ELSI

Research & Activities

Study Groups

Group Introduction

SG1 (planetary water) organized by Hidenori Genda

Thursday 15:30-17:00 @I2-315 (every two weeks)

Topics

Origin, evolution and volume of the Earth’s ocean

Subtopic

Subtopic: 1) Snow line and H2O distribution in the protoplanetary disk, 2) Water & D/H variation of building blocks (meteorite etc.), and origin of meteorite itself, 3) D/H of planets & Moon and evolution of seawater (mantle-ocean cycling, H-escape), and 4) Timing of magma ocean, "Late Veneer" & "Late Heavy Bombardment"

SG2 (prebiotic chemistry) organized by Masashi Aono

Every Monday 13:00-14:00 @I6-404A

Topics

1) Bottom-up Approach to the Origin of Life, 2) Synthesis of Complex Organic Compounds and Processes, and 3) Emergence of Proto-biological Systems

Purpose

1) Planning, Designing, and Steering Prebiotic Chemical Experimentations, 2) Discussion on "Roadmap" of the Future Experimentations

SG3 (biosphere evolution) organized by Yuka Fujii

Thursday 15:30-17:00 @I2-315 (every two weeks)

Topic

emergence of oxygenic photosynthesis and surrounding environment

SG3 (Biosphere) is aimed at understanding the coevolution of life and planetary environment. In particular, we are planning to study the early evolution of biosphere in the era when oxygenic photosynthesis emerges and the atmospheric oxygen increases (~2.3 Gyr ago).

SG4 (solid earth) organized by Kenji Kawai (GCOE)

Monthly one day workshop @Titech. or Ehime Univ. (ELSI Satellite inst.)

Objectives

Linking evolution of the solid Earth to biosphere

We are going to study (1) composition of primodial crust and
mantle (2) mantle overturn (3) what controls thermal history of the
Earth (4) prerequisite for habitable planet from the point of view of
the solid Earth.

SG5 (planetary exploration & life) organized by James Dohm

Monday 13:30-15:00 @ TBD (every two weeks)

Topics

(1) Habitable Trinity, (2) Planetary Systems, (3) Roadmap/index to optimally search for life beyond Earth, (4) Astrobiology, and (5) Workshop planning & preparation

Purpose
and
objectives

(1) Discuss the new Habitable concept, Habitable Trinity, (2) Provide new perspectives on the origin and evolution of the planetary bodies of our solar system and implications on life, (3) Produce an index (as a road map) for identifying extrasolar habitable planetary bodies, (4) Provide optimal environmental parameters for laboratory experiments (Early Earth and considerations of other planetary bodies such as Early Mars), (5) Provide a new perspective and systemization of Astrobiology, (6) Provide foundational information to select prime target for future science-driven missions through providing a Global Planetary System (GPS) index to optimize science return, and (7) Collectively work on public outreach strategies/tools