Signatures of the ancient sun constraining the early emergence of life on Earth

A factor for understanding the origin and evolution of life on Earth is the evolution of the Sun itself, especially the evolution of space climate and weather. Many aspects of the Sun's history remain to be understood. We reconsider constraints that knowledge of our own star implies for the emergence of life on Earth. This provides further insights into what may happen in other solar systems. Fortunately, particles emitted by the Sun in the past have left a record in geologic samples, but on this bases we cannot exclude earlier dates for the onset of life on Earth, A very early origin of life has to take into account the imprints of solar energetic particles during the first billion years (Gyr) after the formation of the Sun, approximately from 4.6 till 3.6Gyr before the present (BP). Our review includes the isotopic fractionation of the noble gases, the depletion of volatile elements on the Moon and constraints for the origin of life on Europa, the icy moon of Jupiter.