Research Scientist Planetary Science Institute

I am a geologist interested in the evolution of planetary surfaces. I use a combination of remote sensing observations, numerical modeling, and field work at analogue sites to study extraterrestrial landscapes, with the goal of advancing our understanding of how these landscapes came to be. My interest in planetary geomorphology is driven by two motivations. The three planets in or near the Solar System’s “Goldilocks zone” - Venus, Earth, and Mars – may have shared similar conditions early in Solar System history. The geologic record of Venus has been completely covered by volcanism and Earth’s has been erased or modified by billions of years of tectonism, volcanism, and erosion. Mars still retains a record from its early history, dating back to around the time that life first arose on Earth. This means that by studying ancient terrains on Mars we are in a way studying the environment of early Earth that gave rise to life. More broadly, the diverse settings of planetary surfaces across the Solar System provides an opportunity to use these as natural laboratories, allowing us to better understand the mechanisms behind landscape change. There is a synergy between terrestrial and planetary geoscience - studies of terrestrial analogue environments are necessary to better interpret planetary surface processes, and processes observed on extraterrestrial surfaces provide tests for geomorphic models developed for landforms on Earth.

Some highlights of projects I have worked on or am working on are listed below.

Mars

Earth