Nanogeochronology of Earth and Planetary Materials

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Nanogeoscience is a fast-developing area of earth, planetary and environmental research as new electron and atom probe microscopy techniques have enabled the three-dimensional mapping of elements and isotopes within minerals. My group has been at the forefront of this area by developing techniques to image and count radioactive atoms, and `see' geologic time in minerals, in three dimensions, for the first time. I have focused my research on a suite of U-bearing accessory minerals, including zircon and baddeleyite, that comprise some of the oldest remaining pieces of the inner solar system (Earth, Moon, Mars, Asteroids). These tiny mineral grains can be seen as the memory cells of planets, and, using specialized microscopy techniques in my laboratory and partner facilities my group has discovered nanoscale signatures of major changes in planetary crusts such as giant impact and tectonic events that were otherwise hidden. I propose to expand this exploration at nano-scale to address outstanding problems in earth, planetary and environmental science. My group will explore zircon crystals from the deep crust of Canada and South Africa brought to surface along with diamond in kimberlite pipes to better understand the formation of continents and their resources. We will use these same techniques on a suite of ancient minerals from Mars and the Moon that we have found in meteorites, as well as samples from Earth's oldest and largest known impact crater. This will give us new information regarding the initial conditions of planet formation in the period when life began in our solar system, as well as insight into the underlying factors that allow impact-generated glass to remain stable for two billion years. We will expand my team's expertise in materials exposed to weak radioactivity at geological time scales by conducting among the first nanoscale investigations of highly resistant analogue materials such as native copper to improve the design of deep geological repositories. This program of nano-scale investigation of some of the most long-lived and durable natural materials will lead to new understanding of the Earth and our planetary surroundings, and train HQP in new techniques with application to future discovery research in planetary science, government geological surveys, and industry sectors such as mineral exploration and nuclear material storage design. The training of Canadian scientists in this program of research will include collaborating with a domestic and international network of experts in natural and materials science, and will to transfer a comprehensive and flexible skill set that can be adapted to answering societal questions and meeting future transformations in our economy.