A5009715017- Astro and Planetary Science
- Planetary Science and Exploration
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Radioactive element chemistry and processing
- Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
- Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Geological and Geochemical Analysis
- Mineralogy and Gemology Studies
- Ion-surface interactions and analysis
- Radioactive contamination and transfer
- High-pressure geophysics and materials
- Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
National Museum of Natural History
2025
Smithsonian Institution
2025
University of Maryland, College Park
2023-2024
Arizona State University
2019-2021
Abstract Evaporation or freezing of water-rich fluids with dilute concentrations dissolved salts can produce brines, as observed in closed basins on Earth 1 and detected by remote sensing icy bodies the outer Solar System 2,3 . The mineralogical evolution these brines is well understood regard to terrestrial environments 4 , but poorly constrained for extraterrestrial systems owing a lack direct sampling. Here we report occurrence salt minerals samples asteroid (101955) Bennu returned...
Abstract The OSIRIS‐REx mission returned a sample of regolith from the carbonaceous asteroid Bennu in September 2023. We present preliminary situ investigations petrology and petrography selected particles ranging size 0.5 to 3 mm. Using combination optical electron beam techniques, we investigate whole specimens polished sections belonging morphologically visually distinct categories particles. find that morphological differences are reflective petrographic petrologic differences, leading...
Abstract The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Psyche mission will visit the 226‐km diameter main belt asteroid (16) Psyche, our first opportunity to a metal‐rich object at close range. unique poorly understood nature of offers challenge as we have little understanding surface morphology composition. It is commonly accepted that evolutionary process for surfaces impact cratering. While considerable body literature available on collisions rocky/icy objects, less work...
Abstract Carletonmooreite (IMA 2018-68), Ni3Si, is a new nickel silicide mineral that occurs in metal nodules from the Norton County aubrite meteorite. These are dominated by low-Ni iron (kamacite), with accessory schreibersite, nickelphosphide, perryite, and minor daubréelite, tetrataenite, taenite, graphite. The chemical composition of holotype carletonmooreite determined wavelength-dispersive electron-microprobe analysis (wt%) Ni 82.8 ± 0.4, Fe 4.92 0.09, Si 13.08 0.08 (n = 6, total...
Abstract Iron isotopes record the physical parameters, such as temperature and redox conditions, during differentiation processes on rocky bodies. Here we report results of a correlated investigation iron isotope compositions silicon contents silicon-bearing metal grains from several aubritic meteorites. Based their Fe isotopic elemental Si thermal modelling, show that these aubrite metals equilibrated with silicates at temperatures ranging ~ 1430 to 1640 K likely sampled different depths...
Rationale Characterization of Regolith And Trace Economic Resources (CRATER), an Orbitrap™‐based laser desorption mass spectrometry instrument designed to conduct high‐precision, spatially resolved analyses planetary materials, is capable answering outstanding science questions about the Moon's formation and subsequent processes that have modified its (sub)surface. Methods Here, we describe baseline design CRATER flight model, which requires <20 000 cm 3 volume, <10 kg mass, <60 W...
Abstract A mission to Jupiter's moon Io, the most volcanically active body in solar system, was suggested as a priority for New Frontiers program 2013 Planetary Science Decadal Survey. We present Frontiers–class concept, Vulcan, that designed an educational exercise through Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s 2022 Summer School. Vulcan would leverage instrument suite consisting of wide- and narrow-angle cameras, thermal infrared spectrometer, two fluxgate magnetometers, ion electron electrostatic...
Studies of psychrophilic life on Earth provide chemical clues as to how extraterrestrial could maintain viability in cryogenic environments. If living systems ocean worlds (e.g., Enceladus) share a similar set 3-mer and 4-mer peptides the psychrophile Colwellia psychrerythraea Earth, spaceflight technologies analytical methods need be developed detect sequence these putative biosignatures. We demonstrate that laser desorption mass spectrometry, implemented by CORALS prototype instrument,...