Geological processes on the terrestrial planets: regolith, cratering, and history

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I am a recognized expert in the field of planetary science, notably in the study of planetary regoliths. My research group combines laboratory measurements of regolith properties and direct observation of regoliths using remote sensing, modeling of electromagnetic wave propagation, and statistical analyses of impact crater populations to investigate important open questions in planetary regolith science. Our goal is to advance the state of knowledge of regolith processes, and to provide new levels of understanding of the ways in which those processes bear on the larger-scale geological evolution of planetary bodies.****Planetary regoliths provide a 4.5 billion year long record of Solar System events largely not preserved on Earth; in particular, they contain records of bombardment at all scales. This is important because objects that are available to produce impacts on other bodies in the inner Solar System (e.g., the Moon) are also available to strike Earth, and therefore a) represent potential hazards; and b) provide a record of events affecting Earth for which the terrestrial record is sparse. My work has shown that regolith properties can be used to constrain both the incoming flux of these objects over geological time and their effects on planetary surfaces. ***My research program is centered around three major projects, with associated tasks that constitute HQP theses or parts of theses. These projects all focus on the central question: What do the physical properties of planetary regoliths reveal about the underlying geological processes? Each project addresses an aspect of this question in a unique way, using state of the art instrumentation, the most recent planetary mission data, and sophisticated modelling techniques. ****I am currently involved in three active NASA planetary missions (one in orbit, one launching in 2016, and one launching in 2020), and my research involves generation, processing, and analysis of new mission data, as well as laboratory measurements, field work, and modelling at all stages of the mission life cycle. Current HQP trainees in my group are active members of the science teams for these missions, and have a rare opportunity to participate in these high-profile international missions at the ground level. They are not simply users of publicly available mission data, but interact with the missions' science and engineering teams as full participants in the experiments. In addition to the invaluable set of academic and marketable skills that this work will provide them, their experience functioning as members of these international NASA mission teams will place HQP trainees in a rarified stratum of highly skilled workers, ready to meet Canada's future need for expertise in the technical space sector.**