Soil Chemistry & Mineralogy
Soil Chemistry & Mineralogy
Soils on Earth and Mars are derived from rocks and sediments by several soil-forming
processes including alteration by liquid water. We characterize a variety of synthetic
and terrestrial soils including soils from the Antarctic Dry Valleys and the Atacama
Desert as analogs for soils and soil-forming processes on Mars.
Our research has provided mineralogical and chemical data on soils and soil-forming
processes that has been used to interpret data returned from Mars rovers and landers,
including the Mars Exploration Rovers, the Mars Phoenix Scout Missions, and the Mars
Science Lab (MSL).
Our lab includes a flow-through reactor for conducting mineral alteration experiments
under hydrothermal conditions. We also provide a wide variety of tools and equipment
for sample preparation and experimental procedures. The laboratory is currently used
by civil servants, contractor scientists, post-doctoral researchers, and interns for
more than a dozen ongoing soil chemistry projects.
Solution chemistry analyses (ion chromatography (IC), pH, electrical conductivity, etc.)
located in the Analytical Geochemistry lab are an integral part of our soil characterization.
Other key instruments used in our data analyses include ICP-MS to quantify cations and anions
in solution, X-ray diffraction units, thermal analyzers and evolved-gas analyzers.
Laboratory Leads
Elizabeth Rampe
NASA 281-483-0216 |
S.J. Ralston
Jacobs JETS II 281-244-0540 |
Laboratory Leads
Elizabeth Rampe
NASA 281-483-0216 |
S.J. Ralston
Jacobs JETS II 281-244-0540 |
Understanding Soils on Earth and Beyond: The Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy
Laboratory offers a wide range of tools for sample preparation, experiments, and
analyses, making it the central hub for a multitude of soil science projects.