Fields

Cosmochemistry

Cosmochemistry investigates the chemical composition of the solar system, using meteorites, lunar samples, cometary dust, and interplanetary missions as natural archives of planetary formation 4.6 billion years ago. Isotopic analysis of presolar grains found in chondritic meteorites reveals nucleosynthetic signatures from ancient stellar explosions that pre-date our Sun. Returned samples from the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx missions to carbonaceous asteroids are providing uncontaminated primordial organic material unavailable from Earth-based collections. Cosmochemistry informs planetary science, stellar physics, and the origins of the volatile elements—including water and organic molecules—that made life on Earth possible.

Details

Avg Funding

$640K

Key Technologies

SIMS Ion MicroprobeIsotope Ratio Mass SpectrometryNeutron Activation AnalysisTransmission Electron MicroscopySample Return Missions

Subfields

Meteorite AnalysisSolar Wind CompositionPlanetary FormationPresolar GrainsCometary Chemistry

Top Institutions

Washington University St. LouisUniversity of ChicagoArizona State UniversityJAXA Institute of Space and Astronautical ScienceNatural History Museum London