Research project P4S/25/BERYL (Research action P4S)
For more than a decade, the VUB-ULB-RBINS consortium, in collaboration with the Japanese National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), has conducted interdisciplinary research on Antarctic meteorites, micrometeorites, and blue ice fields near the Belgian Princess Elisabeth Station. These efforts have resulted in the recovery of more than 1,450 meteorites and approximately 100,000 microscopic extraterrestrial particles, providing key insights into the evolution of the Solar System, Antarctic glacial dynamics, and past climatic conditions.
Building on recent successes in the Sør Rondane and Belgica Mountains, the BERYL project aims to extend Belgian-led Antarctic research to the Yamato Mountains, one of the most important meteorite accumulation regions in Antarctica. The project will systematically expand and compare East Antarctic meteorite collections, document extraterrestrial material preserved in blue ice fields, and reconstruct ice exposure histories using stable isotope analyses and cosmic-ray exposure ages of meteorites. These data will constrain temporal variations in the extraterrestrial flux, advance fundamental questions in meteoritics, and refine glaciological and paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
In addition, BERYL will explore interactions between rocks, ice, and microbial life, opening new perspectives for Antarctic astrobiology. The project strengthens Belgium’s international leadership in planetary and polar sciences, enhances the scientific value of the national collections at the RBINS, and integrates dedicated outreach activities to engage the public with Antarctic research and space science.
