VOLCANOR — Are volcanic systems the craddle for prebiotic synthesis?

The VOLCANOR project explores the role of volcanic systems, which dominated the surface of the Hadean Earth, in the formation of the most primitive building blocks of life. It focuses on the catalytic role of volcanic materials (aerosols, ash, and lava surfaces) in the early stages of carbon polymerization from simple molecules. The approach relies on atomistic simulations based on ab initio molecular dynamics, the results of which are then integrated into the development of machine learning potentials to extend the scale and scope of the simulations. These numerical studies are complemented and constrained by field sample analyses and investigations of fresh lava surfaces during ongoing eruptions.