Constraining the behaviour of volatiles in evolving rocky planets

This project will investigate the early magmatic evolution of rocky planets, with a focus on volatile behaviour.

It involve the analysis of a range of meteorite samples, in order to assess the degree of volatile loss that occurred in their parent bodies as a result of processes such as melt degassing and impact events.

Depending on the outcome of these analyses, a second component of the project will involve performing experiments that simulate magma ocean and impact melting conditions, to better understand how volatile elements would have behaved in developing planetesimals. The results of these analyses and experiments will provide vital constraints for models of planetary evolution