Frédéric Moynier

Paris Institute of Earth Physics

Similarities in the non-mass dependent isotopic composition of refractory elements with the bulk silicate Earth suggest that both the Earth and the Moon formed from the same material reservoir. On the other hand, the Moon's volatile depletion and isotopic composition of moderately volatile elements points to a global devolatilization processes, mos...

The isotopic compositions of samples returned from Cb-type asteroid Ryugu and Ivuna-type (CI) chondrites are distinct from other carbonaceous chondrites, which has led to the suggestion that Ryugu and CI chondrites formed in a different region of the accretion disk, possibly around the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. We show that, like for Fe, Ryugu...

The isotopic compositions of samples returned from Cb-type asteroid Ryugu and Ivuna-type (CI) chondrites are distinct from other carbonaceous chondrites, which has led to the suggestion that Ryugu/CI chondrites formed in a different region of the accretion disk, possibly around the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. We show that, like for Fe, Ryugu and...

The isotopically light Fe signature of arc magmas relative to mid-oceanic ridge basalts (MORB) is expected to be related to the redox state of their source. This implies a link between Fe mobility and redox variations across subduction zones. Here we address slab chemical variations during prograde metamorphism through a comprehensive geochemical s...

Evaporation can fractionate elements and their isotopes between the condensed and gas phases. The fractionation of zinc isotopes during impact-induced evaporation can be used to effectively determine the extent of volatile loss. A robust understanding of the Zn isotope system in assessing the volatile loss, however, relies on well-constrained empir...

The Alzheimer's disease (AD) affected brain purges K with concurrently increasing serum K, suggesting brain-blood K transferal. Here, natural stable K isotope ratios—δ41K—of human serum samples were characterized in an AD biomarker pilot study (plus two paired Li-heparin and K-EDTA plasma samples). AD serum was found to have a significantly lower m...

Volatile element abundances vary substantially among terrestrial planetary bodies like Earth, Mars, Moon, and differentiated asteroids, leading to intense debate about the governing processes. howardites-eucrites-diogenites (HED) meteorites, most likely from asteroid 4-Vesta, represent highly volatile-depleted Solar System samples, offering critica...

Highly siderophile element abundances and Os isotopes of nakhlite and chassignite meteorites demonstrate that they represent a comagmatic suite from Mars. Nakhlites experienced variable assimilation of >2-billion-year-old altered high Re/Os basaltic crust. This basaltic crust is distinct from the ancient crust represented by meteorites Allan Hills...

Partial melts in the Earth’s convecting mantle influence its physical and chemical state, particularly the plasticity of the asthenosphere and the dynamics of plate tectonics. Melt compositions change systematically with the depth of mantle melting, but there are currently few quantitative constraints. Here we measure major and trace elements, comb...

Oxygen 3‐isotope ratios of magnetite and carbonates in aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrites provide important clues to understanding the evolution of the fluid in the asteroidal parent bodies. We conducted oxygen 3‐isotope analyses of magnetite, dolomite, and breunnerite in two sections of asteroid Ryugu returned samples, A0058 and C0002, usin...

Cadmium stable isotope ratios can serve as valuable tracers for biological and geological processes, including nutrients sampling from the surrounding medium, volatilization events, and terrestrial differentiation. However, studies of the isotope fractionation occurring during geological processes require the characterization of the isotope composi...

Aging is the main risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is linked to alterations in metal homeostasis and changes in stable metal isotopic composition can occur, possibly allowing the latter to serve as relevant biomarkers for potential AD diagnosis. Copper stable isotopes are used to investigate changes in Cu homeostasis associated with var...

In order to gain insights on the conditions of aqueous alteration on asteroid Ryugu and the origin of water in the outer solar system, we developed the measurement of water content in magnetite at the micrometer scale by secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) and determined the H and Si content of coarse‐grained euhedral magnetite grains (polyh...

The planetesimals in the solar system exhibit varying degrees of moderately volatile elements (MVEs) depletion compared to the protosolar composition. Revealing the relevant mechanisms is crucial for exploring early solar system evolution. Most volatile-depleted materials in the solar system exhibit enrichments in the heavier isotopes of MVEs, whic...

We report Nd and Sm isotopic compositions of four samples of Ryugu returned by the Hayabusa2 mission, including “A” (first touchdown) and “C” (second touchdown) samples, and several carbonaceous chondrites to evaluate potential genetic relationships between Ryugu and known chondrite groups and track the cosmic ray exposure history of Ryugu. We reso...

The nucleosynthetic isotope composition of planetary materials provides a record of the heterogeneous distribution of stardust within the early solar system. In 2020 December, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Hayabusa2 spacecraft returned to Earth the first samples of a primitive asteroid, namely, the Cb-type asteroid Ryugu. This provides a u...

Studies of material returned from Cb asteroid Ryugu have revealed considerable mineralogical and chemical heterogeneity, stemming primarily from brecciation and aqueous alteration. Isotopic anomalies could have also been affected by delivery of exogenous clasts and aqueous mobilization of soluble elements. Here, we show that isotopic anomalies for...

Plain Language Summary Stable Zr isotopes of zircon have been proposed as a new and promising tracer for magmatic differentiation. However, how significant heterogeneity of Zr isotopes developed at the mineral scale in an evolving magma is highly debatable. Ab initio simulation calculations, experiments, and natural sampling have suggested that kin...

The stable calcium (Ca) isotopes offer a minimally invasive method for assessing Ca balance in the body, providing a new avenue for research and clinical applications. In this study, we measured the Ca isotopic composition of soft tissues (brain, muscle, liver, and kidney), mineralized tissue (bone), and blood (plasma) from 10 mice (5 females and 5...

We present oxygen isotopic analyses of fragments of the near-Earth C b -type asteroid Ryugu returned by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft that reinforce the close correspondence between Ryugu and CI chondrites. Small differences between Ryugu samples and CI chondrites in Δ ′ 17 O can be explained at least in part by contamination of the latter by terrestria...

Preliminary analyses of asteroid Ryugu samples show kinship to aqueously altered CI (Ivuna-type) chondrites, suggesting similar origins. We report identification of C-rich, particularly primitive clasts in Ryugu samples that contain preserved presolar silicate grains and exceptional abundances of presolar SiC and isotopically anomalous organic matt...

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft explored asteroid Ryugu and brought its surface materials to Earth. Ryugu samples resemble Ivuna-type (CI) chondrites—the most chemically primitive meteorites—and contain secondary phyllosilicates and carbonates, which are indicative of aqueous alteration. Understanding the conditions (such as temperature, redox state and f...

The "Snowball Earths" were cataclysmic events during the late Neoproterozoic's Cryogenian period (720-635 Ma) in which most, if not all, of Earth’s surface was covered in ice. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions of these events utilize isotopic systems, such as Δ¹⁷O and barium isotopes of barites. Other isotopic systems, such as zinc (Zn), can refle...

Background: The application of isotopes of metals in medical science (isotope metallomics) has shown significant growth in the last few years, specifically with respect to the study of metal cycles in the body and/or their use as diagnostic tools for diseases that affect metal homeostasis. Given the great potential for Ca stable isotopes to identif...

Potassium (K) is an essential electrolyte for cellular functions in living organisms, and disturbances in K+ homeostasis could lead to various chronic diseases (e.g. hypertension, cardiac disease, diabetes, and bone health). However, little is known about the natural distribution of stable K isotopes in mammals and its application to investigate th...

The ca. 3.5 Ga Bon Accord Ni deposit was located in the Barberton Greenstone Belt of the Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa, and contained a unique assemblage of Ni-rich minerals including trevorite (NiFe2O4). It was initially interpreted as a metamorphosed extraterrestrial body, recently ruled out by Cr isotope data, and subsequently as a fragment of t...

Recycling of upper crustal sediments through slab subduction contributes to sub‐continental lithospheric refertilization and heterogeneity. However, the nature of recycled upper crustal components is unclear and direct evidence for sediment melt activity in the sub‐continental lithosphere is lacking. Here, we integrate major and trace elements, zir...

Rock fragments of the Cb-type asteroid Ryugu returned to Earth by the JAXA Hayabusa2 mission share mineralogical, chemical, and isotopic properties with the Ivuna-type (CI) carbonaceous chondrites. Similar to CI chondrites, these fragments underwent extensive aqueous alteration and consist predominantly of hydrous minerals likely formed in the pres...

The lunar basalt samples returned by the Chang’e-5 mission erupted about 2.0 billion years ago during the late period of the Moon’s secular cooling. The conditions of mantle melting in the source region and the migration of magma through the thick lithosphere that led to this relatively late lunar volcanism remain open questions. Here we combine qu...

Stable Ca isotopes are an increasingly useful tool for understanding the sources and processes leading to the formation of magmatic rocks, yet Ca isotope fractionation during genesis of silicic continental crust is still poorly understood. Here, we present Ca, Sr, and Nd isotope, as well as major- and trace-element whole-rock geochemical data for A...

Orogenic gold deposits account for more than 30 % of the global gold resources. To understand the genesis of orogenic gold deposits and ultimately target new orogenic gold deposits, it is important to determine the origin of gold. However, there has been a continuing debate surrounding gold source reservoirs. The Jiaodong gold province, comprising...

The extraterrestrial materials returned from asteroid (162173) Ryugu consist predominantly of low-temperature aqueously formed secondary minerals and are chemically and mineralogically similar to CI (Ivuna-type) carbonaceous chondrites. Here, we show that high-temperature anhydrous primary minerals in Ryugu and CI chondrites exhibit a bimodal distr...

Volatiles are vital ingredients for a habitable planet. Angrite meteorites sample the most volatile-depleted planetesimal in the Solar System, particularly for the alkali elements. They are prime targets for investigating the formation of volatile-poor rocky planets, yet their exceptionally low volatile content presents a major analytical challenge...

Initial analyses showed that asteroid Ryugu’s composition is close to CI (Ivuna-like) carbonaceous chondrites (CCs) – the chemically most primitive meteorites, characterized by near-solar abundances for most elements. However, some isotopic signatures (for example, Ti, Cr) overlap with other CC groups, so the details of the link between Ryugu and t...

Chondrites are undifferentiated meteorites that can provide information on the compositions of materials in the early solar System, including the building blocks of the terrestrial planets. While most chondrites belong to well-defined groups based on their mineralogy and chemical composition, a minor fraction have unusual characteristics and are cl...

Stable zirconium (Zr) isotope of magmatic zircons is a promising new tracer to understand magma differentiation in the continental crust. However, magmatic processes controlling zircon Zr isotopic variations remain poorly constrained. Here we present high-spatial-resolution in-situ methods on magmatic zircons for U-Pb age, trace elements, Hf isotop...

Zirconium, as a high field strength element, has been widely used to trace the differentiation of terrestrial planets. It is also a major constituent in zircon, an important accessory mineral providing constraints on the history of the Earth. Recently, stable Zr isotopes have shown potential in tracing magma differentiation. To fuel the application...