Ryoga Maeda

Project Title: Chemical and isotopic characterization of Antarctic meteorites

Research Summary: My PhD project encompasses a detailed chemical and isotopic characterization of various well-preserved Antarctic meteorites, collected in the blue ice fields surrounding the Belgian Princess Elisabeth station. This project aims to apply in a systematic manner Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotope systematics to various meteorite classes (e.g., both common chondrites and rare achondrites, incl. martian meteorites), and investigate the distribution of trace elements in those samples, as well as constrain any possible weathering effects on the isotope systematics quantitatively. For the purpose, both of bulk analysis and in-situ measurement have been used and those data will be combined to better understand. Once the trace element distribution is better understood, its effect on radiogenic age determinations will be evaluated (e.g., 147Sm-143Nd, 176Lu-176Hf). This will lead to increased insights into the recorded formation ages of specific meteorite types and their potential resetting.

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Steven Goderis, Prof. Dr. Vinciane Debaille (ULB), Prof. Dr. Philippe Claeys,