Abstract
Volcanic activity in the early Earth was probably more intense, characterized by extraordinarily explosive eruptions on account of the higher content of volatiles in the magma and the greater temperatures in the mantle. Lightning discharges of hundreds of meters in length are typically generated by explosive volcanism. It is suggested that these electric discharges could have played a significant role in prebiotic synthesis due to the simultaneous presence of reduced gases and catalytically active inorganic particles. This paper critically reviews the available information on this environment.
This paper is dedicated to the memory of Cyril Ponnamperuma, one of the pioneers in the interdisciplinary study of the origins of life.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abelson, P.H.: 1956a, Science 124, 935.
Abelson, P.H.: 1956b, in Carnegie Institution of Washington Yearbook, 1955–56, Carnegie Institution, Washington, D.C., No. 55, p. 171.
Abelson, P.H.: 1965, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 54, 1490.
Abelson, P.H.: 1966, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 55, 1365.
Ackerman, M., Lippens, C., and Lechevallier, M.: 1980, Nature 287, 614.
Allard, P.: 1983, in H. Tazieff and J.-C. Sabroux (Eds.), Forecasting Volcanic Events, Elsevier, Amsterdam, p.561.
Allègre, C.J., Staudacher, T, Sarda, P. and Kurz, M.: 1983, Nature 303, 762.
Allègre, C.J., Sarda, P. and Staudacher, T.: 1993, Earth Planet. Sci. Let. 117, 229.
Anderson, R., Bjornsson, S., Blanchard, D.C., Gathman, S., Hughes, J., Jonasson, S., Moore, C.B., Survilas, HJ., and Vonnegut, B.: 1965, Science 148, 1179.
Basiuk, V.A. and Navarro-González, R.: 1996, Origins Life Evol. Biosphere (in press).
Bennett, F.D.: 1914, Am. J. Sci. 274, 648.
Blanchard, D.C.: 1964, Nature 201, 1164.
Blaustein, B.D. and Fu, Y.C.: 1969, in R.F. Gould (ed.), Chemical Reactions in Electrical Discharges, Advances in Chemsitry Series 80. American Chemical Soc, Washington, D.C., p.259.
Bonner, W.A.: 1991, Origins Life Evol. Biosphere 21, 59.
Brazier, S., Davis, A.N., Sigurdsson, H., and Sparks, R.S.J.: 1982, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 14, 335.
Brook, M., Moore, C.B., and Sigurgeirsson, T.: 1974, J. Geophys. Res. 79, 472.
Carey, S.N. and Sigurdsson, H.: 1982, J. Geophys. Res. 87, 7061.
Carey, S., Sigurdsson, H., Gardner, J.E., and Criswell, W.: 1990, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 43, 99.
Casadevall, T., Rose, W., Gerlach, T., Greenland, L.P., Ewert, J., Wunderman, R., and Symonds, R.: 1983, Science 221, 1383.
Chameides, W.L. and Walker, J.C.G.: 1981, Origins Life 11, 291.
Cheng, R.J.: 1982, in A. Deepak (ed.), Atmospheric Effects and Potential Climatic Impact of the 1980 Eruptions of Mount St. Helens, NASA CP-2240, Washington, D.C., p.211.
Christiansen, R.L.: 1980, Nature 285, 531.
Chyba, C.F., Thomas, P.J., Brookshaw, L. and Sagan, C: 1990, Science 249, 366.
Chyba, C. and Sagan, C: 1992, Nature 355, 125.
Chyba, C., Owen, T., and Ip, W.-H.: 1994, in Gehreis T. (ed.), Hazards Due to Comets and Asteroids, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, p.9.
Cobb, W.E.: 1980, Eos, Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 61, 978.
Colgate, S.E. and Sigurgeirsson, H.: 1973, Nature 244, 552.
Danielsen, E.F.: 1981, Science 211, 819.
Decker, R. and Decker, B.: 1982, Volcanoes and the Earth’s Interior, W.H. Freeman and Co., Sn Francisco.
Farlow, N.H., Oberbeck, V.R., Snetsinger, K.G., Ferry, G.V., Polkowski, G., and Hayes, D.M.: 1981, Science 211, 832.
Fedotov, S.A., Chirkov, A.M., Gusev, N.A., Kovalev, G.N., and Slezin, Yu.B.: 1980, Bull. Volcanol. 43, 47.
Ferris, J.P. and Hagan, W.J.Jr: 1984, Tetrahedron 40, 1093.
Fisher, J.C.: 1948, J. Appl. Phys. 19, 1062.
Folsome, C.E., Brittain, A., Smith, A. and Chang, S.: 1981, Nature 294, 64.
French, B.M.: 1970, Bull. Volcanol. 34, 466.
Friedman, J.D., Olhoeft, G.R., Johnson, G.R., and Frank, D.: 1980, Eos, Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 61, 1140.
Frölich, G., Müller, G. and Unger, G.: 1976, J. Non-Equilib. Thermodyn. 1, 91.
Fujinawa, Y., Kumagai, T. and Takahasi, K.: 1992, Geophys. Res. Let. 19, 9.
Gaffey, M.J.: 1983, Lunar Planet. Sci. XIV, 231.
Gardner, C., Neal, C.A., Waitt, R.B. and Janda, R.J.: 1994, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 62, 213.
Gerlach, T.M.: 1993, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 57, 795.
Goto, K., Kinjo, M., Hashimoto, K. and Ishigami, M.: 1986, J. Mol. Evol. 23, 113.
Green, J.A.: 1944, Natl. Geograph. Mag. 85(2), 129.
Hatakeyama, H. and Uchkawa, K.: 1952, Jap. Meteorol. Geophys. 2, 85.
Hattori, Y., Masataka, K., Ishigami, M. and Nagano, K.: 1984, Origins Life 14, 145.
Hewins, R.H. and Newsom, H.E.: 1988, in J.F. Kerridge and M.S. Mattews (eds.), Meteorites and the Early Solar System, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, p.73.
Hill, R.D.: 1992, Origins Life Evol. Biosphere 22, 277.
Hirose, Y., Ohmuro, K., Saigoh, M., Nakayama, T. and Yagamata, Y.: 1990–1991, Origins Life Evol. Biosphere 20, 471.
Hobbs, P.V., Radke, L.F., Eltgroth, D., and Hegg, A.: 1981, Science 211, 816.
Hobbs, P.V. and Lyons, J.H.: 1983, Final Report to IRT Corporation under P.O. 31433, 24p.
Hoblitt, R.P.: 1994, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 62, 499.
Kawamoto, K. and Akaboshi, M.: 1982, Origins Life 12, 133.
Kawamoto, K., Akaboshi, M. and Kawai, K.: 1993, Viva Origino 21, 195.
Kearey P. et al. (Eds.): 1993, The Encyclopedia of the Solid Earth Sciences, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 713p.
Kikuchi, K. and Endoh, T.: 1982, J. Meteorol. Soc. Jpn. 60, 548.
Kurat, G. and Kracher, A.: 1980, Z. Naturforsch. 35a, 180.
Lavrentiev, G.A., Strigunkova, T.F. and Egorov, I.A.: 1984, Origins Life 14, 205.
Lawrence, W.S., Qamar, A., Moore, J., and Kendrick, G.: 1980, Science 209, 1526.
Levine, J.S., Hughes, R.E., Chameides, W.L. and Howell, W.: 1979, Geophys. Res. Let. 6, 557.
Levine, H.S.: 1972, J. Phys. Chem. 76, 2609.
Levine, H.S.: 1973, Metall. Trans. 4, 777.
Markhinin, E.K. and Podkletnov, N.E.: 1977a, Origins Life Evol. Biosphere 8, 225.
Markhinin, E.K. and Podkletnov, N.E.: 1977b, Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 235, 1203 (in Russian).
McBirney, A.R. and Murase, T.: 1970, Bull. Volcanol. 34, 372.
Miller, S.L.: 1953, Science 117, 528.
Miller, T.P.: 1994, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 62, 197.
Miller, T.P and Chouet, B.A.: 1994, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 62, 1.
Moore, J.G. and Rice, C.J.: 1984, in Geophysics Study Committee (eds.), Explosive Volcanism: Inception, Evolution and Hazards, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., p.133.
Navarro-González, R.: 1992, in Tyihak, E. (ed.), Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on the Role of Formaldehyde in Biological Systems. Methylation and Demethylation Processes. Hungarian Biochemical Society, p. 79.
Navarro-González, R., Ponnamperuma, C. and Khanna, R.K.: 1992, Origins Life Evol Biosphere 21, 359.
Nisbet, E.G.: 1985, J. Mol. Evol. 21, 289.
Oró, J.: 1961, Nature 190, 389.
Otroshchenko, V.A. and Surkov, Y.A.: 1974, Origins Life 5, 487.
Peck, D.L., Wright, T.L., and Decker, R.W.: 1979, Sci. Am. 241, 114.
Peckover, R.S., Buchnan, D.J. and Ashby, D.E.T.F.: 1973, Nature 245, 307.
Podkletnov, N.E. and Markhinin, E.K.: 1981, Origins Life 11, 303.
Pounder, C.: 1980, Weather 35, 357.
Rutherford, M.J.: 1991, Eos, Trans. Am. Geophys. Union 72, 62.
Sabroux, J.-C: 1983, in H. Tazieff and J.-C. Sabroux (Eds.), Forecasting Volcanic Events, Elsevier, Amsterdam, p.17.
Salanave, L.E.: 1980, Lightning and Its Spectrum. An Atlas of Photographs, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, p.36.
Schlesinger, G. and Miller, S.L.: 1983a, J. Mol. Evol. 19, 383.
Schlesinger, G. and Miller, S.L.: 1983b, J. Mol. Evol. 19, 376.
Schubert, G., Turcotte, D.L., Solomon, S.C. and Sleep, N.H.: 1989, in S.K. Atreya, J.B. Pollack, and M.S. Matthews (Eds.), Origin and Evolution of Planetary and Satellite Atmospheres, Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, p.450.
Schwartz, A.W. and Henderson-Sellers, A.: 1983, Precambrian Res. 22, 167.
Scott, W.E. and McGimsey, R.G.: 1994, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 62, 251.
Settle, M.: 1978, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 3, 309.
Shepherd, J.B., Aspinall, W.P., Rowley, K.C., Pereira, J., Sigurdsson, H., Fiske, R.S., and Tomblin, J.F.: 1919, Nature 282, 24.
Sheridan, M.F. and Wohletz, K.H.: 1981, Science 212, 1387.
Sheridan, M.F. and Wohietz, K.H.: 1983, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 17, 1.
Simkin, T., Siebert, L., McClelland, Bridge, D., Newhall, C. and Latter, J.H.: 1981, Volcanoes of the World, Hutchinson Ross Pub. Co., Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
Sparks, R.S.J.: 1978, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 3, 1.
Stribling, R. and Miller, S.L.: 1987, Origins of Life 17, 261.
Takahashi, K.: 1993, J. Commun. res. Lab. 40, 3.
Tazieff, H.: 1977, Bull. Volcanol. 40, 189.
Uman, M.A.: 1987, The Lightning Discharge, Academic Press, Inc., Orlando.
Verhoogen, J.: 1951, Am. J. Sci. 249, 729.
Vossler, T., Anderson, D.L., Aras, N.K., Phelan, J.M., and Zoller, W.H.: 1981, Science 211, 827.
Walker, J.C.G.: 1977, Evolution of the Atmosphere, MacMillan Publishing Co, Inc., New York.
Wilde, K.A., Zwolinski, B.J. and Parlin, R.B.: 1953, Science 118, 43.
Witte, L.C., Cox, J.E. and Bouvier, J.AE.: 1970, J. Metals 22, 39.
Wohletz, K.H.: 1983, J. Volcanol. Geotherm Res. 17, 31.
Woodcock, A.H. and Spencer, AT.: 1961, J. Geophys. Res. 66, 2873.
Woods, A.W. and Kienle, J.: 1994, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 62, 273.
Yagamata, Y. and Mohri, T.: 1982, Origins Life 12, 41.
Zohner, A. and Broda, E.: 1979, Origins Life 9, 291.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1996 Kluwer Academic Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Navarro-González, R., Basiuk, V.A., Rosenbaum, M. (1996). Lightning Associated to Archean Volcanic Ash-Gas Clouds. In: Chela-Flores, J., Raulin, F. (eds) Chemical Evolution: Physics of the Origin and Evolution of Life. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1712-5_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1712-5_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7266-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-1712-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive