Published April 4, 1983 | Version v1
Journal article

Chiral-symmetry breaking in nonequilibrium systems

  • 1. Center for Studies in Statistical Mechanics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712

Description

Sensitivity of a nonequilibrium chemical system to small symmetry-breaking influences is analyzed in the context of chiral-symmetry breaking. For a hypothetical model system, with realistic kinetic constants, a reaction energy barrier difference of ΔE/kT = 10-17--10-15 is shown to be sufficient to have a strong chiral selectivity. This is in the range of the estimated energy differences between right- and left-handed molecules due to weak neutral currents

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Phys. Rev. Lett.
Journal Volume
50
Journal Issue
14
Series
Phys. Rev. Lett.
Journal Page Range
1023-1026
ISSN
0031-9007

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
United States
INIS RN
14788965
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS; CHIRAL SYMMETRY; MOLECULES; SYMMETRY BREAKING; SYNTHESIS; WEAK NEUTRAL CURRENTS
Descriptors DEC
ALGEBRAIC CURRENTS; CURRENTS; KINETICS; NEUTRAL CURRENTS; REACTION KINETICS; SYMMETRY