Understanding the Solar System through the Xenon Isotopic Record

我的研究的最终目标是限制由星尘使命从彗星81 P/Wild 2返回的物质中的重惰性气体含量。星尘号使命任务返回的彗星物质是地球上现有的一些最原始和最原始的太阳系物质;限制彗星物质中所含氙的性质将填补围绕彗星物质中重惰性气体含量的文献中的空白，并对原始太阳系物质的起源和历史提供有价值的限制。总而言之，我将对相同的星尘物质类似物进行两个平行实验（气凝胶，富Q有机Vigarano分离，和SW丰富的月球陨石）使用RELAX仪器;一个实验（对照）将使用典型的逐步加热方法分别对每个模拟组分进行，另一个将使用封闭系统阶梯式蚀刻（CSSE）在整个模拟物上从每个组分释放气体（首先用HF作为富SW硅酸盐组分，然后用HNO 3作为富Q有机组分）。逐步加热实验的“真实”结果将与逐步蚀刻实验的结果进行比较，从而衡量CSSE对星尘材料分析的适用性。如果这项技术被证明是成功的，我将获得一个星尘样品，并进行实验，以确定其氙含量使用CSSE和RELAX。

The ultimate goal of my research is to constrain the heavy noble gas content of material returned from the comet 81P/Wild 2 by the Stardust mission. The Stardust mission returned cometary matter which comprises some of the most primitive and pristine solar system material available on earth; constraining the nature of the xenon contained in cometary matter will fill a gap in the literature surrounding the heavy noble gas content of cometary material, and also provide valuable constraints on the origins and history of primitive solar system materials. To summarise, I will be conducting two parallel experiments on identical Stardust material analogues (aerogel, Q-rich organic Vigarano separate, and SW-rich lunar meteorite) using the RELAX instrument; one experiment (the control) will be conducted using the typical stepwise heating approach for each analogue component separately, the other will liberate gases from each component using closed system stepped etching (CSSE) on the entire analogue (first with HF for the SW-rich silicate component, then HNO3 for the Q-rich organic component). The 'true' results of the stepwise heating experiment will then be compared to the results of the stepped etching experiment, providing a measure of CSSE's applicability for the analysis of Stardust materials. Should this technique prove to be successful, I will acquire a Stardust sample and conduct an experiment to determine its xenon content using CSSE and RELAX.