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Yokoyama Lab
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The lab precisely measures isotopes in meteorites and other samples to explore the origins of the universe and Earth.
AboutAbout the lab
Approaching the origins of the universe and Earth through isotope analysis.
The Yokoyama Lab studies how the universe and Earth formed and evolved.
Its clues are the isotope ratios of elements contained in meteorites and other samples.
Using instruments called mass spectrometers, the lab measures isotope ratios with extremely high precision.
It tackles a wide range of topics, from the origin of the elements to the evolution of the early solar system, planetary differentiation, and the formation of Mars and Earth.
Key terms
- Isotope
- Atoms of the same element that differ only in mass (number of neutrons). Their ratios can be used to trace the origin and age of materials.
- Presolar grain
- A tiny mineral that formed around another star before the solar system formed and remains preserved in meteorites.
- Siderophile element
- An element that tends to bond readily with metallic iron.
NewsLab news
Paper by Assistant Professor Nakanishi et al. published in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Paper by Professor Yokoyama et al. published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science
Paper by Professor Yokoyama et al. published in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Paper by Assistant Professor Nakanishi et al. published in Geochemical Perspectives Letters
Paper by Professor Yokoyama et al. published in Science Advances
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to clarify the formation and evolution of the universe and Earth through high-precision isotope ratio analysis by mass spectrometry. Its research covers the origin of the elements, the evolution and chronology of the early solar system, planetary differentiation, and the evolution of Mars and Earth.
*Illustrative imageOrigin of the elements
By analyzing with high precision the isotopic compositions of presolar grains, tiny minerals formed before the solar system and preserved in primitive meteorites, the lab seeks to uncover the origin of the elements.
*Illustrative imageEvolution of the early solar system
To test the idea that Jupiter formed early and spatially divided the solar system into two, the lab measures stable isotopes in meteorites and in grains within them, investigating the evolution of the early solar system.
*Illustrative imageChronology of the early solar system
The lab uses meteorite dating to determine the order of the events that occurred in rapid succession just after the solar system formed. It focuses in particular on two dating methods: the Pb-Pb method and the 146Sm-142Nd method.
*Illustrative imagePlanetary differentiation
The lab investigates when and how the separation of crust, mantle, and core occurred on planets. It compares the abundances of siderophile elements in meteorites with the way elements partition, as determined through experiments such as high-pressure experiments.
MembersFaculty
Members of the Yokoyama Lab consist of faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorTetsuya YokoyamaPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorNao Nakanishi
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Asteroid Ryugu (ann19006a)” JAXA, University of Tokyo & collaborators / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Origin of the elements: “Presolar SiC X grain” Kathryn Hynes / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Evolution of the early solar system: “Carbonaceous chondrite (Allende Meteorite) ( Ga) )” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Chronology of the early solar system: “Vesta full mosaic” NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCAL/MPS/DLR/IDA / Public domain (cropped)
- Planetary differentiation: “Iron meteorite. Toluca, Mexico-8913” Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Haba Lab): “Eucrite (Vestan gabbro) (Tirhert Meteorite)” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Ueno Lab): “Stromatolites at Hamelin Pool in Shark Bay - Western Australia - 27 Aug. 2014” Bryn Pinzgauer / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Kebukawa Lab): “Carbonaceous chondrite (Murchison Meteorite) ( )” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Ohta Lab): “DiamondAnvilCell 003” National Institute of Standards and Technology / Public domain (cropped)
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