The dominant focus of my research is the aqueous alteration of rocks on the martian surface.

To do so, I utilize in situ martian rover datasets, orbital datasets, and field analog studies on Earth. My primary research technique is VNIR spectroscopy (multispectral and hyperspectral) and visual morphological categorization and mapping (from the ground and orbit).

  • Origin of marker layers in Mt. Sharp, Gale crater, Mars

    What are these marker layers? How were they deposited? Have they been altered? Why or why not? These are just some of the questions I am to answer in this project. To do so, I use visual data from the High-Rise Science Imaging Experiment (HiRISE) and the Context Camera (CTX) onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) to map exposures of unique marker layers and mantling units in Mt. Sharp and VNIR/SWIR hyperspectral data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) to determine their composition and if they have been altered.

    LPSC 2019 Abstract

  • The distribution of clay minerals and their impact on diagenesis in Glen Torridon, Gale crater, Mars (Submitted 2021)

    Glen Torridon (GT) is a recessive-trough feature on the northwestern slope of “Mt. Sharp” in Gale crater, Mars with the highest Fe-/Mg-phyllosilicates abundances detected by the Curiosity rover to date. Understanding the origin of these clay minerals and their relationship with diagenetic processes is critical for reconstructing the nature and habitability of past surface and subsurface habitable environments in Gale crater. We aim to constrain the distribution and extent of diagenesis using compositional and morphological trends observed by visible-to-near infrared reflectance spectra in GT from Mastcam and ChemCam, supported by high-resolution images from the Mars Hand Lens Imager.

    LPSC 2021 Abstract

  • Comparing the influence of transport vs. alteration on the composition of cold climate Mars-analog sediments

    Do compositional variations observed in these environments reflect differences in source area or changes in sediment due to fractionation and alteration that occur along sediment transport pathways? Here we explore this broad question through studies of compositional changes in analog environments in Iceland. As a part of the collaborative effort of the SAND-E (Semi-Autonomous Navigation for Detrital Environments) team, I will focus on the spectral characterization of sediments from two field seasons to help answer the question above.

    LPSC 2022 Abstract (Link coming soon)

  • Characterization of sediment textures in lacustrine, fluvial, and aeolian systems in Mars-analog sites

    On Earth, microtextural features of predominantly quartz grains have been used to constrain their exposure to specific environments. But there is a lack of the same characterization in mafic grains, which are dominant on the martian surface. So, how do mafic sediment microtextures in different environments vary as a function of transport process? If microtextures in mafic grains can be used to differentiate environments to which they were exposed, they can help to constrain the habitability and climate regimes using samples returned from Mars. Image from Vos et al., 2014