The rocks that make up a planet's crust have a wide variety of chemical and mineralogical compositions. For the most part, these rocks originate from the slow cooling of magmas produced by the melting of other rocks located deeper down (the so-called mantle).

Between their source and the surface, magmas undergo continuous transformations, as crystals form and separate, progressively modifying their composition. It is theoretically possible to use surface rocks to infer the composition of planetary interiors. However, this requires a detailed understanding of magmatic processes, which can be partially reproduced in the laboratory.

The funding obtained will be used to acquire a furnace capable of reaching temperatures of up to 1600°C, in order to study the chemical equilibria between magmas and the various crystals that form in them.

Lame mince de météorite martienne (shergottite)
Thin blade of Martian meteorite (shergottite): olivine basalt (large, colored crystals), a rock formed by the crystallization of magma originating in the mantle on the surface of Mars, then ejected by an impact.

Two objectives

The first objective is to constrain the magmatic processes behind rocks over 3.5 billion years old, analyzed by the Perseverance rover on Mars. This should make it possible to identify the nature of the mantle rocks at depth, but also to better understand how the Martian crust, as a whole, was formed.

The second objective is to study even older magmatic processes, active over 4.5 billion years ago, at a time when planets were still forming and had not yet reached their final size. At that time, the solar system was populated by miniature planets known as planetesimals, the vast majority of which were incorporated into the growing planets. Some fragments of these planetesimals survived to form what are known today as asteroids.

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Photo de Max Collinet

We can also study the meteorites from these planetesimals and reproduce the magmatic processes that gave rise to them, in order to understand why the planets of the solar system are covered with rocks of such varied compositions.

Max Collinet Professor of Geology, Faculty of Science and ILEE Institute

Max Collinet - Mini CV

Max Collinet joined the University of Namur in September 2023. He brings unique expertise in magmatic petrology and planetary geology. Having explored Martian rocks through the study of meteorites, he also examined asteroid meteorites at MIT Boston. At UNamur, his ambition is to develop an experimental petrology laboratory and collaborate with physicists.

Photos de Max Collinet

Committed to the UNIVERSEH program, Max Collinet has positioned himself as a key figure in the geological and space fields.

To find out more, read our previous article: Understanding Mars rocks that have fallen to Earth: portrait of a geologist with his head in the stars

More about Max Collinet's research

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The Institut de la Vie, de la Terre et de l'Environnement at the University of Namur brings together a team of experts from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to work collaboratively using innovative technologies and rigorous scientific methods to make significant contributions to the field of environmental sciences. Researchers collaborate in interdisciplinary research around 5 research areas.

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Every year, the F.R.S.-FNRS launches calls for proposals to fund fundamental research. It has set up a range of tools enabling it to offer scientific and technical staff, equipment and operating resources to researchers, who are the bearers of a project of excellence.

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