ERC HYDROMAOrigin and evolution of organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites: influence of hydrothermal processes

The ERC HYDROMA (PI Laurent Remusat) aims at deciphering the imprint of secondary aqueous processes on the organic molecules detected in carbonaceous chondrites, with a specific interest on their hydrogen and nitrogen isotope compositions. There is a huge dataset of isotope compositions in various organic components in several meteorites. However, the accurate interpretation of these data in terms of physico-chemical conditions in the solar system is hampered by the impact of secondary processes that affected the carbonaceous parent bodies very early in the solar system history.

HYDROMA intends to disclose the hydrogen and nitrogen isotope signatures of organic precursors and the effects of aqueous alteration that may have modified these signatures. The research proposed in HYDROMA will answer to three major questions:

- How did the hydrothermal events modify the molecular and isotope signatures of the organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites?

- Is there any record of the primordial signature of organic precursors?

- Is it possible to use the isotope composition of organic molecules for determining duration and temperature of hydrothermal events on carbonaceous asteroids?

The HYDROMA project will consist in the experimental investigation of molecular evolution of organic compounds and isotopic exchange between organic molecules, hydrated minerals and water in the context of hydrothermal alteration.

We will determine the isotope composition of the organic precursors accreted on the carbonaceous asteroids to identify the synthesis environments in the protoplanetary disk or the parent molecular cloud. Our results will also allow using the isotope compositions of organic compounds as a new thermometer and chronometer to precise the hydrothermal events on carbonaceous asteroids