Space Weather from the Young Sun and the Origin of Life: Setting Up the Earliest Metabolisms

Abstract:

Using a sophisticated suite of models (magnetohydrodynamic and kinetic models of solar energetic particle (SEP) acceleration and propagation, photochemical, and aqueous chemical), we ascertain the impact of a magnetically active young Sun on the prebiotic atmosphere of the Earth. We find that the enhanced solar wind and heightened flare and associated coronal mass ejection activity from the young Sun act to drive atmospheric chemistry on large scales, creating surface conditions favorable for the origin of life. Large fluence hard energy spectra SEPs penetrate, ionize and dissociate the prebiotic atmosphere, creating high concentrations of CO and NO_x species that could provide a free energy gradient to drive primitive metabolisms. This process of SEP-driven atmospheric evolution may be generalizable to other habitable planets orbiting active young stars, creating promising environments for the widespread occurrence of life.