Dr. Wim van Westrenen [Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands]

Title: Physical and Chemical Properties of the Interior of the Moon

Time: 10:00 - 11:00 AM, Monday, January 14, 2019

Place: Conference Room 6-410, HPSTAR (Shanghai)

Host: Ho-Kwang Mao

Polycom: 02120004

Abstract:

Over the past decade, the number of space missions to the Moon has increased rapidly, culminating in China's successful landing on the lunar far side earlier this month. In parallel, increasingly detailed measurements of the composition of lunar meteorites and Apollo / Luna mission samples have been made on Earth. As a result, our knowledge of the properties of the Moon has expanded enormously. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of some of the main results of lunar science over the past years, and illustrate how high-pressure experiments (both in situ and ex situ) can be used to provide new insights into the physical and chemical properties of the interior of the Moon.

Biography of the Speaker:

Dr. Wim van Westrenen is interested in the use of experimental high-pressure, high-temperature apparatus to solve mineralogical and petrological problems in Earth and Planetary Science. To do so, his team subjects rock samples to extreme pressure and temperature conditions, and measures their chemical and physical properties.

He teaches (parts of) courses in mineralogy, rock recognition, mantle properties, magmatic processes, and planetary science, and is Director of Studies of the VU MSc programme ‘Earth Sciences’.

Wim van Westrenen is a member of the Young Academy of KNAW. In 2013, he was appointed as full professor on a University Research Chair.