Planetary Groups in Scotland
University of Glasgow
Planetary science research at the University of Glasgow is led by the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences (GES), where the group comprises Lydia Hallis, Luke Daly, Benjamin Cohen, and Martin Lee together with seven PhDs. GES researchers collaborate closely within Glasgow, with the Schools of Physics & Astronomy (Damian McGrouther, Donald MacLaren, Ian MacLaren) and Engineering (Patrick Harkness), and with the nearby Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC). Glasgow is also a key partner in the Scottish Planetary Science Research Network (SPERO: http://spero.ac.uk/).
Glasgow’s expertise includes the geology of Mars and martian meteorites, carbonaceous chondrites, volatiles in the Earth’s mantle, and terrestrial impact structures.
Current research projects include:
Our facilities include:
Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD), Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (TKD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Cathodoluminescence, Raman spectroscopy, laser ablation ICP-MS, organic geochemistry, gallium and xenon-plasma focused ion beam milling for TEM and atom probe sample preparation and 3DEBSD/EDS, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray tomography.
For more information on planetary science research in Glasgow:
School of GES: https://gla.ac.uk/schools/ges
School of Physics & Astronomy: www.gla.ac.uk/schools/physics/research/groups/mcmp/
SPERO: www.spero.ac.uk
SUERC: www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/suerc
Follow our research on @Daly_Planet @aineclareob @FireballsUK @UofGGE
Glasgow’s expertise includes the geology of Mars and martian meteorites, carbonaceous chondrites, volatiles in the Earth’s mantle, and terrestrial impact structures.
Current research projects include:
- Atom probe tomography of planetary materials
- Geology and geochronology of the Chicxulub impact structure
- Organics in martian meteorites
- Geology and geochemistry of the nakhlite meteorites
- Aqueous alteration of CM carbonaceous chondrites
- Space weathering of Itokawa particles and lunar soil
- Argon isotope geochronology of the shergottites, nakhlites, and H-group ordinary chondrites
- UK fireball network in collaboration with Imperial College London, the Open University, and Curtin University as part of the Global Fireball Observatory
Our facilities include:
Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD), Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (TKD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Cathodoluminescence, Raman spectroscopy, laser ablation ICP-MS, organic geochemistry, gallium and xenon-plasma focused ion beam milling for TEM and atom probe sample preparation and 3DEBSD/EDS, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray tomography.
For more information on planetary science research in Glasgow:
School of GES: https://gla.ac.uk/schools/ges
School of Physics & Astronomy: www.gla.ac.uk/schools/physics/research/groups/mcmp/
SPERO: www.spero.ac.uk
SUERC: www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/suerc
Follow our research on @Daly_Planet @aineclareob @FireballsUK @UofGGE
University of St. Andrews
Mark Claire, Claire Cousins, Sami Mikhail, Paul Savage and Aubrey Zerkle lead planetary science research at St Andrews, which includes two research officers, seven postdoctoral researchers and five Ph.D. students, as well as many collaborators and co-supervised students based at institutions across the U.K and abroad. Our work is built around the St Andrews Isotope Geochemistry (STAiG) laboratories and Geobiology Laboratories, and is primarily concerned with the formation and exploration of Solar System bodies.
Our expertise includes traditional and non-traditional stable isotope geochemistry, planetary analogues, atmospheric photochemical modeling, geobiology, and planetary-scale volatile cycling.
Current research projects include:
- Stable isotope biosignatures in Mars-analogue hydrothermal environments
- Scientific development of ExoMars 2020 imaging and spectroscopic instrument
- UV luminescence of organics and minerals
- Cryomineralised biosignatures in icy-moon analogue salts
- Luminescence age dating instrument development for Mars
- Constraining the volcanic history of Venus
- Photochemical modeling of Earth, Mars and Titan
- Microbial nitrogen cycling in Atacama desert soils
You can follow our work and find contact information at https://earthsci.st-andrews.ac.uk/research/ and on Twitter (@EarthSciStA).
Our expertise includes traditional and non-traditional stable isotope geochemistry, planetary analogues, atmospheric photochemical modeling, geobiology, and planetary-scale volatile cycling.
Current research projects include:
- Stable isotope biosignatures in Mars-analogue hydrothermal environments
- Scientific development of ExoMars 2020 imaging and spectroscopic instrument
- UV luminescence of organics and minerals
- Cryomineralised biosignatures in icy-moon analogue salts
- Luminescence age dating instrument development for Mars
- Constraining the volcanic history of Venus
- Photochemical modeling of Earth, Mars and Titan
- Microbial nitrogen cycling in Atacama desert soils
You can follow our work and find contact information at https://earthsci.st-andrews.ac.uk/research/ and on Twitter (@EarthSciStA).
University of Stirling
Planetary Research takes place in the Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences where Axel Hagermann and Christian Schroeder are currently supported by three postdocs, Erika Kaufmann, Nicholas Attree and Alastair Tait. We are part of the Scottish Planetary Science Research Network (SPERO; www.spero.ac.uk). We are interested in thermal properties, planetary ices, as well as the geochemistry and mineralogy of planetary surfaces and meteorites. We are involved in ongoing space missions such as the JAXA Hayabusa 2, NASA Mars InSight or the NASA Mars Exploration Rover missions.
Current research projects include:
Our facilities include:
the Planetary Ices Laboratory and the Mössbauer Spectroscopy laboratory for Earth and Environment (MoSEE).
More details about these you can find on the UKCAN webpages: https://ukcosmochemanalysisnetwork.wordpress.com/the-university-of-stirling/
Current research projects include:
- Continued geochemical investigation of Noachian crust at Endeavour Crater with Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity
- Developing a robust observational framework for chondrite identification on Mars
Our facilities include:
the Planetary Ices Laboratory and the Mössbauer Spectroscopy laboratory for Earth and Environment (MoSEE).
More details about these you can find on the UKCAN webpages: https://ukcosmochemanalysisnetwork.wordpress.com/the-university-of-stirling/
Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
The Planetary Science Research Group (PSRG) at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) is led by Prof. Darren Mark. The SUERC research programme builds on world-class established expertise in isotope geochronology and geochemistry and allows the PSRG to conduct research that permits us to understand the formation and evolution of rocky bodies in our Solar System. Comparative planetology, which allows different natural processes and systems to be studied by their effects and phenomena on and between multiple rocky bodies, underpins our science strategy. The planetary processes in question include geology, hydrology, planetary-scale interactions such as impact cratering, space weathering, and biology/habitability, via astrobiology. Such data underpin the study of the terrestrial planets, moons and rocky bodies whilst having implications for exploration of exoplanets and other solar systems, from a habitability perspective. With respect to planetary exploration the group are developing new technologies that can be deployed on rovers for exploration of rocky bodies (planets, moons, asteroids). As such, the group’s research activities are firmly aligned with the STFC and UKSA science remits.
The SUERC developed the Scottish Planetary sciEnce Research netwOrk (SPERO, www.spero.ac.uk) and Prof. Mark leads the research cluster that unites planetary science research across Scotland.
Our current research includes:
* Geochronology of the H, L, R and CM chondrites
* Geochronology of Martian meteorites (shergottites and nakhlites)
* Geochronology of the Moon
* Development of planetary exploration tools
* Clumpes isotopes in carbonates (e.g., nakhlites and CM chondrites)
* Dating of fluid-rock interaction on Mars and primitive asteroids
Our facilities include:
* 40Ar/39Ar dating laboratory with ability to conduct T-controlled step-heating
* U-Pb, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd dating laboratory (TIMS and ICPMS)
* Clumped isotope and associated stable isotope kit (e.g., carbonate fluorination)
* H, C, N, O, S isotope kit
* Noble gas laboratories (He, Ar, Ne, Kr, Xe)
* Clean laboratories for handling of sample materials
* Accelerator Mass Spectrometers (and PIMS) for cosmogenic isotopes
* Luminescence dating
* Scanning Electron Microscope
We are open to collaborate with the wider community. To discuss a project please contact Darren Mark ([email protected]) in the first instance.
To follow our work please visit: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/suerc/news/
The SUERC developed the Scottish Planetary sciEnce Research netwOrk (SPERO, www.spero.ac.uk) and Prof. Mark leads the research cluster that unites planetary science research across Scotland.
Our current research includes:
* Geochronology of the H, L, R and CM chondrites
* Geochronology of Martian meteorites (shergottites and nakhlites)
* Geochronology of the Moon
* Development of planetary exploration tools
* Clumpes isotopes in carbonates (e.g., nakhlites and CM chondrites)
* Dating of fluid-rock interaction on Mars and primitive asteroids
Our facilities include:
* 40Ar/39Ar dating laboratory with ability to conduct T-controlled step-heating
* U-Pb, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd dating laboratory (TIMS and ICPMS)
* Clumped isotope and associated stable isotope kit (e.g., carbonate fluorination)
* H, C, N, O, S isotope kit
* Noble gas laboratories (He, Ar, Ne, Kr, Xe)
* Clean laboratories for handling of sample materials
* Accelerator Mass Spectrometers (and PIMS) for cosmogenic isotopes
* Luminescence dating
* Scanning Electron Microscope
We are open to collaborate with the wider community. To discuss a project please contact Darren Mark ([email protected]) in the first instance.
To follow our work please visit: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/suerc/news/
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh has planetary science research across three institutes: the UK Centre for Astrobiology within the School of Physics and Astronomy; the Institute for Astronomy (IfA) at the Royal Observatory (also part of the school of Physics and Astronomy); the School of Geosciences. Academics in the astrobiology group are Charles Cockell and Sean McMahon. IfA research in planetary science includes exoplanet research, in particular in direct imaging (Beth Biller) and computational models of planet formation (Ken Rice), and in comets and asteroids (Colin Snodgrass), including observations and spacecraft missions. The School of Geosciences has a large number of academics in geology and Earth studying areas; those with interests in other planets (including Mars, planet formation processes, exoplanets, planetary atmospheres) include Simon Kelley, Geoffrey Bromiley and Paul Palmer.
Edinburgh also hosts two new centres for academic and industry partnerships that include planetary science related work: the Higgs Centre for Innovation at the Royal Observatory, which hosts companies with interest in in situ resource utilisation and has facilities for testing small satellite technology, and the Bayes Centre, which coordinates efforts as part of Edinburgh’s Data Driven Innovation programme, including academics across many schools and companies interested in Earth Observation.
For more information on planetary science research in Edinburgh:
School of physics and astronomy: https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/
School of geosciences: https://www.ed.ac.uk/geosciences/
Institute for Astronomy: https://ifa.roe.ac.uk/research-areas/solar-system
Centre for exoplanet science: https://www.exoplanets.ed.ac.uk/
UK Centre for Astrobiology: https://www.astrobiology.ac.uk/
Edinburgh also hosts two new centres for academic and industry partnerships that include planetary science related work: the Higgs Centre for Innovation at the Royal Observatory, which hosts companies with interest in in situ resource utilisation and has facilities for testing small satellite technology, and the Bayes Centre, which coordinates efforts as part of Edinburgh’s Data Driven Innovation programme, including academics across many schools and companies interested in Earth Observation.
For more information on planetary science research in Edinburgh:
School of physics and astronomy: https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/
School of geosciences: https://www.ed.ac.uk/geosciences/
Institute for Astronomy: https://ifa.roe.ac.uk/research-areas/solar-system
Centre for exoplanet science: https://www.exoplanets.ed.ac.uk/
UK Centre for Astrobiology: https://www.astrobiology.ac.uk/