Commendation

For his groundbreaking research in ultra-high pressure mineral physics by challenging long-standing paradigms and his leadership in the creation of new research trends in solid Earth science.

A list of five major papers

• Hirose, K., Wood, B., Vočadlo, L., The light elements in the Earth’s core, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 2, 645–658 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-021-00203-6
• Tagawa, S., Sakamoto, N., Hirose, K., Yokoo, S., Hernlund, J., Ohishi, Y., Yurimoto, H., Experimental evidence for hydrogen incorporation into Earth’s core, Nature Communications, 12, 2588 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22035-0
• Hirose, K., Morard, G., Sinmyo, R., Umemoto, K., Hernlund, J., Helffrich, G., Labrosse, S., Crystallization of silicon dioxide and compositional evolution of the Earth’s core, Nature, 543, 99–102 (2017). doi:10.1038/nature21367
• Ohta, K., Onoda, S., Hirose, K., Sinmyo, R., Shimizu, K., Sata, N., Ohishi, Y., Yasuhara, A., The electrical conductivity of post-perovskite in Earth’s D” layer, Science, 320, 89–91 (2008). DOI: 10.1126/science.1155148
• Murakami, M., Hirose, K., Kawamura, K., Sata, N., Ohishi, Y., Post-perovskite phase transition in MgSiO3, Science, 304, 855–858 (2004). DOI: 10.1126/science.1095932

Major achievements

Dr. Kei Hirose has achieved outstanding accomplishments in the fields of mineral physics and experimental petrology through his studies of phase relations and physical properties of Earth materials under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. His work has significantly advanced our understanding of the structure and dynamics of the lower mantle and the core. In particular, the discovery of the post-perovskite phase has made a profound contribution not only to high-pressure mineral physics but also to elucidating the seismic structure of the D″ layer, clarifying the influence of electromagnetic coupling between this phase and the core on Earth’s rotation, and investigating the origin and dynamics of large low-shear-velocity provinces (LLSVPs). In studies of the Earth’s core, Dr. Hirose has proposed the possible incorporation of hydrogen as a light element and has presented transformative insights into the formation of a young inner core and the associated origin of the geodynamo, thereby opening new frontiers in Earth science and challenging long-standing paradigms. Furthermore, his contributions extend beyond the Earth to investigations of the deep interiors of terrestrial planets such as Mars.Through these achievements, Dr. Hirose has made substantial contributions across multiple disciplines related to solid Earth science and planetary science, exerting broad and lasting influence on the field. In addition, as a global leader in ultrahigh-pressure research, Dr. Hirose has played a pivotal role in establishing internationally recognized research centers in Japan and has contributed significantly to the development of the solid Earth science community by mentoring and training many early-career researchers.

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Nominator

Kenji Ohta

Supporters

Ho-kwang Mao, Christine Thomas, Takehiko Yagi,