Abstract In the past, it was generally assumed that the early atmosphere of the Earth contained appreciable quantities of methane ($ CH_{4} $) and ammonia ($ NH_{3} $). This was the type of atmosphere believed to be the most suitable environment for chemical evolution, the nonbiological formation of complex organic molecules, the precursors of living systems. Photochemical considerations suggest that a $ CH_{4} $−$ NH_{3} $ dominated early atmosphere was probably very short-lived, if it ever existed at all. Instead, an early atmosphere of carbon dioxide ($ CO_{2} $) and nitrogen ($ N_{2} $) is favored by photochemical as well as geological and geochemical considerations. Photochemical calculations also indicate that the total oxygen column density of the prebiological paleoatmosphere did not exceed $ 10^{−7} $ of the present atmospheric level.


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    Title :

    The prebiological paleoatmosphere: Stability and composition


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1982




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English



    Classification :

    BKL:    44.71 Verkehrsmedizin
    Local classification TIB:    535/3908/4290