title: Nitrogen fixation by corona discharge on the early precambrian Earth.
abstract: We report the first experimental study of nitrogen fixation by corona discharge on the anoxic primitive Earth. The energy yields of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) were experimentally determined over a wide range of CO(2)-N(2) mixtures simulating the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere during the Hadean and Archean eras (from 4.5 ba to 2.5 ba). NO, the principal form of fixed nitrogen in lightning and coronal discharge in early Earth, is produced ten times less efficiently in the latter type of electrical discharge with an estimated maximum annual production rate of the order of 10(10) g yr(-1). For N(2)O the maximum production rate was estimated to be approximately 10(9) g yr(-1). These low rates of syntheses indicate that corona discharges as point discharges on the clouds and ground did not play a significant role in the overall pool of reactive nitrogen needed for the emergence and sustainability of life.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Química de Plasmas y Estudios Planetarios, Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, Apartado Postal 70-543, México Distrito Federal, 04510, México. dnnamvondo@mail.arc.nasa.gov
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nna-Mvondo
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Navarro-González
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raulin
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coll
mesh_terms: D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004777:Environment; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008030:Lightning; D017672:Nitrogen Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D000069497:Origin of Life
chemical_list: D017672:Nitrogen Compounds