Commencement of initial analysis of particles
in Hayabusa sampler container
January 17, 2011 (JST)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has been engaged in collecting and categorizing particles in the sampler container (*1), which was brought back by the instrumental module of the asteroid exploration spacecraft "Hayabusa."
JAXA decided to commence the initial analysis (*2) of particles indentified as rocky using scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations, which were collected through the free fall method from sample catcher compartment "A." Please see the attached list of researchers in charge of initial analysis.
*1 The Hayabusa sampler container consists of 2 compartments that are called Sample Catcher A and B.
*2 "Initial analysis" means the analysis of typical particles to obtain information necessary for categorizing
(identification, classification and numbering) as a part of curation activity (*3).
*3 "Curation activity" means the retrieval of particles, preservation, categorizing and allocation and their necessary analysis.
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List of initial analysis plans
| Representative(*) and members of analysis (in alphabetical order of representative's family name) | Affiliation | Analytical method and equipment | Information to be obtained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsuru Ebihara * Shun Sekimoto |
Tokyo Metropolitan University, Science & Engineering Kyoto University, Research Reactor Institute |
Neutron Activation Analysis (Research Reactor of Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute) |
Elemental composition |
| Fumio Kitajima * Masato, Kotsugi Takuo Ohkochi |
Kyushu University, Faculty of Sciences JASRI/SPring-8 JASRI/SPring-8 (JASRI:Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute) (SPring-8:The world’s largest synchrotron radiation facility) |
Micro-Raman Spectroscopy / Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Micro-Infrared Spectroscopy (Kyushu University) X-ray Photoemission Electron Microscope (SPring-8) |
Presence or absence of carbonaceous macromolecular matter and its structure (if present) |
| Keisuke Nagao * Ryuji Okazaki |
University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Science Kyushu University, Faculty of Sciences |
Noble Gas Mass Spectrometry (University of Tokyo) | Surface environment of Itokawa based on concentrations and isotopic ratios of solar and cosmogenic noble gases |
| Eizo Nakamura * | Okayama University, Institute for Study of the Earth's Interior | Analysis coordination and laboratory management (Okayama University) | Data evaluations and cataloging |
| Tatsuki Tsujimori | Petrographic microscopes, Stereoscopic microscopes (Okayama University) Scanning Electron Microscopes (Okayama University) Electron Probe Microanalyser (Okayama University) |
Morphologic and petrographic characters of particles Major element composition and distribution |
|
| Tak Kunihiro | High-Resolution Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (Okayama University) |
In-situ isotope composition of oxygen (and lithium for particles > 15 µm) | |
| Takuya Moriguti | Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (Okayama University) |
In-situ elemental composition of H, B, C, F, Cl, rare-earth elements and other trace elements | |
| Katsura Kobayashi | Transmission Electron Microscope (Okayama University) | Submicron-scale texture; Crystal structure; In-situ major element composition; Submicron-scale elemental distribution; Occurrence of organic matter | |
| Masami Kanzaki | Micro-laser Raman Spectroscopy (Okayama University) | Description of polymeric organic matter (in case of organic matter identified) | |
| Ryoji Tanaka | Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometers (Okayama University) | Preparation of analytical standards (reference materials) for trace-element and isotope analyses. In-situ individual analyses will be carried out based upon these reference materials. | |
| Akio Makishima | Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometers (Okayama University) Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometers(Okayama University) |
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| Tomoki Nakamura * Takaaki Noguchi Masahiko Tanaka |
Tohoku University, Faculty of Science Ibaraki University, the College of Science National Institute for Materials Science |
X-Ray Diffraction, X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization) Scanning Electron Microscope (Tohoku, Kyushu and Ibaraki University) Transmission Electron Microscope (Ibaraki Univ., Hitachi High Technologies Co. Ltd.) X-Ray Diffraction (SPring-8) |
Identification of minerals, relative mineral abundance, whole-rock elemental abundance Chemical composition of minerals, internal texture of particles Microstructures of minerals, Chemical compositions of minerals, Investigation of space weathering Crystal structure of minerals |
| Hiroshi Naraoka * Hajime Mita Kenji Hamase Kazuhiko Fukushima |
Kyushu University, Faculty of Sciences Fukuoka Institute of Technology, Faculty of Engineering Kyushu University, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Nagoya University, School of Agricultural Sciences |
Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (Kyushu University) Liquid Chromatograph-Fluorescent Detection (Kyushu University) Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (Nagoya University) |
Presence or absence and type of organic compounds (if present) |
| Akira Tsuchiyama * Kentaro Uesugi |
Osaka University, School of Science JASRI/SPring-8 |
X-Ray Tomography (SPring-8) | 3D shape and inner structure of particles |
| Hisayoshi Yurimoto * | Hokkaido University, Department of Natural History Sciences | Isotope Microscope/ Secondary Ion Mass spectrometer (Hokkaido University) | Isotopic compositions, trace element compositions |
Michael Zolensky (NASA), Scott Sandford (NASA) and Trevor Ireland (ANU, Australia)will join as foreign researchers.