San Francisco. "Variations in Moderately Volatile Elements in Planetary Bodies from Impact Vaporization" Abstract: Planet-building processes have a strong effect on the distribution of the elements in the resulting bodies. In particular, moderately volatile elements (MVEs) have distinct differences in depletion between the meteorite groups and the planets. Understanding the chemical effects of impacts and post-impact processes are necessary in order to place constraints on the bulk composition of the planet (pre-differentiation). Vaporizing collisions, common in energetic periods of accretion such giant planet migration and the terrestrial giant impact stage, can separate refractory and volatile components as the system re-equilibratesContinue reading