Impacts of Climate Change on Meteorite Preservation REP 2026

Impacts of Climate Change on Meteorite Preservation REP 2026

Lead Supervisor:
Queenie Chan

Locations:
Royal Holloway University of London

Duration:
6 weeks

Suitable undergraduate degrees:
Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics

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Project background

Scientific Background

Freshly fallen meteorites provide valuable information about the history and evolution of our Solar System. Their rapid recovery and our understanding on the impact of terrestrial alteration on their chemical signature are crucial for the preservation of the information on our Solar System, such as information on the emergence of life on Earth through the delivery of water and organic matter.

More than 60% of all ~80,000 meteorites collected on Earth were collected in Antarctica, where the stagnant ice flow and the lack of weathering in the cold, dry conditions can preserve meteorites for thousands of years. However, meteorite recovery is impacted by climate change – as a result of global warming, by 2050, a quarter of Antarctica meteorites will disappear by melting into the ice sheet (Tollenaar et al. 2024). This project will assess how climate change impact the chemical and organic preservation of meteorites.

 

Research Methodology

Overall, our aims are to (1) characterise mineralogical components in meteorite simulant; (2) expose a meteorite simulant to Antarctic conditions (average temperature increase and extreme events, flow of liquid water upon thawing, wet-dry cycles) projected for the next 50 years; (3) compare the mineralogical and organic content of the samples before and after alteration experiments; (4) train a student in these techniques.

We propose to image and characterise the samples using an unprepared chip pressed into pure indium, we will use Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and Raman spectroscopy, to characterise the mineralogical and organic distribution.

Timeline:          

Week 1: Literature review and laboratory training

Week 2: Alteration experiment on meteorite simulant

Week 3: SEM and data reduction

Week 4: Raman spectroscopy and data reduction

Week 5: Comparison to unaltered samples

Week 6: Writing up

 

Reference

Tollenaar V, Zekollari H, Kittel C, Farinotti D, Lhermitte S, Debaille V, Goderis S, Claeys P, Joy KH, Pattyn F. Antarctic meteorites threatened by climate warming. Nat Clim Chang. 2024; 14(4): 340-343. doi: 10.1038/s41558-024-01954-y. Epub 2024 Apr 8. PMID: 38617203; PMCID: PMC11006603.

Eligibilty criteria

Students must meet all of the eligibility requirements listed below to apply for a REP:

  • Be undertaking their first undergraduate degree studies (or integrated Masters) – note that students in in their final year who have graduated and no longer have student status at the time the placement starts are not eligible;
  • Be eligible for subsequent NERC PhD funding (please see the relevant text in the ‘Terms and conditions for training funding’ and associated guidance for further information – https://www.ukri.org/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-training-funding/); and
  • Have the right to work in the UK.

 

Students from outside the UK who do not already have right to work in the UK should not apply.

How to apply

The deadline for applications will be midday (12 noon BST) on Wednesday 20 May 2026.  

In order to be considered for a placement, please apply to aries.dtp@uea.ac.uk providing the following:

  • A supporting statement explaining your motivation for applying for this project. Please include answers to the following questions:
    • which project are you applying for?
    • why have you applied for this project (e.g. what interested you about this project, what in particular made you want to undertake this research)?
    • what do you hope to achieve by undertaking this placement (e.g. is it for experience, to gain skills, to develop your interests)?
    • what skills do you have that make you an ideal candidate for this placement (e.g. what skills have you developed during your degree that might apply)?
    • what do you hope to do when you complete your degree (e.g. have you considered a working in scientific research in the future, or is this your first experience)?
  • A recent CV
  • A reference from your personal tutor (please ask your tutor to send this to us directly)
  • An interim transcript if available
  • Please also complete the online EDI form (this form is a mandatory part of the application process, but contains ‘prefer not to say’ options for all questions asked)
Selection process
  • Applications are screened for eligibility
  • Applications are forwarded to supervisors (the EDI form is not included)
  • Supervisors shortlist candidates and interview for the placement.

 

Candidates will be scored according to the following criteria:

  • Fit to project (e.g. your current skills, area of study, interests)
  • Enthusiasm for environmental research (e.g. what you hope to achieve through undertaking this placement, why you chose this project in particular)
  • Evidence of suitability to undertake a research placement (e.g. evidence from your tutor reference, transcript, and CV that you are an engaged student)

 

Successful candidates will be informed by Friday 12 June 2026.