Prebiotic Chemistry in Space

The papers presented in this volume cover up-to-date information obtained from theoretical modelling, laboratory experiments and space observations. Chapter 1 reviews the knowledge on organic and prebiotic chemistry in small bodies of the Solar System verifying that organic matter has been discovered or suspected in Solar System small bodies, such as comets, asteroids, interplanetary dust grains and meteorites. Chapter 2 covers the many chemical processes of exobiological interest, both organic and inorganic which occur at low temperatures in various space environments, from interstellar matter to planetary surfaces and atmospheres. This includes the abiotic formation of biomolecule precursors, organic refractories and parent molecules, the prebiotic catalytic effects, and the stability of biological systems.