Kevin Righter Research Group

University of Rochester

How did core formation and magma ocean melting control volatile and siderophile element distributions during planet formation? The group conducts experimental petrology that reproduces high pressures and temperatures to study magma ocean crystallization and melting pathways. Researchers experimentally determine trace element partitioning, isotopic tracer behavior, and redox state to constrain mantle differentiation mechanisms. The lab performs geochemical and petrographic analyses of meteorites and OSIRIS-REx Bennu samples to reconstruct asteroid alteration and formation pathways. He is building a laboratory at Rochester to simulate planetary interiors and run high pressure and temperature experiments connecting results to planetary compositions.