ERC METAL Project – Understanding Terrestrial Planet Formation

The METAL project (Making tErresTriAl pLanets) aims to study the accretion and differentiation processes that shaped the current composition of Earth, the Moon, Mars, and other differentiated asteroids. We use advanced isotopic tools to understand the origin of volatile and siderophile elements in the solar system. This project, coordinated by Frédéric Moynier at IPGP, is a European partnership pushing the boundaries of cosmochemistry.
Blurred image of people crossing a street, symbolizing diversity and collaboration in the METAL project.

People

Meet the participants of the METAL project, experts in cosmochemistry and planetary sciences working together to uncover the secrets of terrestrial planet formation.

Visual Highlights

Explore our Visual Highlights, featuring images of scientific instruments and analysis results illustrating the complex processes of planetary formation.

News and Events

Stay updated with the latest news from the METAL project, including scientific honors, collaborations, and major events.

Linru Fang’s PhD Defense and Post-Doctoral Journey

Congratulations to Dr. Linru Fang for defending her PhD thesis on the origin and evolution of the first asteroids. She now moves on to postdoctoral research at the University of Copenhagen’s StarPlan group.

Lunar sleepless night at IPGP

Le samedi 9 novembre, de 14h à minuit, nous organisons à l’Institut de Physique un événement autour de la Lune.

Congratulations to Haoxuan Sun for defending his PhD on planetary formation using a triple silicon isotope approach

Congratulations to Haoxuan Sun for defending his PhD on planetary formation using silicon isotope analysis. He is now moving to Washington, DC, for a postdoctoral fellowship at the Carnegie Institution for Science.

The Disparity Between the Two Faces of the Moon: A Long-standing Enigma Decoded by Frédéric Moynier

In a recent article, Frédéric Moynier, a cosmochemist at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), delved into one of the long-standing mysteries of lunar geology: the striking difference between the Moon’s two faces.

Frédéric Moynier is very honored to be the patron (parrain) of the 2024-2027 undergraduate students from the University of Perpignan Via Domitia and is looking forward to follow the journey of these future scientists.

Frédéric Moynier is very honored to be the patron (parrain) of the 2024-2027 undergraduate students from the University of Perpignan Via Domitia and is looking forward to follow the journey of these future scientists.

Collaboration between the ERC METAL Project and Nu Instruments for Advances in Cosmochemistry

The ERC METAL project collaborates with Nu Instruments to develop cutting-edge mass spectrometry techniques, offering unique insights into the formation of terrestrial planets and celestial bodies.

Frédéric Moynier elected AGU fellow 2024

Congratulations to Frédéric Moynier, member of the IPGP’s CAGE team, for being elected an AGU Fellow in 2024. This prestigious honor is awarded annually to less than 0.1% of AGU members for their exceptional contributions to Earth and space sciences. Moynier’s groundbreaking research on stable metal isotopes has enhanced our understanding of volatile elements’ origins in the Solar System.