Bhagawati Kunwar

Dr. Bhagawati Kunwar

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Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

10Years (2017-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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28 April 2023 in Life
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Journal Article
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KKKensei Kobayashi
Kensei Kobayashi
JIJun-Ichi Ise
Jun-Ichi Ise
RARyohei Aoki
Ryohei Aoki
MKMiei Kinoshita
Miei Kinoshita
KNKoki Naito
Koki Naito
VAVladimir Airapetian
Vladimir Airapetian
Life most likely started during the Hadean Eon; however, the environmental conditions which contributed to the complexity of its chemistry are poorly known. A better understanding of various environmental conditions, including global (heliospheric) and local (atmospheric, surface, and oceanic), along with the internal dynamic conditions of the early Earth, are required to understand the onset of abiogenesis. Herein, we examine the contributions of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) and solar energetic particles (SEPs) associated with superflares from the young Sun to the formation of amino acids and carboxylic acids in weakly reduced gas mixtures representing the early Earth’s atmosphere. We also compare the products with those introduced by lightning events and solar ultraviolet light (UV). In a series of laboratory experiments, we detected and characterized the formation of amino acids and carboxylic acids via proton irradiation of a mixture of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen, and water in various mixing ratios. These experiments show the detection of amino acids after acid hydrolysis when 0.5% (v/v) of initial methane was introduced to the gas mixture. In the set of experiments with spark discharges (simulation of lightning flashes) performed for the same gas mixture, we found that at least 15% methane was required to detect the formation of amino acids, and no amino acids were detected in experiments via UV irradiation, even when 50% methane was used. Carboxylic acids were formed in non-reducing gas mixtures (0% methane) by proton irradiation and spark discharges. Hence, we suggest that GCRs and SEP events from the young Sun represent the most effective energy sources for the prebiotic formation of biologically important organic compounds from weakly reducing atmospheres. Since the energy flux of space weather, which generated frequent SEPs from the young Sun in the first 600 million years after the birth of the solar system, was expected to be much greater than that of GCRs, we conclude that SEP-driven energetic protons are the most promising energy sources for the prebiotic production of bioorganic compounds in the atmosphere of the Hadean Earth.
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1 October 2020 in Atmospheric Environment
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Journal Article
Closed access
PBPoonam Bikkina
Poonam Bikkina
VSV.V.S.S. Sarma
V.V.S.S. Sarma
KKKimitaka Kawamura
Kimitaka Kawamura
SBSRINIVAS BIKKINA
SRINIVAS BIKKINA
BKBhagawati Kunwar
Bhagawati Kunwar
CSC.K. Sherin
C.K. Sherin




16 December 2022 in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
RZRuichen Zhou
Ruichen Zhou
YDYange Deng
Yange Deng
BKBhagawati Kunwar
Bhagawati Kunwar
QCQingcai Chen
Qingcai Chen
JCJing Chen
Jing Chen
MMMichihiro Mochida
Michihiro Mochida