title: Chirally sensitive electron-induced molecular breakup and the Vester-Ulbricht hypothesis.
abstract: We have studied dissociative electron attachment in sub-eV collisions between longitudinally polarized electrons and chiral bromocamphor molecules. For a given target enantiomer, the dissociative Br anion production depends on the helicity of the incident electrons, with an asymmetry that depends on the electron energy and is of order 3×10^{-4}. The existence of chiral sensitivity in a well-defined molecular breakup reaction demonstrates the viability of the Vester-Ulbrict hypothesis, namely, that the longitudinal polarization of cosmic beta radiation was responsible for the origins of biological homochirality.
authors.affiliation: Jorgensen Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0299, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dreiling
authors.affiliation: Jorgensen Hall, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0299, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gay
mesh_terms: D002164:Camphor / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry*; D004583:Electrons; D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated / Q000737:chemistry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D006842:Hydrocarbons, Brominated; D002164:Camphor