Parity nonconservation and the origin of biological chirality: Theoretical calculations

Recent theoretical calculations concerning the hypothesized connection between the parity violating weak interactions and the origin of biological chirality are extended in order to assess the relative importance of differential beta radiolysis of enantiomers and the energy difference between enantiomers. It is found that the largest chiral, polarizations are produced at lower temperatures where beta radiolysis dominates. At higher temperatures the energy difference between enantiomers dominates but the chiral polarization is appreciably smaller.