Planetary scientist studies oceans with a combination of laboratory work and satellite imagery.
Mars
Vashan Wright: A Champion for DEI in the Geosciences
While studying tectonic plates and sand, Wright works on a program to make the geosciences more equitable.
A Unique Glimpse at Sediment Erosion and Deposition by Wind
The Lut Desert in Iran is an exceptional natural laboratory to study how wind moves sediment across the landscape. A new study quantifies erosional and depositional sediment fluxes of the desert.
Flipping the Sequence of Martian Formation
Analysis of the Chassigny meteorite suggests the planet acquired most of its interior volatiles from meteorites, not from the solar nebula.
Constraining Martian Crustal Thickness with InSight Seismology
The first seismic observations from Mars significantly reduce uncertainty in estimates of the Red Planet’s crustal structure.
JGR: Planets Author Aboard the International Space Station
NASA Astronaut and planetary geologist Dr. Jessica Watkins recently published her post-doctoral Mars research in JGR: Planets, just prior to heading to the International Space Station.
More Than Marsquakes: InSight Yielded Magnetism, Weather Discoveries
A secondary suite of instruments on the Mars lander produced a first look at magnetic fields from the planet’s surface.
Zhurong Rover Spots Evidence of Recent Liquid Water on Mars
The Chinese rover identified hydrated minerals—likely associated with groundwater—in sediments dating to the Red Planet’s most recent geologic period.
First Solar Wind Plasma Observations from the Tianwen-1 Mission
Solar wind plasma data captured by the Tianwen-1 probe while in transit to Mars represent an important step toward a new era of cooperative Martian space exploration.
Life on Mars? Estimating Radiation Risks for Martian Astronauts
New research suggests that to minimize radiation risk for human exploration of Mars, astronauts will need to dig deep for safety.