In 2016, unambiguous evidence for the presence of the amino acid glycine, an important
prebiotic molecule, was deduced based on in situ mass-spectral studies of the coma …

Abstract The Moon and Mercury are airless bodies, thus they are directly exposed to the
ambient plasma (ions and electrons), to photons mostly from the Sun from infrared range all …

Jupiter's moon Europa has a subsurface ocean beneath an icy crust. Conditions within the
ocean are unknown, and it is unclear whether it is connected to the surface. We observed …

Enceladus is a prime target in the search for life in our Solar System, having an active plume
that is likely to be connected to a large liquid water sub-surface ocean. Using the sensitive …

We provide an overview of chemical transformations that proceed spontaneously, by mixing
of initially solid reactants, and are accelerated and/or directed through gentle stimuli in the …

Abstract The European AstRoMap project (supported by the European Commission Seventh
Framework Programme) surveyed the state of the art of astrobiology in Europe and beyond …

Complex organic molecules such as sugars and amides are ubiquitous in star-and planet-
forming regions, but their formation mechanisms have remained largely elusive until now …

Charon, Pluto's largest moon, has been extensively studied, with research focusing on its
primitive composition and changes due to radiation and photolysis. However, spectral data …

Astrophysical ices are exposed to different radiation fields including photons, electrons and
ions. The latter stem from interstellar cosmic rays (CR), the solar and stellar winds, shock …

The solar wind has been implicated as a source of water on airless bodies such as the
Moon, asteroids, and possibly Mercury, yet a kinetic and mechanistic chemical model …