A major outstanding question of space weathering on the Moon is how solar wind irradiation and micrometeoroid bombardment interact to create the physical and chemical changes characteristic of space weathered materials and whether both of these processes are necessary for formation of “typical” features, such as nanophase metallic iron inclusions. The work will use aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to analyze portions of individual grains from lunar soils.

References:

Burgess, K.D., Stroud, R.M. (2018a). Coordinated nanoscale compositional and oxidation state measurements of lunar space-weathered material. J. Geophys. Res., doi: 10.1029/2018JE005537.

Burgess, K.D., Stroud, R.M. (2018b). Phase-dependent space weathering effects and spectroscopic identification of retained helium in a lunar soil grain. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 224, 64-79, doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2017.12.023.

key words

transmission electron microscopy; nanoscale; lunar; space weathering; planetary; EELS

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral applicants