Thomas Kruijer

Portrait of Thomas Kruijer
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  • Title
    Staff Scientist
  • Email
    kruijer1@llnl.gov
  • Phone
    (925) 424-2456
  • Organization
    PLS-NACSD-NUCLEAR & CHEMICAL SCIENCE DIVISION

Research appointments

Since 2022: Staff Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

2020–2021: Professor (W3), Museum für Naturkunde & Freie Universität Berlin 

2020: Staff Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

2017-2020 Postdoctoral Researcher, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

2014-2017: Research Associate/Lecturer (Akademischer Rat), University of Münster

2013-2014: Postdoctoral researcher, University of Münster

2013: Postdoctoral researcher, ETH Zürich

Biography

Thomas Kruijer is a staff scientist in the Cosmochemical and Isotopic Signatures Group at LLNL. Kruijer received his PhD from ETH Zürich, Switzerland, in 2013, specializing in isotope geo- and cosmochemistry. His research is focused on determining the origin, accretion, and early evolution of protoplanets, the terrestrial planets and the Moon, as well as on addressing problems in nuclear forensics. This is accomplished by reconstructing processes and events using isotopic signatures and chronometric tools. To this end, Kruijer measures small-scale isotopic variations in meteorites, lunar rocks, and anthropogenic samples, by utilizing novel and precise isotope ratio mass spectrometry techniques.

Kruijer has used isotopic signatures and radiometric ages of planetary samples and lunar rocks to study diverse aspects of early Solar System evolution, including the:

♣ origin and early evolution of the Moon

♣ origin, accretion, and core formation history of protoplanets

♣ accretion and early differentiation of Earth and Mars

♣ heritage and formation location of planetary building blocks

♣ large-scale evolution of the solar protoplanetary disk

Kruijer's research at LLNL is also focused on addressing problems in nuclear forensics by studying isotopic signatures in anthropogenic samples and/or nuclear materials. To facilitate advances in cosmochemistry and nuclear forensics, he has developed and implemented (1) state-of-the-art methods for isotope ratio measurements using thermal ionization (TIMS) and plasma source mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) as well as (2) novel techniques for clean-lab sample preparation and element purification.

PhD in Isotope Geo- and Cosmochemistry, ETH Zürich, 2013

MSc in Geology and Isotope geochemistry, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2009

BSc in Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2007

Please see ORCID (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0974-4324) and Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=INKCxa4AAAAJ&hl=en) for additional publications.

Peer-reviewed articles and book chapters:

(43)   Kruijer T.S., Borg L.E., Udry A., Filiberto J. (2024) Formation and interior evolution of Mars. Treatise on Geochemistry, 3rd edition. In press.

(42)   Kruijer T.S., Borg. L.E., Cassata W.S., Wimpenny J., Brennecka G.A., Shearer C.K., Simon S.B. (2023) Chronology of alkali anorthosite 14304 clast “b” records basin forming impact at ∼3.95 Ga. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 358, 61-76.

(41)   Kruijer T.S., Burkhardt C., Borg L.E., Kleine T. (2022) Tungsten and molybdenum isotopic evidence for an impact origin of pallasites. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 584, 117440.

(40)   Bermingham K.R., Kruijer T.S. (2022) Isotopic Constraints on the Formation of the Main Belt. In: “Vesta and Ceres Insights from the Dawn Mission for the Origin of the Solar System” Cambridge University Press, pp. 212-226.

(39)   Borg, L.E., Brennecka G.A., Kruijer T.S. (2022) The Origin of Volatile Elements in the Earth-Moon System. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), 119(8), e2115726119.

(38)   Burkhardt C., Spitzer, F., Morbidelli A., Budde G., Render J., Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2021) Terrestrial planet formation from lost inner solar system material. Science Advances, 7 (52), DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj7601.

(37)   Kruijer T.S., Archer G.J., Kleine T. (2021) No 182W evidence for early Moon formation. Comment on Thiemens M.M. et al. 2019 “Early Moon formation inferred from hafnium–tungsten systematics”. Nature Geoscience, 14, 714–715. Doi: 10.1038/s41561-019-0398-3.

(36)   Hellmann J.L., Kruijer T.S., Metzler K., Patzek M., Pack A., Berndt J., Kleine T. (2020) Hf-W chronology of a macrochondrule from the L5/6 chondrite Northwest Africa 8192. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 10, 2241-2255. Doi: 10.1111/maps.13571.

(35)   Brennecka G.A., Burkhardt C., Budde G., Kruijer T.S., Nimmo F., Kleine T. (2020) Astronomical context of Solar System formation from molybdenum isotopes in meteorite inclusions. Science, 370, 837–840. Doi: 10.1126/science.aaz8482.

(34)   Spitzer F., Burkhardt C., Budde G., Kruijer T.S., Morbidelli A., Kleine T. (2020) Isotopic evolution of the inner Solar System inferred from molybdenum isotopes in meteorites. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 898:L2 (10pp), Doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ab9e6a.

(33)   Kruijer T.S., Borg L.E., Wimpenny J., Sio C.K. (2020) Onset of magma ocean solidification on Mars inferred from Mn-Cr chronometry. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 542, 116315. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116315.

(32)   Kleine T., Budde G., Burkhardt C., Kruijer T.S., Worsham E.A., Morbidelli A., Nimmo F. (2020) The non-carbonaceous–carbonaceous meteorite dichotomy. Space Science Reviews 216, 55. Doi: 10.1007/s11214-020-00675-w.

(31)   Kruijer T.S., Kleine T., Borg L.E. (2020) The great isotopic dichotomy of the early Solar System. Nature Astronomy 4, 32-40. Doi: 10.1038/s41550-019-0959-9.

(30)   Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2019) Age and origin of IIE iron meteorites inferred from Hf-W chronology. Geochimica et Cosmochima Acta 262, 92-103. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2019.07.039

(29)   Borg L.E., Gaffney A.M., Kruijer T.S., Marks N.A., Sio, C.K., Wimpenny J. (2019) Isotopic evidence for a young lunar magma ocean. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 523, 115706. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2019.07.008.

(28)   Worsham E.A., Burkhardt C., Budde G., Fischer-Gödde M., Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2019) Distinct evolution of the carbonaceous–non-carbonaceous reservoirs: Insights from Ru, Mo, and W isotopes. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 521, 103-112. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2019.06.001.

(27)   Hellmann J.L., Kruijer T.S., Van Orman J.A., Metzler K., Kleine T. (2019) Hf-W chronology of ordinary chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 258, 290-309. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2019.05.040.

(26)   Archer G.J., Walker R.J., Tino J., Blackburn T., Kruijer T.S., Hellmann J. (2019) Siderophile element constraints on the thermal history of the H chondrite parent body. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 245, 556-576. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2018.11.012.

(25)   Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2018) No 182W excess in the Ontong Java Plateau Source. Chemical Geology, 485, 24-31. Doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2018.03.024.

(24)   Kleine T., Budde G., Hellmann J.L., Kruijer T.S., Burkhardt C. (2018) Tungsten isotopes and the origin of chondrules and chondrites. In “Chondrules and the Protoplanetary Disk" Cambridge University Press, 276-299. Doi: 10.1017/9781108284073.010.

(23)   Neumann W., Kruijer T.S., Breuer D., Kleine T. (2018) Multi-stage core formation in planetesimals
revealed by numerical modelling and Hf-W chronometry of iron meteorites. Journal of Geophysical Research – Planets, 123. Doi: 10.1002/2017JE005411

(22)   Budde G, Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2018) Hf-W chronology of CR chondrites: Implications for the timescales of chondrule formation and the distribution of 26Al in the solar nebula. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 222, 284-304. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2017.10.014.

(21)   Matthes M., Fischer-Gödde M., Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2018) Pd-Ag chronometry of IVA iron meteorites and the crystallization, compaction and cooling of a protoplanetary core. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 220, 82-95. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2017.09.009.

(20)   Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2018) Origin and Evolution of the Moon: Tungsten Isotopic Constraints. Encyclopedia of Lunar Science, Doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-05546-6_81-1.

(19)   Herd C.D.K., Walton E.L., Agee C.B., Muttik N., Ziegler K., Shearer C.K., Bell A.S., Santos A.R., Burger P.V., Simon J.I., Tappa M.J., McCubbin F.M., Gattacceca J., Lagroix F., Sanborn M.E., Yin Q, Cassata W.S., Borg L.E., Lindvall R.E., Kruijer T.S., Brennecka G.A., Kleine T. (2017) The Northwest Africa 8159 Martian Meteorite: Expanding the Martian Sample Suite to the Early Amazonian. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 218, 1-26. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2017.08.037.

(18)   Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2017) Tungsten isotopes and the origin of the Moon. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 475, 15-24. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2017.07.021.

(17)   Kruijer T.S., Kleine T., Borg L.E., Brennecka G.A., Fischer-Gödde M., Irving A.J., Bischoff A., Agee C.B. (2017) The early differentiation of Mars inferred from Hf-W chronometry. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 474, 345-354. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2017.06.047.

(16)   Kruijer T.S., Kleine T., Burkhardt C., Budde G. (2017) Age of Jupiter inferred from the distinct genetics and formation times of meteorites. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) 114, 6712-6716. Doi: 10.1073/pnas.1704461114.

(15)   Krabbe N., Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2017) Tungsten stable isotope compositions of terrestrial samples and meteorites determined by double spike MC-ICPMS. Chemical Geology 450, 135-154. Doi: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2016.12.024.

(14)   Dale C.W., Kruijer T.S., Burton K.W. (2017) Highly siderophile element and 182W evidence for a partial late veneer in the source of 3.8 Ga rocks from Isua, Greenland. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 454, 293-303. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.11.001.

(13)   Budde G., Burkhardt C., Brennecka G.A., Fischer-Gödde M., Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2016) Molybdenum isotopic evidence for the origin of chondrules and a distinct heritage of carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous meteorites. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 454, 293-303. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.09.020.

(12)   Budde G., Kleine T., Kruijer T.S., Burkhardt C., Metzler K. (2016) Tungsten isotopic evidence for the age and origin of chondrules. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) 113, 2886-2891. Doi: 10.1073/pnas.1524980113.

(11)   Fischer-Gödde M., Burkhardt C., Kruijer T.S., Kleine T. (2015) Ru isotope heterogeneity in the solar protoplanetary disk. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 168, 151-171. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2015.07.032.

(10)   Matthes M., Fischer-Gödde M., Kruijer T.S., Leya I., Kleine T. (2015) Pd-Ag chronometry of iron meteorites: correction of neutron capture-effects and application to the cooling history of differentiated protoplanets. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 169, 45-62. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2015.07.027.

(9)     Cook D.L., Kruijer T.S., Kleine, T
 (2015) Reply to comment by Peters et al. (2015) on “Cosmogenic 180W variations in meteorites and re-assessment of a possible 184Os–180W decay system” Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 169, 240-243. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2015.09.007.

(8)     Kruijer T.S., Kleine T., Fischer-Gödde M., Sprung (2015) Lunar tungsten isotopic evidence for the late veneer. Nature 520, 534-537. Doi: 10.1038/nature14360.

(7)     Budde G., Kruijer T.S., Fischer-Gödde M., Irving A.J., Kleine T (2015) Planetesimal differentiation revealed by the Hf-W systematics of ureilites. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 430, 316-325. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2015.08.034

(6)     Kruijer T.S., Touboul M., Fischer-Gödde M., Bermingham K, Kleine T., Walker R.J. (2014) Protracted core formation and rapid accretion of protoplanets. Science 344, 1150-1154. Doi: 10.1126/science.1251766.

(5)     Kruijer T.S., Kleine T., Fischer-Gödde M., Burkhardt C., Wieler, R. (2014) Nucleosynthetic W isotope anomalies and the Hf-W chronometry of Ca-Al-rich inclusions. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 403, 317-327. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2014.07.003.

(4)     Cook D.L., Kruijer T.S., Kleine, T
(2014) Cosmogenic 180W variations in meteorites and re-assessment of a possible 184Os–180W decay system. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 140, 160-176. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2014.05.013.

(3)     Kruijer T.S., Sprung P., Kleine T., Leya I., Wieler R. (2013) Abundance and isotopic composition of Cd in iron meteorites. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 48, 2597-2607. Doi: 10.1111/maps.12240.

(2)     Kruijer T.S., Fischer-Gödde M., Kleine T., Sprung P., Leya I., Wieler R. (2013) Neutron capture on Pt isotopes in iron meteorites and the Hf-W chronology of core formation in planetesimals. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 361, 162-172. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2012.10.014

(1)     Kruijer T.S., Sprung P., Kleine T., Leya I., Burkhardt C., Wieler R. (2012) Hf-W chronometry of core formation in planetesimals inferred from weakly irradiated iron meteorites. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 99, 287-304. Doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2012.09.015.

 

  • 2020 – Nier Prize, Meteoritical Society
  • 2019 – F.W. Clarke Award, Geochemical Society
  • 2014 – ETH Medal (Distinction of doctoral research)
  • 2013 – LPI Career Development Award, Lunar and Planetary Institute
  • 2010 – Escher Prize, Royal Geological and Mining Society (KNGMG)

Member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), Geochemical Society, and the Meteoritical Society.

Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaskruijer