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Making Terrestrial Planets

Project description

A closer look at the formation and evolution of terrestrial planets

New cutting-edge stable isotope systems will be used to study the accretion and differentiation processes that have shaped the present composition of Earth as well as the moon and Mars. These new systems will be developed by the EU-funded METAL project and used to constrain the origin of the solar system’s volatile element depletion. The project will also quantify the isotopic effects during metal/silicate partitioning and evaporation in all conditions relevant to planetary accretion and differentiation. Another aim is to build a physical model of volatile loss and to study the timing, proportions, fate and nature of the material that accreted to Earth and Mars after core formation. The findings will boost our understanding of the formation and early evolution of terrestrial planets.

Objective

Understanding the formation and early evolution of terrestrial planets is one of the most important goals in sciences. The objectives of this proposal, METAL (Making tErresTriA pLanets), are to study the accretion and differentiation processes that have shaped the present composition of the Earth, Moon, Mars and differentiated asteroids including understanding the origin, and timing of delivery of their volatile and siderophile elements. To reach this goal we have identified the best-suited isotopic tools, which are sensitive to the different physico-chemical processes acting at different stages of planetary formation. This work will involve: 1) Development and use of new cutting-edge stable isotope systems for moderately volatile elements (e.g. In, Sb, Sn) in terrestrial, lunar and meteoritic materials, in order to constrain the origin of solar system’s volatile element depletion. 2) Quantifying experimentally the isotopic effects during metal/silicate partitioning and evaporation in all conditions relevant to planetary accretion and differentiation. 3) Building a physical model of volatile loss. 4) Studying the timing, proportions, fate and nature of the material that accreted to Earth and Mars after core formation (i.e. the late-veneer) by using a new method based on the stable isotopes of a highly siderophile element, Pt. This high-risk high-rewards approach seeks to link innovative novel isotopic systems, experiments under extreme conditions, and dynamical modelling, to solve long-standing major scientific questions related to the formation and evolution of the terrestrial planets.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2020-COG

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Host institution

INSTITUT DE PHYSIQUE DU GLOBE DE PARIS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 748 750,00
Address
RUE JUSSIEU 1
75238 Paris
France

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Region
Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 998 750,00

Beneficiaries (2)

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