Thanks to an array of state-of-the-art instrumentation, we are the only research group in the world which can apply SEM (high magnification imaging), EDS (semi-quantitative chemical analysis), EBSD (mineral phase and crystallographic analysis), TOF-SIMS (enhanced semi-quantitative chemical analysis), TEM (nano-scale imaging), Atom Probe tomography (nano-scale compositional analysis) and 40Ar/39Ar (age dating) techniques on single grain particles smaller than 100 micrometers.
The John de Laeter Centre (JDLC) that houses this instrumentation is a unique resource. Combined with the scientific expertise that our team has in early solar system processes, and lunar geology, the JDLC instrumentation has allowed us to position ourselves as a key partner in every sample return mission of the modern era. Most recently, we contributed to Hayabusa 2 (JAXA sample return mission to asteroid Ryugu) and Chang’e 5 (CNSA lunar sample return mission). Our focus now is sample science for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.
