Abstract
The fact that many animals, including migratory birds, use the Earth’s magnetic field for orientation and compass-navigation is fascinating and puzzling in equal measure. The physical origin of these phenomena has not yet been fully understood, but arguably the most likely hypothesis is based on the radical pair mechanism (RPM). Whilst the theoretical framework of the RPM is well-established, most experimental investigations have been conducted at fields several orders of magnitude stronger than the Earth’s. Here we use transient absorption spectroscopy to demonstrate a pronounced orientation-dependence of the magnetic field response of a molecular triad system in the field region relevant to avian magnetoreception. The chemical compass response exhibits the properties of an inclination compass as found in migratory birds. The results underline the feasibility of a radical pair based avian compass and also provide further guidelines for the design and operation of exploitable chemical compass systems.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 3707 |
| Journal | Nature communications |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 1 2019 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Chemistry(all)
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
Cite this
Chemical compass behaviour at microtesla magnetic fields strengthens the radical pair hypothesis of avian magnetoreception. / Kerpal, Christian; Richert, Sabine; Storey, Jonathan G.; Pillai, Smitha; Liddell, Paul A.; Gust, John Devens; Mackenzie, Stuart R.; Hore, P. J.; Timmel, Christiane R.
In: Nature communications, Vol. 10, No. 1, 3707, 01.12.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Chemical compass behaviour at microtesla magnetic fields strengthens the radical pair hypothesis of avian magnetoreception
AU - Kerpal, Christian
AU - Richert, Sabine
AU - Storey, Jonathan G.
AU - Pillai, Smitha
AU - Liddell, Paul A.
AU - Gust, John Devens
AU - Mackenzie, Stuart R.
AU - Hore, P. J.
AU - Timmel, Christiane R.
PY - 2019/12/1
Y1 - 2019/12/1
N2 - The fact that many animals, including migratory birds, use the Earth’s magnetic field for orientation and compass-navigation is fascinating and puzzling in equal measure. The physical origin of these phenomena has not yet been fully understood, but arguably the most likely hypothesis is based on the radical pair mechanism (RPM). Whilst the theoretical framework of the RPM is well-established, most experimental investigations have been conducted at fields several orders of magnitude stronger than the Earth’s. Here we use transient absorption spectroscopy to demonstrate a pronounced orientation-dependence of the magnetic field response of a molecular triad system in the field region relevant to avian magnetoreception. The chemical compass response exhibits the properties of an inclination compass as found in migratory birds. The results underline the feasibility of a radical pair based avian compass and also provide further guidelines for the design and operation of exploitable chemical compass systems.
AB - The fact that many animals, including migratory birds, use the Earth’s magnetic field for orientation and compass-navigation is fascinating and puzzling in equal measure. The physical origin of these phenomena has not yet been fully understood, but arguably the most likely hypothesis is based on the radical pair mechanism (RPM). Whilst the theoretical framework of the RPM is well-established, most experimental investigations have been conducted at fields several orders of magnitude stronger than the Earth’s. Here we use transient absorption spectroscopy to demonstrate a pronounced orientation-dependence of the magnetic field response of a molecular triad system in the field region relevant to avian magnetoreception. The chemical compass response exhibits the properties of an inclination compass as found in migratory birds. The results underline the feasibility of a radical pair based avian compass and also provide further guidelines for the design and operation of exploitable chemical compass systems.
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U2 - 10.1038/s41467-019-11655-2
DO - 10.1038/s41467-019-11655-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 31420558
AN - SCOPUS:85070842120
VL - 10
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
SN - 2041-1723
IS - 1
M1 - 3707
ER -