðošović
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Planetesimal Formation and Evolution
13.3 Transporting Mechanism in Later Stages of Planetary System Evolution
13.4 Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References
Part IV: Further Prospects
14. A Survey of Solar System and Galactic Objects With Pristine Surfaces That Record History and Perhaps Panspermia, With a Plan for Exploration
Branislav Vukotić and Richard Gordon
14.1 Introduction
14.1.1 Radiative Events
14.1.2 Solar Flares
14.1.2.1 Superenovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts
14.1.2.2 Galactic Shocks
14.1.2.3 Background Radiation From Galactic Sources
14.1.3 Collisions
14.1.4 Panspermia
14.2 Recording Properties
14.3 Pristine Potential of Solar System Bodies
14.3.1 Comets, Asteroids and Dwarf Planets
14.3.2 Mercury
14.3.3 Moon
14.3.4 Mars
14.3.5 Main Asteroid Belt
14.3.6 Jupiter and Saturn
14.3.7 Uranus and Neptune
14.3.8 Kuiper Belt
14.3.9 Oort Cloud
14.3.10 Meteorites
14.3.11 Extra-Solar Bodies
14.4 Prospects and Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References
15. The Panspermia Publications of Sir Fred Hoyle
Richard Gordon
Index
Acknowledgements
References
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Preface
Part I: Philosophical Aspects of Panspermia
1. “On the Origin of Life”
Lord Kelvin (William Thomson)
2. Why We Should Take Interstellar Panspermia Seriously
Amedeo Balbi
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The Case for Interstellar Panspermia
2.3 Theoretical Consequences of Interstellar Panspermia
2.4 Conclusions
References
3. The Extended Continuity Thesis, Chronocentrism, and Directed Panspermia
Milan M. Ćirković
3.1 Introduction: The Continuity as a Pre-Requisite for Scientific Grounding of Astrobiology
3.2 Versions and Resistance
3.3 Cultural Evolution and Directed Panspermia
3.4 Conclusion and Prospects
Acknowledgements
References
4. Life in the Milky Way: The Panspermia Prospects
Branislav Vukotić and Richard Gordon
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Three Levels of Habitability and Panspermia
4.2.1 Stellar System Level
4.2.2 Galaxies: Cosmic Cradles of Life
4.2.3 Cosmological Level: Interactions of Galaxies
4.3 Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References
Part II: Microorganisms and Panspermia
5. Planetary Protection: Too Late
Margarita Safonova and C. Sivaram
5.1 Introduction
5.2 What is Planetary Protection
5.3 Extent of Earth Biosphere
5.4 Extension to Other Planetary Bodies
5.4.1 Moon
5.4.2 Mars
5.4.3 Icy Moons
5.5 Backward Contamination
5.6 Interplanetary Exchange
5.7 Habitable Conditions for Interplanetary Micronauts
5.8 Conclusion
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Acknowledgments
References
6. Microbial Survival and Adaptation in Extreme Terrestrial Environments—The Case of the Dallol Geothermal Area in Ethiopia
Cavalazzi Barbara and Filippidou Sevasti
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Planetary Field Analog: The Case of the Dallol Geothermal Area
6.2.1 The Dallol Hot Springs
6.2.2 Dallol Geothermal Area Planetary Field Analogs
6.3 Life in Extreme Environments
6.4 Conclusion and Remarks on Panspermia
Acknowledgment
References
7. Escape From Planet Earth: From Directed Panspermia to Terraformation Roy D. Sleator and Niall Smith
Acknowledgements
References
Part III: Formation and Evolution of Planets: Material Exchange Prospects
8. Catalyzed Lithopanspermia Through Disk Capture of Biologically Active Interstellar Material
Evgeni Grishin and Hagai B. Perets
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Capture of Interstellar Planetesimals
8.2.1 Planetesimal Size Distribution
8.2.2 Encounter Rates
8.2.3 Capture Condition
8.2.4 Capture Probability
8.2.5 Total Number of Captured Planetesimals
8.3 Catalyzed Lithopanspermia
8.3.1 Types of Panspermia
8.3.2 Fraction of Life-Bearing Rocks
8.3.3 Delivery Rates
8.4 Conclusion and Discussion
Acknowledgements
References
9. Lithopanspermia at the Center of Spiral Galaxies
Howard Chen
9.1 Introduction
9.2 The Kepler Transit Survey and the Distribution of Living Worlds
9.3 XUV Hydrodynamic Escape and the Formation of Habitable Evaporated Cores 9.3.1 Activity of Supermassive Black Holes
9.3.2 Overabundance of HECs Driven by Quasar Illumination
9.4 Frequency of Exchange in High Stellar Densities
9.4.1 Ejection of Planetary Bodies on Intragalactic Scales
9.4.2 Implications for Other Stellar Populations
9.5 Detecting Panspermia
9.6 Concluding Remarks
References
10. Wet Panspermia
Jaroslav Jiřík and Richard Gordon
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Earth and Its Isotopic World: Geological and Environmental Implications
10.3 Quest for the Primordial Water Worlds
10.4 Looking for the Biotic Traces in Extraterrestrial Material
10.5 Ices of the Moon and Proposal of Earth-Induced Wet Panspermia in the Solar System
10.6 Implications for Other Planets of the Inner Solar System?
10.7 Conclusions
References
11. There Were Plenty of Day/Night Cycles That Could Have Accelerated an Origin of Life on Earth, Without Requiring Panspermia
Richard Gordon and George Mikhailovsky
Acknowledgement
References
12. Micrometeoroids as Carriers of Organics: Modeling of the Atmospheric Entry and Chemical Decomposition of Sub-Millimeter Grains
G. Micca Longo and S. Longo
12.1 Micrometeorites and the Search for Life
12.2 White Soft Minerals
12.2.1 Carbonates in Space
12.2.2 Sulfates in Space
12.3 Atmospheric Entry Model
12.4 Results
12.4.1 Atmospheric Entry of MgCO3 Micrometeoroids
12.4.2 Atmospheric Entry of CaCO3 Micrometeoroids
12.4.3 Atmospheric Entry of FeCO3 Micrometeoroids
12.4.4 Atmospheric Entry of CaSO4 Micrometeoroids
12.5 The Role of Primordial Atmospheres
12.5.1 Isothermal Atmosphere Model
12.5.2 Hydrogen Atmosphere
12.5.3 Carbon Dioxide Atmosphere
12.5.4 Methane Atmosphere
12.6 Conclusions
References
13. Dynamical Evolution of Planetary Systems: Role of Planetesimals
Vladimir Ðošović
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Planetesimal Formation and Evolution
13.3 Transporting Mechanism in Later Stages of Planetary System Evolution
13.4 Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References
Part IV: Further Prospects
14. A Survey of Solar System and Galactic Objects With Pristine Surfaces That Record History and Perhaps Panspermia, With a Plan for Exploration
Branislav Vukotić and Richard Gordon
14.1 Introduction
14.1.1 Radiative Events
14.1.2 Solar Flares
14.1.2.1 Superenovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts
14.1.2.2 Galactic Shocks
14.1.2.3 Background Radiation From Galactic Sources
14.1.3 Collisions
14.1.4 Panspermia
14.2 Recording Properties
14.3 Pristine Potential of Solar System Bodies
14.3.1 Comets, Asteroids and Dwarf Planets
14.3.2 Mercury
14.3.3 Moon
14.3.4 Mars
14.3.5 Main Asteroid Belt
14.3.6 Jupiter and Saturn
14.3.7 Uranus and Neptune
14.3.8 Kuiper Belt
14.3.9 Oort Cloud
14.3.10 Meteorites
14.3.11 Extra-Solar Bodies
14.4 Prospects and Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References
15. The Panspermia Publications of Sir Fred Hoyle
Richard Gordon
Index
Acknowledgements
References
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