Our project aims to shed light on the origin of volatile components in the Earth, and more broadly, on the processes that led to the formation of terrestrial planets. This is a fundamental question that has significant implications for understanding the origins of life and the evolution of the solar system. To achieve our goal, we employ a unique and innovative approach that combines cutting-edge high-precision isotopic measurements of volatile metals, such as indium, zinc, copper, and antimony, in both natural and synthetic high-pressure and high-temperature samples.
We use synthetic samples to determine isotopic fractionation during metal/silicate fractionation and volatilization, which we create using a newly developed levitation furnace and piston cylinder apparatus. This information helps us interpret the results of isotopic measurements in natural rock samples and test whether volatile element abundance is controlled by metal/silicate differentiation, evaporation, or late accretion. Additionally, we quantify the physical conditions and the amount of volatile loss by volatilization, which is used in our dynamical modeling.
We also study highly-siderophile elements, which partition fully into metal during planetary differentiation, to trace the timing and extent of late arrival of materials on Earth and Mars. Through these efforts, we hope to develop a realistic physical mechanism of volatile loss from differentiated asteroids, planetesimals, and larger terrestrial bodies, such as the Moon or Earth. Our project combines experimental simulations of planet formation, theoretical modeling, and novel high-precision analyses of extra-terrestrial samples, making significant advances in our understanding of the formation and evolution of terrestrial planets.
