Noriko Kita Cosmochemistry Research
Primitive meteorites recorded the early evolution of the solar system. We use SIMS to obtain high precision isotope analyses of pristine meteorite samples, such as Ca, Al-rich inclusions and chondrules in order to address the timing of their formation and the condition of proto-planetary disk in which they formed. We are also interested in precious particles collected from asteroidsand comets by space missions, such as NASA Stardust Mission.
Chondrules in Semarkona meteorite.
SIMS analysis of Wild 2 comet particle (Nakashima et al. 2012)
What's New
A Postdoctoral Research Associate position is currently available in the Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison for NASA-funded Cosmochemical research to perform in-situ isotope analyses of particles from comet and asteroid sample return missions and chondrules and refractory inclusions in primitive chondritic meteorites using the large radius secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) IMS-1280 in the WiscSIMS Laboratory.
The WiscSIMS laboratory is capable of obtaining high precision oxygen three isotope analyses from ~10 µm spots (±0.3‰, 2SD) down to 1-2 µm spots (±1-2‰, 2SD). High precision magnesium isotope analyses are also carried out for Al-Mg chronology with the time resolution better than 0.1-0.2 million years. Current cosmochemical research activities at Noriko Kita’s research group are shown at this link.
Primary responsibilities will be to conduct oxygen isotope analyses of returned samples, such as Wild 2 comet (Stardust), asteroids Ryugu (Hayabusa 2) and Bennu (OSIRIS-REx), which involves petrologic descriptions using electron microscopy (EPMA and SEM), oxygen three-isotope analyses and Al-Mg analyses using SIMS, and publishing results to peer-reviewed journals. In addition, the postdoc will conduct and/or assist SIMS analyses of extraterrestrial samples for external SIMS users under NASA Planetary Science Enabling Facilities. The postdoc will be given extensive SIMS training and may have an opportunity to conduct SIMS analytical development. Experiences with electron microscopy (EPMA and SEM) is required. Preference will be given to those who have experiences in cosmochemical research and/or isotope ratios mass spectrometry. This position is available for one year and may be renewable to maximum three years depending on the performance and availability of fund.
Please send a letter of interest, CV, and the names and contact information of 3 references to Dr. Noriko Kita (kita@wisc.edu).
Evaluation of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Women and individuals from under-represented groups are especially encouraged to apply. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We are committed to create a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background.
WiscSIMS Laboratory for in-Situ Isotope Analysis of Extraterrestrial Sample (NASA Planetary Science Enabling Facilities Program: 2025-2029)
Wisconsin Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer Laboratory (WiscSIMS) is equipped with CAMECA IMS 1280, a large magnetic-sector SIMS, and specializes in high precision in-situ stable isotope analyses of minerals at 1-10 μm lateral resolutions. WiscSIMS laboratory has been funded by NSF Earth Science Instrumentation and Facilities Program as a National Facility for Stable Isotope Geochemistry and devotes 50% of beam-time assisting NSF-funded geoscience projects. With support from NASA Planetary Science Enable Facilities Program (PSEF), WiscSIMS will assist projects that are funded by Programs of the NASA Planetary Science Division (PSD) and broader extraterrestrial sample analysis community, in a similar way to the NSF Facility Program. Users are expected to acquire high quality SIMS isotope data with very little former experiences. The performance of WiscSIMS IMS 1280 has been significantly improved by multiple commercial upgrades and in-house modifications, so that the instrument is capable of obtaining the world’s highest precision and accuracy data for oxygen 3-isotope analyses and Al-Mg chronology of extraterrestrial samples, such as Ca, Al-rich inclusions and chondrules in primitive meteorites, micrometeorites, interplanetary dust particles, comet Wild 2, and asteroid return samples. The results of SIMS analyses are crucial for understanding the sources and evolution of primitive solids in the early Solar System. PI Kita and her team will support 3-4 SIMS sessions (up to one week per session) each year for external extraterrestrial sample analyses and the projects that are funded by NASA PSD programs receive the high priority in the time allocation. We will evaluate analysis plans, inspect samples by surface profilometer, set up and run calibration standard, assist users to analyze samples, and finalize data. The instrument fee will be the same as for NSF projects, $1,800 per day (12 hours), which will not be applied to set up time and time for analyzing calibration standards.
Recent Publications
Kita N. T., Kitajima K., Nagashima K., Kawasaki N., Sakamoto N., Fujiya W., Abe Y., Aléon J., Alexander C. M. O., Amari S., Amelin Y., Bajo K., Bizzarro M., Bouvier A., Carlson R. W., Chaussidon M., Choi B., Dauphas N., Davis A. M., Di Rocco T., Fukai R., Gautam I., Haba M. K., Hibiya Y., Hidaka H., Homma H., Hoppe P., Huss G. R., Ichida K., Iizuka T., Ireland T. R., Ishikawa A., Itoh S., Kleine T., Komatani S., Krot A. N., Liu M., Masuda Y., McKeegan K. D., Morita M., Motomura K., Moynier F., Nakai I., Nguyen A., Nittler L., Onose M., Pack A., Park C., Piani L., Qin L., Russell S. S., Schönbächler M., Tafla L., Tang H., Terada K., Terada Y., Usui T., Wada S., Wadhwa M., Walker R. J., Yamashita K., Yin Q., Yokoyama T., Yoneda S., Young E. D., Yui H., Zhang A., Nakamura T., Naraoka H., Noguchi T., Okazaki R., Sakamoto K., Yabuta H., Abe M., Miyazaki A., Nakato A., Nishimura M., Okada T., Yada T., Yogata K., Nakazawa S., Saiki T., Tanaka S., Terui F., Tsuda Y., Watanabe S., Yoshikawa M., Tachibana S. and Yurimoto H. (2024) Disequilibrium oxygen isotope distribution among aqueously altered minerals in Ryugu asteroid returned samples. Meteorit & Planetary Scien, maps.14163.
Zhang M., Fukuda K., Tappa M. J., Siron G., Nachlas W. O., Kimura M., Kitajima K., Bauer A. M. and Kita N. T. (2024) Forging inner-disk Al-rich chondrules by interactions of CAI-like melt and ambient gas. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 379, 89–110.
Zhang M., Zolensky M. E., Fukuda K., Nakashima D., Weisberg M. K. and Kita N. T. (2024) Late Pebble Accretion of Comet 81P/Wild 2 Nucleus: Evidence from a Plagioclase-bearing Chondrule Fragment, Pyxie. ApJ 971, 12.
Zhang M., Chaumard N., Defouilloy C., Nachlas W. O., Brownlee D. E., Joswiak D. J., Westphal A. J., Gainsforth Z., Kitajima K. and Kita N. T. (2024) Comet 81P/Wild 2 dust impactors of Stardust turnip-like tracks analogous to cluster IDPs. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 371, 214–227.
Nakashima D., Noguchi T., Ushikubo T., Kimura M. and Kita N. (2024) Oxygen isotope study of the Asuka-881020 CH chondrite II: Porphyritic chondrules. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 373, 292–307.
Shimizu K, Blum TB, Bonamici CE, Fournelle JH, Jilly-Rehak CE, Kita NT, Kitajima K, Klug JD, Nachlas WO, Singer BS, Spicuzza MJ, Sobolev AV, Wathen BA, Valley JW (2024) Melt inclusions in zircon: A window to understanding the structure and evolution of the magmatic system beneath the Laguna del Maule volcanic field. Contrib. Mineral. Petrol.179.
Goodrich C. A., Downes H., Greenwood R., Ross A. J., Fioretti A. M., Alexander L., Kita N. T., Butler J., Jercinovic M. J., Jenniskens P. and Shaddad M. H. (2024) Enstatite meteorite clasts in Almahata Sitta and other polymict ureilites: Implications for the formation of asteroid 2008 TC 3 and the history of enstatite meteorite parent asteroids. Meteorit & Planetary Scien 59, 719–753.
Heck P. R., Schmitz B., Ritter X., Rout S. S., Kita N. T., Defouilloy C., Keating K., Eisenstein K. and Terfelt F. (2024) Unusual sources of fossil micrometeorites deduced from relict chromite in the small size fraction in ~467 Ma old limestone. Meteorit & Planetary Scien 59, 502–513.
Noguchi T., Nakashima D., Ushikubo T., Fujiya W., Ohashi N., Bradley J. P., Nakamura T., Kita N. T., Hoppe P., Ishibashi H., Kimura M. and Imae N. (2024) Chondrule-like objects and a Ca-Al-rich inclusion from comets or comet-like icy bodies. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 381, 131–155.
Nakashima D., Nakamura T., Zhang M., Kita N. T., Mikouchi T., Yoshida H., Enokido Y., Morita T., Kikuiri M., Amano K., Kagawa E., Yada T., Nishimura M., Nakato A., Miyazaki A., Yogata K., Abe M., Okada T., Usui T., Yoshikawa M., Saiki T., Tanaka S., Nakazawa S., Terui F., Yurimoto H., Noguchi T., Yabuta H., Naraoka H., Okazaki R., Sakamoto K., Watanabe S., Tachibana S. and Tsuda Y. (2023) Chondrule-like objects and Ca-Al-rich inclusions in Ryugu may potentially be the oldest Solar System materials. Nat Commun 14, 532.
MacPherson GJ, Beckett J, Kita NT, Nagashima K, Krot AN, Fournelle J, Kööp L, Hertwig AT, Rose TR and Davis AM (2023) SIMS relative sensitivity factors for Al/Mg in synthetic and Madagascar hibonite. Chemical Geology 617, 121272.
Front: Noriko Kita, Back: Guillaume Siron, Mingming Zhang, Kohei Fukuda (June 2021)
People
Noriko Kita, Distinguished Scientist, Director of WiscSIMS Laboratory
Mingming Zhang, Scientist
Former WiscSIMS Cosmochemist
‣ Jens Barosch (University of Edinburgh)
‣ Guillaume Siron (Université de Franche-Comté)
‣ Kohei Fukuda (Osaka University)
‣ Noel Chaumard (Fi Group)
‣ Andreas Hertwig (Curtin University)
‣ Céline Defouilloy (Cameca Instrument)
‣ Travis Tenner (Los Alamos National Laboratory)
‣ Daisuke Nakashima (Tohoku University, Japan)
‣ Takayuki Ushikubo (JAMSTEC Kochi, Japan)
‣ Rudraswami Gowda (National Institute of Oceanography, India)