Group Members

Timothy Glotch, Associate Professor of Geosciences

Associate Editor, JGR-Planets

My research interests are focused on using infrared remote sensing and laboratory spectroscopy to better understand the composition of the crusts of Mars and the Moon. My research group and I primarily use data from the Diviner, TES, THEMIS, and CRISM instruments. We study extraterrestrial samples and their analogs using a Nicolet 6700 FTIR spectrometer, a Nicolet iN10MX micro-FTIR imaging spectrometer, an ASD FieldSpec 3 Max UV-VIS-NIR spectrometer, and a WITec alpha300R Raman imaging spectrometer operated in the Vibrational Spectrosocpy Laboratory. Google Scholar Profile

Congcong Che, Postdoctoral Researcher

My current research interest is the effects of heat-induced dehydration and/or dehydroxylation on the infrared spectra of clays and natural zeolites. I have collected mid-IR ATR, mid-to-far IR reflectance and emissivity, and VNIR diffuse reflectance spectra for dehydrated and/or dehydroxylated clays and natural zeolites from different structural groups. Correlated TGA, XRD, and NMR data were also acquired in order to complement IR studies. The results of this project will be applied to future identification of possible dehydrated and/or dehydroxylated clays on Martian surface.

Jessica Arnold, Ph.D. Student

Research Interests: My research covers several topics related to mid-IR spectroscopy. One project involves using dispersion analysis to obtain optical constants of low symmetry minerals. I'm attempting to model emissivity spectra as a function of particle size with the help of the multiple scattering t-matrix package. Results of these calculations can be compared with lab spectra of mono-disperse silica spheres. Additionally, I am interested in what remote sensing data from Diviner can tell us about mafic lithologies on the Moon.

Lonia Friedlander, Ph.D. Student

My research interests include computing the infrared and Raman spectra of minerals using first-principles concepts with the Abinit software package. I am especially interested in understanding the effects of high-pressure impacts on phyllosilicate mineral structures and inter-layer volatile compounds. I address this problem through laboratory spectroscopy studies of phyllosilicates that have experienced controlled impacts at the Flat Plate Accelerator Facility at Johnson Space Center, and through computational modeling of potential impact effects. I am also interested in the possible applications of highly reactive mineral species to water purification and bacterial elimination in particular.

Elizabeth Sklute, Ph.D. Student

Research Interests: Infrared spectroscopy of hydrated Fe sulfates relevant to Earth, Mars, and Enceladus.Google Scholar Profile

Steven Jaret, Ph.D. Student

Research Interests: My research interests are in impact cratering as a geologic process, both on the Earth and other planetary bodies. By studying impact structures and materials on the Earth, hopefully one can learn how the impact process affects minerals' internal structure, spectra, and geochemistry.

Matt Ferrari, Research Assistant

Sample preparation and analysis; Raman imaging spectroscopy

Ben McKeeby, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Micro-FTIR spectroscopy of banded iron formations

Alexis Martone, Undergraduate Research Assistant

Mid-IR optical constants of olivine and pyroxene. Coding and implementation of Shkuratov scattering model.

Group Alumni

Graduate Students

Congcong Che (Ph.D., 2012; now a postdoc in this group), Heidi Jensen (M.S., 2011; now Ph.D. student with Prof. Richard Reeder)

Undergraduate Students

Rachel Ovrutsky, Jerome Varriale, Chantilly Berrios, Steven Elardo (Ph.D. student at University of New Mexico), Fred Ng, Kei Shimizu (Ph.D. student at Brown University)