Exploring Solar System History through Isotopic Analysis of Meteorites
When
Where
Assistant Research Professor
Arizona State University
I will describe the isotopic compositions of presolar mineral grains and organic materials identified in pristine meteorites using Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry at the nano-scale (NanoSIMS). Laboratory studies of 1000s of these grains/phases have provided nucleosynthetic, chemical, and physical constraints on the cosmochemical processes occurring in stars, in the interstellar medium and/or in the early solar nebula, and I will discuss my contribution to the field. I will also compare the results from these analytical studies to chemical and nucleosynthetic models, and spectroscopic observations of various astrophysical environments. I will highlight additional examples of my collaborative research with the NanoSIMS at Arizona State University of meteoritic materials. These studies have profound implications in the Planetary Science field, and will surely benefit the analysis of samples returned by OSIRIS-REx from the asteroid Bennu.
Host: Dr. Tom Zega