The BIOSUN project: an astrobiological approach to study the origin of life

During the early ages of the Earth the magnetic activity of the young Sun was much stronger than that of the present Sun, in particular for radiation emitted below 1700 Å. Such enhanced radiation fluxes could play a role in the evolution of planetary atmospheres, their surface conditions and in the origin and evolution of life. Solar stellar analogs could provide information about the characteristics of the young Sun, and therefore this radiation environment. The objective of this project is to focus on the radiation emission features of the young Sun through solar stellar analogs to 1) Characterize the radiation environment of the early Earth and other planetary bodies of the Solar System that are or could have been suitable for life. 2)Reproduce this radiation environment under laboratory simulated conditions to explore: Whether cells could survive at that level of radiation on the early Earth confronting that with the microbial fossil record. Early Mars and Europa will be also tested; b) The possibility of ``transfer" of microorganisms between Mars-Earth or Venus-Earth at that time. For Mars studies we consider as a model the Nakhla meteorite and halites; c) The formation, inflow and outflow of some prebiotic molecules in the early planetary conditions. Finally, the experimental approach will be carried out exposing microorganisms/molecules to this environments under laboratory simulated conditions, according to the data obtained previously.