GALAAD — Genesis and evolution of radiolytic oxygen-bearing organic compounds in the precambrian canadian craton: integrating natural observations with numerical simulations

The GALAAD project aims to investigate the formation and diversity of abiotic organic compounds (Q4) in Precambrian rocks of the Canadian Shield, based on the Kidd Creek underground observatory (Ontario, 2.4 km depth). While the chemistry of fluids and gases in this system is well documented—highlighting in particular abiotic organic acids (formate, acetate), as well as methane and molecular hydrogen—solid abiotic organic matter trapped within the rock matrix remains largely unexplored. Its nature, origin, and formation mechanisms are still poorly understood.

In this context, Ariane Amat began her PhD in October 2025, as part of an international collaboration between IPGP, the University of Toronto, and Helmholtz Munich. Her work aims to provide new constraints on abiotic organic synthesis in deep environments, by highlighting a possible co-evolution between minerals and organic matter, as well as a more diverse and potentially more complex abiotic organic chemistry of prebiotic interest than previously considered.

The project is led by Bénédicte Menez (IPGP).