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Personal profile

Biography

May 2003

D.Phil in Chemistry - The Electronic Spectrum of Selenium Dioxide

Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford.

 

June 1999

M.Chem (Hons) in Chemistry

 

Part II project – The Electronic Spectrum of Copper Dichloride

Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford.

Research interests

My research focuses on using the RELAX mass spectrometer to analyse xenon isotope ratios in a variety of solar system materials.

RELAX (Refrigerator Enhanced Laser Analyser for Xenon) is an ultra sensitive, time of flight, resonance ionisation mass spectrometer specifically for measuring xenon isotope ratios. RELAX combines

  • a resonance ionisation source,
  • a cryogenic sample concentrator and
  • a time of flight mass spectrometer.

It is the most sensitive, and lowest blank, instrument currently available for determination of xenon isotope ratios - the detection limit is 950 atoms132Xe, and is limitedonly by variation in the blank, which is currently ~1000 atoms 132Xe. At peak sensitivity sample sizes are restricted to ~106atoms. Repeat analyses of air calibration samples are reproducible, allowing precise and accurate isotope ratios to be determined by averaging multiple analyses.

Xenon isotope measurement made using RELAX had contributed to our understanding of a range of issues relating to the evolution of our solar system.

Most recently my research has focused on analysing material returned by NASA's Genesis missions. We have successfully extracted solar wind xenon from silicon collector targets which flew onboard the Genesis spacecraft, and determined the xenon concentration and isotopic composition.

I am also interested in a wide range of other samples which can be analysed using RELAX, including:

  • Analysis of individual hadean zircons to constrain the Pu/U ratio of the early solar system.
  • Analysis of individual lunar zircons
  • Investigationf of Xe concentrations of IDPs, which suggest the concentration may had a significantly lower upper limit than previously reported.
  • We have attempted Xe analysis of individual SiC grains.
  • I-Xe dating of a wide range of meteorites, including material of different metamorphic grades from Rumuruti chondrites to investigate whether there is a link between the time of clousre to Xe-loss and the extend of metamorphism on the R-chindrite parent body.
  • Comparing the I-Xe systematics in anomalous eucrites to that in "normal" eucrites.

We are currently working towards attempting xenon analysis of cometary material collected and returned to earth by NASA's Stardust mission. The aerogel used to collect the cometary particles has a large Xe blank that would swamp any embedded cometary Xe, therefore we are in the process of combining closed system step etching (CSSE) with RELAX to attempt to separate the xenon in the aerogel from that in the cometary material.

My group

Further information

Public Engagement

I regularly organise and run a wide variety of public engagement events and activities with the Isotope Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry Group. These activities range from taking part in large events like Bluedot Festival and the Manchester Science Festival, to school visits and talks to local interest groups.

For fruther information regarding the events we have taken part in and the activities we can offer, please visit the Public Engagement secion of our website.

To keep up to date with upcoming events please visit the Earth and Solar System blog. Or follow our activities via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and our YouTube channel .

Education/Academic qualification

Doctor of Philosophy, The Electronic Spectrum of Selenium Dioxide, Oxford University

Oct 1999May 2003

Master of Chemistry, The Electronic Spectum of Copper Dichloride, Oxford University

Oct 1995Jun 1999

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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

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  • The noble gas and nitrogen relationship between Ryugu and carbonaceous chondrites

    Broadley, M. W., Byrne, D. J., Füri, E., Zimmermann, L., Marty, B., Okazaki, R., Yada, T., Kitajima, F., Tachibana, S., Yogata, K., Sakamoto, K., Yurimoto, H., Nakamura, T., Noguchi, T., Naraoka, H., Yabuta, H., Watanabe, S., Tsuda, Y., Nishimura, M., Nakato, A., & 44 othersMiyazaki, A., Abe, M., Okada, T., Usui, T., Yoshikawa, M., Saiki, T., Tanaka, S., Terui, F., Nakazawa, S., Busemann, H., Hashizume, K., Gilmour, J. D., Meshik, A., Riebe, M. E. I., Krietsch, D., Maden, C., Ishida, A., Clay, P., Crowther, S. A., Fawcett, L., Lawton, T., Pravdivtseva, O., Miura, Y. N., Park, J., Bajo, K., Takano, Y., Yamada, K., Kawagucci, S., Matsui, Y., Yamamoto, M., Righter, K., Sakai, S., Iwata, N., Shirai, N., Sekimoto, S., Inagaki, M., Ebihara, M., Yokochi, R., Nishiizumi, K., Nagao, K., Lee, J. I., Kano, A., Caffee, M. W. & Uemura, R., 15 Mar 2023, In: Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta. 345, p. 62-74

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Open Access
  • First asteroid gas sample delivered by the Hayabusa2 mission: A treasure box from Ryugu

    Okazaki, R., Miura, Y. N., Takano, Y., Sawada, H., Sakamoto, K., Yada, T., Yamada, K., Kawagucci, S., Matsui, Y., Hashizume, K., Ishida, A., Broadley, M. W., Marty, B., Byrne, D., Füri, E., Meshik, A., Pravdivtseva, O., Busemann, H., Riebe, M. E. I., Gilmour, J., & 104 othersPark, J., Bajo, K-I., Righter, K., Sakai, S., Sekimoto, S., Kitajima, F., Crowther, S. A., Iwata, N., Shirai, N., Ebihara, M., Yokochi, R., Nishiizumi, K., Nagao, K., Lee, J. I., Clay, P., Kano, A., Caffee, M. W., Uemura, R., Inagaki, M., Krietsch, D., Maden, C., Yamamoto, M., Fawcett, L., Lawton, T., Nakamura, T., Naraoka, H., Noguchi, T., Yabuta, H., Yurimoto, H., Tsuda, Y., Watanabe, S-I., Abe, M., Arakawa, M., Fujii, A., Hayakawa, M., Hirata, N., Hirata, N., Honda, R., Honda, C., Hosoda, S., Iijima, Y-I., Ikeda, H., Ishiguro, M., Ishihara, Y., Iwata, T., Kawahara, K., Kikuchi, S., Kitazato, K., Matsumoto, K., Matsuoka, M., Michikami, T., Mimasu, Y., Miura, A., Morota, T., Nakazawa, S., Namiki, N., Noda, H., Noguchi, R., Ogawa, N., Ogawa, K., Okada, T., Okamoto, C., Ono, G., Ozaki, M., Saiki, T., Sakatani, N., Senshu, H., Shimaki, Y., Shirai, K., Sugita, S., Takei, Y., Takeuchi, H., Tanaka, S., Tatsumi, E., Terui, F., Tsukizaki, R., Wada, K., Yamada, M., Yamada, T., Yamamoto, Y., Yano, H., Yokota, Y., Yoshihara, K., Yoshikawa, M., Yoshikawa, K., Furuya, S., Hatakeda, K., Hayashi, T., Hitomi, Y., Kumagai, K., Miyazaki, A., Nakato, A., Nishimura, M., Soejima, H., Iwamae, A., Yamamoto, D., Yogata, K., Yoshitake, M., Fukai, R., Usui, T., Ireland, T., Connolly, H. C., Lauretta, D. S. & Tachibana, S., 20 Oct 2022, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Science Advances. p. eabo7239

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Open Access
  • Noble gases and nitrogen in samples of asteroid Ryugu record its volatile sources and recent surface evolution

    Okazaki, R., Marty, B., Busemann, H., Hashizume, K., Gilmour, J. D., Meshik, A., Yada, T., Kitajima, F., Broadley, M. W., Byrne, D., Füri, E., Riebe, M. E. I., Krietsch, D., Maden, C., Ishida, A., Clay, P., Crowther, S. A., Fawcett, L., Lawton, T., Pravdivtseva, O., & 103 othersMiura, Y. N., Park, J., Bajo, K., Takano, Y., Yamada, K., Kawagucci, S., Matsui, Y., Yamamoto, M., Righter, K., Sakai, S., Iwata, N., Shirai, N., Sekimoto, S., Inagaki, M., Ebihara, M., Yokochi, R., Nishiizumi, K., Nagao, K., Lee, J. I., Kano, A., Caffee, M. W., Uemura, R., Nakamura, T., Naraoka, H., Noguchi, T., Yabuta, H., Yurimoto, H., Tachibana, S., Sawada, H., Sakamoto, K., Abe, M., Arakawa, M., Fujii, A., Hayakawa, M., Hirata, N., Hirata, N., Honda, R., Honda, C., Hosoda, S., Iijima, Y., Ikeda, H., Ishiguro, M., Ishihara, Y., Iwata, T., Kawahara, K., Kikuchi, S., Kitazato, K., Matsumoto, K., Matsuoka, M., Michikami, T., Mimasu, Y., Miura, A., Morota, T., Nakazawa, S., Namiki, N., Noda, H., Noguchi, R., Ogawa, N., Ogawa, K., Okada, T., Okamoto, C., Ono, G., Ozaki, M., Saiki, T., Sakatani, N., Senshu, H., Shimaki, Y., Shirai, K., Sugita, S., Takei, Y., Takeuchi, H., Tanaka, S., Tatsumi, E., Terui, F., Tsukizaki, R., Wada, K., Yamada, M., Yamada, T., Yamamoto, Y., Yano, H., Yokota, Y., Yoshihara, K., Yoshikawa, M., Yoshikawa, K., Furuya, S., Hatakeda, K., Hayashi, T., Hitomi, Y., Kumagai, K., Miyazaki, A., Nakato, A., Nishimura, M., Soejima, H., Iwamae, A., Yamamoto, D., Yogata, K., Yoshitake, M., Fukai, R., Usui, T., Connolly, H. C., Lauretta, D., Watanabe, S. & Tsuda, Y., 20 Oct 2022, In: Science.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Open Access
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  • Noble Gas Evolution of the Martian Atmosphere in the last 4 Gyr Recorded by Regolith Breccia NWA 8114

    Crowther, S. A., Clay, P. L., Edwards, S., Busemann, H., Joy, K. H., Early, A. A., Burgess, R., Butcher, A. R., Humayun, M. & Gilmour, J. D., 1 Nov 2022, In: Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta. 336, p. 372-393 22 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Open Access
  • Xenon systematics of individual lunar zircons, a new window on the history of the lunar surface

    Crow, C., Crowther, S., McKeegan, K., Turner, G., Busemann, H. & Gilmour, J., 1 Oct 2020, In: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 286, p. 103-118

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Open Access