Justin Hu

Justin Hu studies mass-dependent fractionation and isotopic anomalies of REEs. He applies REE isotopes to the evolution of the early solar system, cosmic-ray exposure, REE deposit formation and paleoceanography. 

He develops high precision methods for isotopic analyses of REEs (Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er and Yb). He uses the isotopic fractionation of REEs in group II CAIs to study the initial condensation and evaporation that have happened in the earliest stage of the Solar System. He relates the REE isotopic fractionations with processes that influence the distribution of refractory lithophile elements (RLEs) in planetary materials.

He studies the equilibrium fractionation factor of Eu and Dy using the synchrotron technique of nuclear resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (NRIXS) and explores the uses of Eu as a redox proxy in relatively reducing environment. 

Research Interests

Isotope geochemistry and cosmochemistry, calcium aluminum inclusions, nuclear resonance scattering, nucleosynthesis, REE chemistry, early Solar System processes, paleoceanography