We employ a variety of perspectives and tools, including remote sensing, geophysical and terrestrial analog studies, and analysis of extraterrestrial samples returned to Earth to investigate planetary systems. Research topics vary widely, from the hydrologic and geologic history of Mars, the role of impact cratering in the structure and composition of planets and moons, interactions between planetary interiors, surfaces, and atmospheres and their roles in planetary habitability, and cosmochemical studies of the early stages of the solar system. Through these studies we develop new theory and understanding of the chemical, physical, and geological evolution of planetary bodies across the solar system.
Department of Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences
Planetary Geosciences
Exploring surface and interior processes of planets throughout the solar system to understand their formation and evolution.
Planetary Geosciences
Exploring surface and interior processes of planets throughout the solar system to understand their formation and evolution.
Research Highlight
Lunar Structure, Composition and Processes for Exploration
The LunaSCOPE project is a $7.5 million initiative led by Brown University scientists and funded by NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), which brings together experts from institutions across the U.S. and abroad to investigate the Moon's origin, evolution, and its relationship with Earth.
As one of the co-leads of the volatile subsection research, Assistant Professor James W. Dottin III is using Apollo samples from NASA's Johnson Space Center to study the isotopic compositions of sulfur, carbon, and other elements to explore the history of volcanism on the Moon and to constrain the composition of the Moon’s subsurface. He is also investigating how the Moon's history reflects early Earth conditions, shedding light on planetary formation, evolution, and events that could lead to habitability.
The LunaSCOPE team uses abundance and isotopic compositions of elements spanning nearly the entire periodic table, computational modeling, and other research to address age-old questions: Where did the Moon come from? Are there resources we could use for long-term exploration? What does its history reveal about our own planet and the Solar System at large? By engaging the public in these explorations, LunaSCOPE inspires global interest in space science and exploration.
As NASA renews its focus on lunar exploration, LunaSCOPE is poised to play a critical role in shaping the next era of planetary research.
Planetary News
Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Using the Melosh Model of Acoustic Fluidization to Simulate Impact Crater Collapse on the Earth and Moon
Postdoctoral Research Associate Andrea Rajšić has published new research in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, titled "Using the Melosh Model of Acoustic Fluidization to Simulate Impact Crater Collapse on the Earth and Moon." The publication explores the role of acoustic fluidization in crater collapse, examining vibration properties and their effects on subsurface deformation, with models improving upon simplified approaches to reproduce depth-to-diameter trends on Earth and the Moon.
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NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Mars Orbiter Spots Retired InSight Lander to Study Dust Movement
New images taken from space show how dust on and around InSight is changing over time — information that can help scientists learn more about the Red Planet. “Even though we’re no longer hearing from InSight, it’s still teaching us about Mars,” said science team member Ingrid Daubar, DEEPS Associate Professor (Research). “By monitoring how much dust collects on the surface — and how much gets vacuumed away by wind and dust devils — we learn more about the wind, dust cycle, and other processes that shape the planet.”
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Sky & Telescope
Icy Rivers May Have Flowed on Ancient Mars
New research led by Peter Buhler from the Planetary Science Institute proposes that a carbon-dioxide ice cap may have acted as an insulating layer on Mars, allowing rivers and a large lake to form in the planet’s southern highlands. DEEPS Professor James Head commented, "Peter Buhler has done a magnificent job of exploring the implications of possible massive atmospheric collapse and CO2 ice accumulation in the south circumpolar region at a critical early time in the history of Mars."
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Faculty
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Sam Birch
Assistant Professor -
Gerrit Budde
Assistant Professor -
Ingrid Daubar
Associate Professor (Research) -
James W. Dottin III
Assistant Professor -
Alex Evans
Thomas J. And Alice M. Tisch Assistant Professor of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences -
James Head
Professor (Research), Louis and Elizabeth Scherck Distinguished Professor Emeritus of the Geological Sciences -
Yongsong Huang
Professor -
Christian Huber
Professor, Director of Graduate Studies -
Daniel Ibarra
Manning Assistant Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences and Environment and Society -
Yan Liang
Professor -
Ralph Milliken
Associate Professor -
John Mustard
Professor -
Stephen Parman
Professor -
Alberto Saal
Professor
Research Facilities & Resources
Banner image produced by Lynced Torres, KVA Kennedy & Violich Architecture, Ltd. for the renovated Lincoln Field Building (2022).