Welcome to the international symposium of Misasa VIII on the “Future Planetary Exploration: Understanding of Planetary Surface Environments and Habitability” organized by the Institute for Planetary Materials (IPM), Okayama University.
IPM is located in Misasa town, Tottori Prefecture, which is a well-known hot spring resort. The Institute has a long tradition, originating from the Institute for Thermal Spring Research (1950-1985), which was reorganized into the Institute for Study of the Earthʼs Interior (ISEI) as a national collaborative research facility in 1985, and then into the current Institute for Planetary Materials in 2016. The mission of IPM is to study the origin, evolution and dynamics of the Earth and other planets and origin of life, and to promoting collaborative research and education in Earth and planetary material sciences by providing opportunities to access its broad spectrum of unique world-class analytical and experimental facilities to the domestic and international research community.
In April of this year, IPM established a new division on planetary surface environment research with the aim of contributing to human society through the social implementation of material science for planetary exploration and human space advancement. We welcomed new staff members so that we can grow into a leading research institute for this purpose. Coincidentally, Okayama University has been selected for the J-PEAKS program, and IPM belongs to the Institute for Advancing Cutting-Edge Research, playing a leading role in research as a research university. The introduction of the planetary surface environment simulator, hyperspectral camera, and low gravity device, which are the highlights of the new division, is progressing steadily with the support of the university. These will be open to a wide range of users regardless of field as new core facilities of the Joint Use and Research Center. We would be happy if this symposium could serve as a catalyst for new research fusion with IPM as a hub.
We look forward to meeting you in March 2025 at the symposium, and wish you will have a great experience during your stay in Misasa.
Takashi Yoshino,
Director of the Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama University
This symposium will focus on “Planetary surface environments” and “Habitability” as revealed by recent and future planetary explorations, and aims to generate interdisciplinary discussion while touching on cutting-edge research results.
We welcome participation from a wide range of planetary science fields, including planetary geophysical observation, remote sensing, development of their instruments, geological and geomorphological analog studies on the Earth, water-rock reactions, and astrobiology.
Duration: March 4 (Tue.)-5 (Wed.), 2025
Place: Blanc Art Misasa, Tottori
N. Mangold (Laboratory of Planetology and Geodynamics in Nantes, France)
Z. Xiao (Sun-Yet Sen Univ.)
G. Komatsu (D'Annunzio Univ.)
Y. Kebukawa (ELSI, Science Tokyo)
T. Jia (ELSI, Science Tokyo)
M. Ohtake (Univ. Aizu)
K. Saiki (Ritsumeikan Univ.)
S. Sugita (Univ. Tokyo)
Y. Sekine (ELSI, Science Tokyo)
First circular: November 15, 2024
Second circular: December 14, 2024
Third circular: January 31, 2025
Call-for-abstracts starts: January 5, 2025
Abstract submission deadline: February 5, 2025
Symposium: March 4 (Tue)~5 (Wed), 2025
March 3: Ice Breaker
March 4: Banquet
Takashi Yoshino (Executive Committee Chairperson)
Akio Makishima
Katsura Kobayashi
Ryoji Tanaka
Jun Kameda (Executive Committee Vice Chairperson)
Takuya Moriguti
Matthew Izawa
Christian Potiszil
Trishit Ruj
