Scientific questions

Thanks to the APATE project, we wish to adress several scientific questions about the formation of the Earth :

  • Was an hydrogen-rich atmosphere present around the young Earth ?
  • What was the origin of this hydrogen-rich atmosphere : capture of a solar nebula, solar wind irradiation with ion implantation at the surface of precursor grains of the parent bodies ?
  • What is the consequence for the chronology of the Earth formation ?
  • If irradiation occurred on the preplanetary precursor grains, is it possible that the chemical and isotopic composition was modified due to sputtering ?