Research themes
The Prehistory of the Solar System
Studying the interstellar dust preserved in primitive meteorites to understand the formation of the chemical elements and processing in the interstellar medium.
Formation and Early Evolution of the Solar System
Establishing the environment and chronology of the formation of our sun and its family of planets.
Stardust and Genesis
Applying technology unique to Manchester to samples of the solar wind, comets and interstellar grains returned by the recent missions.
The Moon
Combining lunar sample analysis with remote-sensing data to understand the origin and evolution of the Moon.
Volatile Evolution of Terrestrial Planets
Uncovering the divergent histories of the planets Mars and Earth through the evolution of their noble gases and halogens.
Mantle Geochemistry
Understanding the origin and processing of the material that formed the earth and the evolution and structure of the mantle.
Fluid Systems
Understanding the origin and behaviour of modern crustal fluids, and reading the record of ancient crustal fluids preserved in mineral deposits.
Climate change
Investigating the record of past climate change and the potential to sequester CO2 in geological structures.
Novel Instrumentation
Developing the next generation of technology for isotopic and chemical analysis.