Dual Isotopic Composition of Methane in Murchison Meteorite

Introduction: Examining the record contained within the organic matter in meteorites can reveal the nature of the inputs and processes that contributed to the early solar system environment. Specifically, isotopic measurements for individual organic compounds can reveal the reaction mechanisms and possible source environments from which the organic constituents were formed. Hydrogen isotopic measurements have become valuable indicators of the contributions from interstellar environments [1] and carbon isotopic measurements have been used successfully to indicate bond formation and destruction in a variety of meteoritic organic molecules [2,3]. Here, for the first time, we present dual isotopic data (H and C) for methane, the fundamental building block implicated in the stepwise formation of meteoritic hydrocarbons [2].