Geology / Planetary Science

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University is one of the few departments in the country with an integrated program of instruction and research that treats Earth as a planet and makes direct use of knowledge gained by exploring the solar system. Areas covered within the department include geology, geobiology, geochemistry, geodynamics, and planetary sciences. Field work, laboratory measurements, data analysis, and theoretical work are integral components of the research efforts carried out within the Department. The Department offers undergraduate and graduate programs leading to bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees. At the graduate level, students with undergraduate backgrounds in earth sciences, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and engineering are encouraged to apply. Undergraduate students are also urged to study in these fields as part of the major in earth sciences.

The Department benefits from the presence of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, the Geosciences Node of the NASA Planetary Data System, extensive analytical laboratory equipment and computer facilities, and a departmental library with more than 50,000 monographs, journals, and maps. These resources support a faculty dedicated to excellence in teaching and research. Students are exposed to a thorough and comprehensive course of study, with the opportunity to participate in ground-breaking research in the Earth and planetary sciences.

Faculty Experts:

Showing 4 Geology / Planetary Science Experts.

Robert Criss Professor of Earth & Planetary Science Criss Criss specializes in hydrogeology, the geology of water and systems of water. Much of his work has an environmental slant. He investigates the transport of aqueous fluids in environments such as rivers, cool potable groundwater systems essential to civilization, and deeper, hotter hydrothermal systems. ... Expertise: Geology, hydrogeology, floods, river systems, dams Direct contact: (314) 935-7441 / criss@wustl.edu

Roger Phillips Professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences Phillips Download Roger Phillips, Ph.D., Washington University Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Director of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, and collaborators are interested in the interior evolution of the terrestrial planets and how a planet's evolution affects and modifies its outer rigid ... Expertise: Mars, NASA, origins of life on Mars, space studies, surface features of Mars Direct contact: (314) 935-6356 / phillips@wustite.wustl.edu

Douglas Wiens Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences Wiens specializes in seismology and geophysics and has done extensive research on large deep earthquakes in the Pacific Ocean. He also is researching the seismology of Antarctica. He has taught courses on earth forces, seismology, environmental geophysics and geodynamics. Expertise: Antarctica, Tectonics, faults, large deep earthquakes, seismology Direct contact: (314) 935-6517 / doug@kermadec.wustl.edu

Michael Wysession Associate Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences Michael Wysession Download Michael E. Wysession is an expert on the Earth's inner structure. He has mapped various sections of the Earth and is most noted for his map of the Earth's core-mantle boundary. He has a 20-minute 'movie' of the Earth's core, mantle and surface, showing what happens below us in a earthquake when one ... Expertise: earth's core-mantle boundary, geophysics Direct contact: (314) 935-5625 / michael@mantle.wustl.edu

Showing 4 Geology / Planetary Science Experts.

News Stories & Tip Sheets:

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Pickled in Brine Mars may once have been awash in water but the water was very salty Oct. 26, 2009 -- Andrew H. Knoll, Ph.D., Fisher Professor of Natural History and professor of earth and planetary sciences at Harvard University, will discuss the evidence for life on Mars at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 in Room 300, Laboratory Sciences Building, on the Danforth Campus of Washington University in St. Louis.

Cloudy with a chance of pebble showers Simulation suggests rocky exoplanet has bizarre atmosphere Sept. 29, 2009 -- Download Intrigued by the discovery last February of Corot-7b, a rocky exoplanet, Washington University in St. Louis scientists set out to investigate its atmosphere the only way so-far possible: mathematically and by simulation. Tidally locked with its star and orbiting very close to it, the planet is hot enough to melt rock on its star-facing side. Its atmosphere consists of the components of silicate rocks in gaseous form and, the simulation suggests, periodically rains pebbles or grains of sand onto the molten surface below.

'Holy grail for icy volcanism' Saturnian moon shows evidence of ammonia July 24, 2009 -- NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute Saturn's moon Enceladus, seen by the Cassini spacecraft. Data collected during two close flybys of Saturn's moon Enceladus by NASA's Cassini spacecraft add more fuel to the fire about the Saturnian ice world containing sub-surface liquid water, according to a report in the July 23 issue of the journal Nature that is co-authored by a planetary researcher from Washington University in St. Louis.

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Related News Clips:

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Show More Geology / Planetary Science Clips

For Mars Rover, Really Remote Roadside Assistance The Wall Street Journal July 17, 2009 -- On Mars, NASA's robot rover Spirit is spinning its wheels on the soft shoulder of planetary exploration, up to its axles in silt millions of miles away from tense engineers who are struggling to extricate it by remote control. Includes comments by WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson, who is the project deputy principal investigator.

U.S. Astronauts Might Hitch Rides on Chinese Spacecraft Space.com April 17, 2009 -- The U.S. and China are exploring new ways to bridge U.S. moon exploration plans with China. Includes comments from WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson.

What lies in store for the Mars rovers? MSNBC.com and 1 others March 31, 2009 -- Their 90-day warranty expired awhile ago, but NASA's twin Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity are still trundling along the Martian surface en route to their next destinations more than five years after landing on the red planet. But just how long they can keep going is anyone's guess. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson comments.

Earth's Crust Melts Easier Than Previously Thought ScienceDaily.com and 1 others March 24, 2009 -- A study just published in Nature has found that the Earth's crust melts easier than previously thought. This finding provides insight into how magmas are formed and will lead to better models of continental collision and the formation of mountain belts. The NSF study was co-authored by WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Anne Hofmeister.

Southern Mo. targeted for uranium drilling Associated Press and 70 others Feb. 3, 2009 -- According to one geologist, southeast Missouri could hold one of the biggest deposits of undiscovered uranium in the U.S. Includes comments by WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Bob Criss.

Arch Coal set to release 4Q earnings Associated Press State & Local Wire and 3 others Jan. 30, 2009 -- Arch Coal Inc., one of the world's biggest coal producers, reports earnings for the fourth quarter and full-year 2008 before the market opens Friday. Last month, Arch Coal and Peabody announced they are combining with Ameren Corp. and WUSTL to try and make St. Louis the nation's center for clean coal research and education.

Diamonds show comet struck North America, scientists say Los Angeles Times and 1 others Jan. 2, 2009 -- A discovery of microscopic diamonds a few feet beneath the surface of North America reveals that a comet caused a cataclysm of fire, flood and devastation nearly 13,000 years ago, scientists said. Includes comments by WUSTL physicist Tyrone Daulton.

As Ice Melts, Antarctic Bedrock Is On The Move SpaceDaily.com Dec. 30, 2008 -- Scientists have discovered that as ice melts away from Antarctica, parts of the continental bedrock are rising in response - and other parts are sinking. These results come from POLENET, a growing network of GPS trackers and seismic sensors implanted in the bedrock beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. WUSTL is one of the partners.

Lander data sheds light on Mars polar water MSNBC.com and 1 others Dec. 16, 2008 -- Data from the now-defunct NASA Phoenix Mars Lander is shedding light on the current water cycle on Mars, particularly how water moves between the surface and the atmosphere in the northern polar region. It has a very active weather environment. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson, who is the lead scientist for Phoenix's robotic arm, comments.

Phoenix probe sheds new light on Mars weather Toronto Star (Canada) and 21 others Dec. 16, 2008 -- NASA is still unable to say for sure whether its Phoenix lander has found a place where life could have existed on Mars. In addition to analyzing ice and soil samples for organic material, a process that is still under way, the Phoenix science team collected daily weather reports, information considered critical to learning if the planet could have supported water long enough for life to evolve. Includes comments by WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson, who served as the lead scientist for the lander's robotic arm.

NASA says Phoenix Mars mission has ended Associated Press and 112 others Nov. 11, 2008 -- NASA declared an end to the Phoenix mission on Monday, some five months after the spacecraft became the first to land in Mars' arctic plains and taste water on another planet. "It's always a sad situation to not be able to communicate with it, but it lived beyond its warranty," said mission scientist and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson.

NASA sends 'please wake up' call to Phoenix lander USA Today Nov. 4, 2008 -- NASA engineers still hope to rouse a slumbering Phoenix lander and wring the last science out of the mission to Mars' North Pole. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor and mission scientist Ray Arvidson comments.

NASA's Phoenix Mission Faces Survival Challenges ScienceDaily.com and 15 others Oct. 29, 2008 -- In a race against time and the elements, engineers with NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander mission hope to extend the lander's survival by gradually shutting down some of its instruments and heaters. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson, who is the robotic arm's co-investigator, comments.

Huge mountain range shouldn't be there MSNBC.com Oct. 22, 2008 -- An Antarctic mountain range that rivals the Alps in elevation will be probed this month by an expedition of scientists. Researchers from WUSTL and Penn State will contribute to the fieldwork by using seismic recordings of earthquakes to create images of the crust and mantle beneath the mountain range.

NASA's Phoenix Lander Weathers Martian Dust Storm ScienceDaily.com and 6 others Oct. 15, 2008 -- The Phoenix Lander successfully weather a regional dust storm that temporarily lowered its solar power. The team is back investigating the Red Planet's northern plains, and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson, comments on the storm.

Phoenix's Water May Be Gumming Up the Works Science Magazine Aug. 8, 2008 -- The Phoenix mission's most dramatic achievement so far has been touching martian water ice. Mission investigators are now trying to decode the mysteries of alien dirt. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson, mission robotic arm co-investigator, comments.

Living on Mars time: Scientists suffer perpetual jet lag USA Today and 1 others July 29, 2008 -- Mars Lander mission controllers have been living on its schedule, or rather the exact opposite of it. When the spacecraft is sleeping during the Martian night, the scientists are up analyzing data; when the spacecraft rises at the beginning of the day on Mars, they retire and let Phoenix do its work.Mars' day is 40 minutes longer than Earth's, and the start of the Martian day is always changing with respect to Earth time, as a result of their respective orbital motions. Reserachers essentially change three time zones every two days, as a result. Phoenix robotic arm co-investigator and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson comments.

Tasting ice Science News Web edition July 21, 2008 -- Phoenix Mars Lander is ready to analyze ice if instruments work properly. "The team is totally focused on getting a rasped-up icy sample to TEGA," says mission specialist and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson. He says collecting the desired icy sample is like trying to sample the sidewalk in front of his house. "The soil is that hard," he says.

NASA: Robotic arm gives Martian soil a zap Computerworld (MA) and 5 others July 15, 2008 -- As NASA scientists prepare to give a faulty instrument on the Mars Lander another try, they've also been using an electric fork and an atomic force microscope to get more clues about the makeup of Martian soil. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson, a co-investigator for the Mars Lander's robotic arm team, comments.

NASA waiting on first chemical analysis of Martian soil Computerworld (MA) and 1 others June 26, 2008 -- NASA scientists are eagerly awaiting the first test results to come down from a wet chemistry lab on the Phoenix Mars Lander that yesterday analyzed its first bit of Martian soil. Includes comments by WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson on the work of the lander's robotic arm.

More News:

Weather in outer space? Ask a brown dwarf
July/August 2002 -- Brown dwarfs, which have been described as "failed stars," are celestial bodies more massive than planets like Jupiter but not large enough to sustain the thermonuclear reactions that make a star shine. In the June 1, 2002 issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters, Katharina Lodders, a senior research scientist in the Planetary Chemistry Lab at Washington University in St. Louis -- along with researchers from UCLA, NASA and other institutions -- reported the first evidence for the existence of changing weather patterns on brown dwarfs. They are the first non-planetary objects to exhibit such phenomena.

Mars mission bolstered by Arvidson, colleagues
July 11, 2003 -- Two robotic field geologists are hurtling toward Mars on separate launch vehicles to provide answers to questions on the planet's climate and water history. Sixteen people at the University, from undergraduate students to full professors, are fully involved in the mission. They helped NASA determine the landing sites for the rovers — Spirit and Opportunity — and will assist in the analysis of the data collected.

Astrobiology grant
University scientists experiment on origins of organic compounds
Aug. 22, 2003 -- Bruce Fegley, Ph.D., and his colleagues in the Planetary Chemistry Laboratory here will conduct experiments on the origin of organic compounds in the solar nebula, the cloud of gas and dust from which the sun, Earth and other objects in the solar system formed. Fegley's group will use the experimental results and other data to model how impacts by comets and asteroids may have supplied organic materials to Earth during its early history.