
Professor Mahesh Anand
Professor Of Planetary Science And Exploration
Biography
Professional biography
2019 - Professor of Planetary Science and Exploration, School of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
2014 - 2019 Reader in Planetary Science and Exploration, Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
2012 - 2015 Chair, Geochemistry Group of the Mineralogical and Geological Societies, UK
2011 - 2014 Chair, ESA Topical Team for Exploitation of Planetary Materials (TT-ELPM)
2010 - 2014 Lecturer, Planetary and Space Sciences, Department of Physical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
2009 - Chair, UK-node for the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), formerly the NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI).
2005 - 2010 Academic Fellow at the Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research, Department of Earth Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
2004 - Researcher & Scientific Associate at the Department of Mineralogy, The Natural History Museum, London, UK.
2001-2004 - Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Planetary Geosciences Institute, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.
Research interests
My research focusses on understanding the formation/evolution of planetary bodies in the Solar System through analysis of samples from the Earth, Moon, Mars and asteroids. My recent research on Apollo samples on the topic of ‘Water in the Moon’ has seen training and mentoring of PhD students and postdocs, some of whom have already secured academic positions at prestigious universities around the world. I am also a member of multiple international consortia on research topics focussing on the 'Origin and evolution of volatiles in the inner Solar System'.
Many of the analytical techniques and methods that underpin my current research can be applied directly to other areas of scientific research (e.g., isotopic fingerprinting of aerosol sources, biogeochemical cycling of heavy metals etc.) and, therefore, I am open to new ideas and collaborations to develop research proposals that may be attractive to relevant funding agencies.
I have a current portfolio of 142 peer-reviewed journal articles (total citations: >8300; h-index: 54; i-10 index: 134). See Publications for further details.
Research projects in which I am the principal investigator/lead supervisor:
13. Topic: History and Evolution of Volatiles in the Moon
Funded person: Dr Alice Stephant (PDRA)
Funding source (duration): STFC Consolidated Grant (2017-2020)
12. Topic: Secular evolution of water and other volatiles in the lunar interior
Funded person: Dr Jessica Barnes (PDRA)
Funding source (duration): STFC Consolidated Grant (2014-2017)
11. Topic: Abundance and origin of lunar water
Funded person: Dr Katharine Robinson (PDRA)
Funding source (duration): Open University (2015-2017)
10. Topic: Secular evolution of water in the lunar mantle
Funded person: Dr Romain Tartèse (PDRA)
Funding source (duration): STFC standard grant (2011-2014)
9. Topic: The abundance and isotopic composition of water in HED meteorites and implications for the volatile inventory of the Earth-Moon system
Funded person: Mr Thomas Barrett
Funding source (duration): STFC Doctoral Training Grant (2013-2016)
8. Topic: Using lunar apatites to assess the volatile inventory of the lunar interior
Funded person: Ms Nicola Potts
Funding source (duration): STFC Doctoral Training Grant (2012-2015)
7. Topic: Investigating the Distribution and Source(s) of Lunar Volatiles
Funded person: Mr James Mortimer
Funding source (duration): STFC Doctoral Training Grant/Open University Charter (2012-2015)
6. Topic: Water on the Moon: A Geochemical Approach
Funded person: Ms Jessica J. Barnes
Funding source (duration): STFC Doctoral Training Grant (2011-2014)
Research projects in which I am involved as a co-investigator/co-supervisor:
5. Topic: Crustal Variations on the Planet Mercury
Funded person: Ms Emma Fegan
Funding source (duration): STFC Doctoral Training Grant (2013-2016)
4. Topic: The Geology of Mercury at High Spatial Resolution
Funded person: Ms Rebecca Thomas
Funding source (duration): STFC Doctoral Training Grant (2012-2015)
3. Topic: Magmatic Volatiles: Mars, Vesta and the Angrite Parent Body (APB)
Funded person: Mr Feargus Abernethy
Funding source (duration): STFC Doctoral Training Grant (2010-2013)
2. Topic: Novel Instrumentation for Planetary Rovers
Funded person: Ms Phillipa H. Smith
Funding source (duration): STFC Doctoral Training Grant (2010-2013)
1. Topic: Igneous activity in the early Solar System
Funded person: Ms Kathryn H. McDermott
Funding source (duration): STFC Doctoral Training Grant (2010-2013)
Teaching interests
Some of my current/past involvements with teaching Open University courses/modules are:
- Module team member of S818 (Space Masters)
- Module team member of S104 (Exploring Science)
- Module team member of S283 (Planetary Science and the Search for Life)
- Module team member of S250 (Science in Context)
- Module team member of S339 (Understanding the continents)
- Production team member of S288 (Water quality topic)
- Demonstrator/Senior Tutor on OU residential schools (SXR 103, S288, SXR260)
External collaborations
I chair the UK node of the NASA Solar System Exploration Virtual Research Institute (SSERVI). We currently have over 100 members from 15 UK Higher Education Institutions. Below is a list of latest publications from our node members on the topics of lunar science and exploration:
- Černok, Ana; White, Lee Francis; Darling, James; Dunlop, Joseph and Anand, Mahesh (2019). Shock‐induced microtextures in lunar apatite and merrillite. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 54(6) pp. 1262–1282.
- Curran N. M., K. H. Joy, J.F. Snape, J. F. Pernet-Fisher, J. D. Gilmour, A. A. Nemchin, M. J. Whitehouse, and R. Burgess. (2019) The Early Geological History of the Moon Inferred from Ancient Lunar Meteorite Miller Range 13317. Meteoritics and Planetary Science. DOI: 10.1111/maps.13295
- Deutsch, A.N., Neumann, G.A., Head, J.W. and Wilson, L. (2019) GRAIL-identified gravity anomalies in Oceanus Procellarum: insight into subsurface impact and magmatic structures on the Moon. Icarus, 331, 192-208, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2019.05.027
- Pernet-Fisher J. F., E. Deloule, Joy K. H. (2019) Evidence of chemical heterogeneity within lunar anorthosite parental magmas. Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta. doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2019.03.033
- Qiao, L., Head, J.W., Ling, Z., Wilson, L., Xiao, L., Dufek, J.D. and Yan, J. (2019) Geological characterization of the Ina shield volcano summit pit crater on the Moon: evidence for extrusion of waning-stage lava lake magmatic foams and anomalously young crater retention ages. Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets, 124, 1100-1140, doi:10.1029/2018JE005841
- Sefton-Nash, E., Williams, J-P., Greenhagen, B. T., Warren, T. J., Bandfield, J. L., Aye, K-M., Leader, F., Siegler, M. A., Hayne, P. O., Bowles, N., Paige, D. A. (2019) Evidence for ultra-cold traps and surface water ice in the lunar south polar crater Amundsen, Icarus (2019) in press.
- Tartèse, Romain; Anand, Mahesh and Franchi, Ian (2019). H and Cl isotope characteristics of indigenous and late hydrothermal fluids on the differentiated asteroidal parent body of Grave Nunataks 06128. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2019.01.024
- Warren, T. J., Bowles, N. E., K. Donaldson Hanna, J. L. Bandfield (2019), Modeling the Angular Dependence of Emissivity of Randomly Rough Surfaces. JGR Planets, 124 (2019) 585-601, DOI: 10.1029/2018JE005840.
- Wilson, L., Head, J.W. and Zhang, F. (2019) A theoretical model for the formation of ring moat dome structures: products of second boiling in the distal parts of lunar basaltic lava flows. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 374, 160-180, doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2019.02.018
To download a full list of publications (2009-2019), click here.
Projects
Apatite as a Monitor of Magmatic Processes and Timescales
Understanding the role of magmatic volatiles (H2O, CO2, SO2, Cl, F) has become an increasingly important part of geoscience in recent decades1a. One of the major challenges in volcanology today is to identify the signals of an imminent eruption and a common, but only semi-empirical approach is to monitor the arrival of gasses that reach the surface ahead of an ascending and decompressing magma. This data is then related to solubility models that predict the order that different volatiles will be release during ascent. However, in terms of forecasting volcanic eruptions, it is the timescale of this dynamic activity that must be understood and this can be achieved by linking processes observed in the products of past and future eruptions to the first geodetic signals of 'unrest' in modern day events1b. In many cases volcanoes exhibit a distinct repeated pattern of behaviour, such that the past can often be the key to the future. At the other end of the spectrum, the release of these volatile components deep within the crust is often associated with mobility of economically important metals, so understanding the processes has the potential to focus prospecting for new ore deposits. The timescale of mineralisation processes may be longer, but dynamic information can be useful in distinguish between conflicting theories of ore formation.
STFC’S IMPACT ACCELERATION ACCOUNT DISCRETIONARY FUNDING 2022/23
STFC Impact Acceleration Account one year funding programme. This is a solo award made payable directly to your institution and should be used to support knowledge exchange activities for work funded through STFC’s core science programme in FY 21/22 This award includes funding for (but is not limited to): • Innovation and commercialisation proof-of concept projects • Industry / stakeholder engagement and community building workshops • Industry / stakeholder secondments This award should explicitly be used for knowledge exchange related work for the benefit of STFC-funded researchers working in one or more of the STFC core science remit areas.
Preparing for Mars Sample Return: Training the next generation in precise, spatially resolved, oxygen isotope analysis
Samples of Martian origin will be returned to Earth via JAXA’s MMX mission in about six years from now (2029), with Mars surface-collected materials returned to Earth by the NASA/ESA MSR collaboration in about ten years’ time (2033). The timescale involved, particularly for participation in MMX, are tight and action is needed now to ensure that the UK science community is ready to play a full role in the analysis of these precious materials. Appropriate action is required on a number of fronts. We need to be ready in terms of having suitably trained scientists with a relevant expertise in cutting edge analysis techniques relevant to the characterization of Martian samples. We need to maintain and enhance the capabilities of our world-leading analytical facilities that are essential to the analysis of Martian samples. These facilities will provide the scientific leverage required to be part of any initial analysis initiative. And critically, we need to be able to demonstrate to our partner space agencies that we have the appropriate clean handling facilities and preparation techniques relevant to the manipulation of pristine returned samples. This proposal sets out in detail a framework for addressing these issues by providing a PhD opportunity to undertake a cutting-edge oxygen isotope study by laser assisted- fluorination of Martian meteorite samples. The samples that will be analyzed are closely aligned to the composition of the materials already collected and cached by the Perseverance Rover. Oxygen isotope analysis by laser fluorination is a key Martian analysis technique in which the UK is the world-leader. The scientific outputs from this study are critical to understanding the evolution and interactions between the Martian hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere. This work needs to be completed in advance of initial sample return in order to maximize the scientific outputs once the main phase of characterization work commences. This study will not only train a new Mars sample specialist, but will help to sustain and develop our leadership role in Mars critical laser fluorination analysis. In addition, this will provide benefits for the wider UK extraterrestrial analysis community through rapid allocation of returned Mars material, as was the case for asteroidal particles returned by the JAXA Hayabusa2 mission. We will also be obtaining an early allocation in the upcoming NASA OSIRIS-REx initial analysis phase (October 2023). As a consequence of our involvement in these missions, we have developed a range of clean sample manipulation techniques. These will be further developed during the course of this study. The technical expertise and hardware products developed during this project will be disseminated to other groups within the UK analysis community. By making this specialist expertise more widely available we will provide a competitive advantage to other UK-based researchers seeking to bid for pristine returned samples.
Asteroids – Do look up!
STFC Public Engagement Nucleus Award 2024 Stage 2 For many school-aged students, space research is a subject far-removed from their daily lives. They may have heard of meteorites, cosmic dust, micrometeorites, meteors, shooting stars etc, but will almost certainly feel that these have little or no relevance to their own day-to-day experiences. Space rocks may be on display in national museums, but not in the classroom. Using a practical, hands-on approach, this project aims to dispel such misconceptions. The project will raise the “science capital” of the target group of students by bringing into their classrooms a range of extraterrestrial materials that they will then be able to interact with in a practical hands-on way. They will hunt for micrometeorites in their local area and analyze extraterrestrial samples using portable desk-top scanning electron microscopes available from both the Open University and the Natural History Museum. Each school involved in the project will have their own dedicated all-sky camera that will provide them with daily feedback on meteor and fireball activity in their local area. The participating schools will network to exchange samples, data and ideas. Based on recent experience elsewhere, this project will yield new extraterrestrial materials (“urban micrometeorites”) that the participating students will work with, and through this interaction develop a deeper, more profound understanding of key science areas. Through this practical experience, we seek to raise their “science capital”. Some of the new space materials that they discover will be analyzed at Diamond. This will provide the students with the opportunity to see a full science progression, from the initial discovery of new cosmic dust particles, characterization by optical and electron microscopy, to analysis using sophisticated apparatus, such as Diamond. This journey for the students will be exciting and provide a unique insight into how real science works.
Microwave heating Apparatus of lunar Regolith for Variant Experiments of Lunar ISRU missions
For an extended stay on the Moon, humans require habitation with substantial protection from space radiation and micrometeorites. The lunar regolith is a readily available resource in-situ, which could be thermally treated to extract oxygen and water as well as build lunar surface elements, e.g., lunar habitats, landing pad and path using 3D printing techniques. Due to the volumetric heating characteristic intrinsic to microwave heating, it is a much more efficient process than solar or laser sintering for large-scale manufacturing and construction. Our proof of concept experiment has demonstrated that microwave energy couples efficiently with lunar simulants and can readily heat it above the melting temperature. However, testing with lunar simulants cannot fulfil some missing information on microwave heating of lunar regolith, which includes the effects of nanophase iron and highly electrostatic and irregular particle shapes under the real lunar environment, i.e. vacuum and microgravity. Therefore, we aim to develop flight hardware of MARVEL (Microwave heating Apparatus of lunar Regolith for Variant Experiments of Lunar ISRU) as a payload for future ESA lunar ISRU missions. MARVEL will (i) collect and compact three samples (25~50g); (ii) heat the samples with 250 W of input power for 60 minutes; and (iii) measure the temperature and volatile release profile every second until it is cooled down to ambient temperature; to demonstrate the potential of microwave heating for construction and oxygen/water extraction. The ESA’s ISRU demonstrator mission includes a core payload to demonstrate oxygen extraction from lunar soils and secondary payloads demonstrating other aspects of lunar ISRU. Our proposed MARVEL payload could potentially address both these challenges with a unique and enabling technology for Europe. The initial concept of MARVEL at TRL 2, submitted to the ESA RFI of Lunar ISRU Demonstration Platform in December 2018, has made more progress with new consortium members. With the success of this project, we will (i) develop a model of microwave heating behaviour of lunar regolith under lunar conditions; and (ii) establish crucial criteria for developing a microwave heating-based fabrication method, including 3D Printing.
Planetary Science Consolidated Grant 2020-2023
STFC Planetary Science Consolidated grant - details to be entered here.
STFC Open 2018 DTP
STFC Open 2018 DTP
PROspecting lunar VolatilEs
This project will investigate the nature and abundance of volatiles (gases such as CO2, CO, N2, H2) released during linear heating of lunar soils collected during Apollo missions. This study will provide the first quantitative estimate of gases released at different temperature steps that will directly feed into defining the performance requirements for ESA's PROSPECT instrument package which is being developed for a joint Russia-ESA lander mission to the south polar region of the Moon in 2021. I am a member of the ESA's PROSPECT User Group and my role is to help ESA define and refine measurement requirements for PROPSECT from scientists' (i.e. potential users) perspectives. Mahesh Anand is the project lead (PI) and Simeon Barber is the Co-PI on ProsPA instrument which is being developed at the OU under an ESA contract. This project will investigate the nature and abundance of volatiles (gases such as CO2, CO, N2, H2) released during linear heating of lunar soils collected during Apollo missions. This study will provide the first quantitative estimate of gases released at different temperature steps that will directly feed into defining the performance requirements for ESA's PROSPECT instrument package which is being developed for a joint Russia-ESA lander mission to the south polar region of the Moon in 2021. I am a member of the ESA's PROSPECT User Group and my role is to help ESA define and refine measurement requirements for PROPSECT from scientists' (i.e. potential users) perspectives. Mahesh Anand is the project lead (PI) and Simeon Barber is the Co-PI on ProsPA instrument which is being developed at the OU under an ESA contract. The nature and composition of lunar polar regolith is poorly understood as we do not have any samples from these regions on the Moon. Recent studies have indicated significant presence of volatiles (including water-ice) at the lunar poles and it is postulated that the lunar polar regolith is likely to be a mixture of indigenous lunar material (similar to lunar soils that were collected by the Apollo missions from near equatorial regions of the Moon) and in-falling extra-lunar material derived from asteroidal, cometary and solar sources. In the absence of any direct samples of lunar soils from the polar regions, the existing Apollo lunar soils in our collections are best candidates for establishing a baseline for volatile abundances in lunar soils utilizing the same analytical techniques as that proposed for the PROPSECT instrument package. Early studies carried out in 1970's and 1980's confirmed the presence of a range of volatiles in lunar soil that were released at various temperatures during linear heating from ambient temperature to 1400 deg C. However, the exact amount of gases released at a given temperature were never reported and, therefore, it has not been possible to evaluate quantitatively the contributions from various sources (e.g, solar wind, comets, asteroids etc.) for lunar volatiles. In this project, we propose to carry out linear heating experiments on a suite of carefully chosen Apollo soils, many of which have been previously analyzed for their volatiles, using our custom-built FINNESSE mass spectrometry system. In contrast to previous studies, we will calibrate our measurements using flow-rate of reference gases that would allow us to provide quantitative estimates of gases released during linear heating of Apollo soils. The results from our proposed work will not only improve our understanding of the nature and abundance of volatiles in the lunar soil but also help ESA in refining the requirements for the PROSPECT package. The information derived from our proposed work will critically underpin the success of PROSPECT aims and objectives while providing the Prospect User Group and the wider scientific community the baseline against which to interpret the mission data.
STFC DTG 2015 - 2016 (2015 Intake)
STFC DTG Quota 2015-16 AMS record for students starting on or after 01/10/2015
Cavity development for the Microwave Heating Demonstrator (MHD) payload concept
Humans are explorers, and the Moon is expected to play a vital role in our endeavour to expand our presence into space. However, a sustainable and affordable exploration of the Solar System cannot rely solely on Earth’s resources and must use materials obtained and processed locally. The current road map agreed upon by several international space agencies envisages a long-duration presence on the Moon by 2028, initiated through the Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway and supported by commercial service providers. A key aim of this road map is to enable development of In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) to minimise dependency on transporting all resources from Earth. ISRU is a rapidly growing field in Europe as evidenced by recent ISRU workshop in 2019, organised by ESA with over 350 participants from academia and industry. Water, required for life support and propellant, has been identified as the primary resource. However, for an extended stay on the Moon, humans will require habitats with substantial shielding from radiation and micrometeorites damage. Thus, ESA is planning ISRU demonstrator missions by mid to late 2020s, with a core payload provided by industry to demonstrate oxygen extraction from lunar regolith (soil) as well as secondary payloads for demonstrating other aspects of lunar ISRU. For example, lunar regolith could be thermally treated to extract resources and build an outer habitat shell using additive manufacturing techniques (a.k.a. 3D printing) by robots. Proof of concept experiments have demonstrated that microwaves couple efficiently with lunar regolith and sinter/melt it to build 3D structures and enable resource extraction. The Open University (OU) has an extensive ongoing programme of lunar research, including a rich heritage in spacecraft instrumentation, e.g., Ptolemy and the ProsSPA instruments, of which the latter will perform first ISRU demonstration of producing water on the Moon through reduction of regolith using hydrogen. The OU has also recently invested in a custom-designed microwave instrument to evaluate the heating of planetary materials under vacuum; progressing microwave heating experiments from traditional microwaves in the air to a controllable microwave heating in a simulated space environment. Added Value Solutions UK Ltd. (AVS) designs bespoke solutions for space science markets and are developing thrusters using microwave generators designed by VIPER RF, a microwave design consultancy. Thus, the OU has initiated a collaborative project MARVEL (Microwave heating Apparatus for Regolith Variant Experiments for Lunar ISRU) with AVS and VIPER to prepare the groundwork for the UK to lead development of a Microwave Heating Demonstrator (MHD) payload on future missions to the Moon with the flight hardware being developed and built in the UK. The initial concept development of the MHD payload was successfully completed with support from UKSA’s NSTP GEI funding. As a follow-up of the GEI project, this NSTP Pathfinder grant will allow the consortium to develop a complete (including design) concept of the MHD payload. The main objectives of this project are to: (i) develop the detailed features and functional integration of the microwave cavity design, (ii) evaluate the cavity design through computational simulation, and lab-based experiment using the existing bespoke microwave heating system with specific parameters for the MHD payload, (iii) devise a realistic concept and analyse the requirement for developing 1 kW solid-state microwave generator, which can be included in the MHD payload, and (iv) develop a robust payload concept of MHD, and exploit the technological advancements arising from this project to place the UK industry at the forefront of lunar ISRU missions such as ESA’s ISRU demonstrator mission and NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The successful completion of the proposed project will increase the TRL of the MHD payload from 2 to 3/4.
Planetary Science at the Open University 2017-2020
Our proposed research programme addresses the origin and evolution of the Solar System, including surfaces, atmospheres and physical, geological, chemical and biological processes on the terrestrial planets, the Moon, asteroids, comets, icy satellites and extraterrestrial materials, in a range of projects which address the STFC Science Roadmap challenge B: “How do stars and planetary systems develop and is life unique to our planet?” The inner rocky bodies of the Solar System are of particular importance in understanding planetary system evolution, because of their common origin but subsequent divergent histories. Lunar samples will be used to determine the abundance and composition of volatile elements on the Moon, their source(s) in the lunar interior, and processes influencing their evolution over lunar geological history. Oxygen isotope analysis will be used to determine the conditions and processes that shape the formation of materials during the earliest stages of Solar System formation. Mars is the focus of international Solar System exploration programmes, with the ultimate aim of Mars Sample Return. We will: investigate the martian water cycle on global and local scales through a synthesis of atmospheric modeling, space mission data and surface geology; assess potential changes in the composition of Mars’ atmosphere over time through measurement of tracers trapped in martian meteorites of different ages; and determine whether carbon dioxide, rather than water flow, is able to account for recently active surface features on Mars. Mercury is an end-member in the planet-formation spectrum and we plan to exploit NASA MESSENGER data to study its origin and crustal evolution, and prepare for ESA’s BepiColombo mission. The cold outer regions of the Solar System, and particularly comets, are believed to have retained some of the most pristine primitive material from their formation. We plan to probe the composition and origins of cometary material and understand the processes that drive cometary activity through: laboratory analysis of the most primitive Interplanetary Dust Particles; and direct measurements of a comet by our instruments on the Rosetta mission, together with laboratory simulations. We will conduct laboratory ultraviolet observations of irradiated ices to provide new insights into the composition of Solar System ices and how they may create atmospheres around their parent bodies. We will also investigate the role volatiles can play in the cohesion (“making”) of Solar System minor bodies, and the fragmentation that can be achieved by thermal cycling (a candidate process that “breaks” them). The question of whether Earth is a unique location for life in the Solar System remains one of the most enduring questions of our time. We plan to investigate how the geochemistry of potentially habitable environments on Mars, Europa and Enceladus would change over geological timescales if life was present, producing distinguishable biomarkers that could be used as evidence of life in the Solar System. We will study the role of hypervelocity impacts in: the processing of compounds of critical interest to habitability (water, sulfur-species, organic species) during crater formation; and the hydrothermal system of the 100 km diameter Manicouagan impact structure in Canada to assess the astrobiological implications of hydrothermal systems for early Mars. In addition to satisfying humanity’s innate desire to explore and understand the Universe around us, our research has more tangible benefits. We use the analytical techniques involved from development of space and laboratory instrumentation for applications with companies in fields as diverse as medicine, security, tourism and cosmetics. One of the most important benefits of our research is that it helps to train and inspire students - the next generation of scientists and engineers – through training within the University and public outreach and schools programmes.
DTG 2015-16 (2016 INTAKE)
DTG 2015-16 (2016 INTAKE)
EUROPLANET 2020 RI
The Europlanet 2020 Research Infrastructure (EPN2020-RI) will address key scientific and technological challenges facing modern planetary science by providing open access to state-of-the-art research data, models and facilities across the European Research Area. Its Transnational Access activities will provide access to realistic analogue field sites for Mars, Europa and Titan, and world-leading laboratory facilities that simulate conditions found on planetary bodies. Its two Virtual Access activities will make available the diverse datasets and visualisation tools needed for comparing and understanding planetary environments in the Solar System and beyond. By providing the underpinning facilities that European planetary scientists need to conduct their research, EPN2020-RI will create cooperation and effective synergies between its different components: space exploration, ground-based observations, laboratory and field experiments, numerical modelling, and technology. EPN2020-RI builds on the foundations of the previous FP6 and FP7 Europlanet programmes that established the ‘Europlanet brand’ and organised structures that will be used in the Networking Activities of EPN2020-RI to coordinate the European planetary science community’s research. Furthermore, it will disseminate its results to a wide range of stakeholders including ERA industry, policy makers and, crucially,both the wider public and the next generation of researchers and opinion formers, now in education. As an Advanced Infrastructure we place particular emphasis on widening the participation of previously under-represented research communities and stakeholders. We aim to include new countries and Inclusiveness Member States, via workshops, team meetings, and personnel exchanges, to improve the scientific and innovation impact of the infrastructure. EPN2020-RI will therefore build a truly pan-European community that shares common goals, facilities, personnel, data and IP across national boundaries.
Reconstructing the History of Lunar Volatiles
This study aims at understanding how the abundance and the distribution of volatile components, as well as their isotopic composition are influenced by the crystal structure of the host mineral in lunar samples. The volatile containing minerals – primarily phosphates – respond to pressure increase caused by the impact events by accommodating i.e. compressing their crystal structures, causing redistribution of the volatile, but also of the stable (e.g., H, Cl) and radiogenic isotopes (e.g., Pb). Therefore they not only provide a unique opportunity for precise age-determination of an impact event, but also simultaneous determination of the isotopic signature of the volatiles, a fingerprint to the source of the volatiles. This is a powerful approach for discriminating between indigenous and externally-derived volatile sources (solar wind, cosmic radiation, etc.), which is one of the remaining puzzles in studying the origin of water in the inner Solar System.
Understanding attenuation of UHF by regolith for penetrator missions
‘Penetrators’ are a new kind of spacecraft that land at high speed (think bullet from a gun!) into a planetary body such as the Moon, Mars or Europa, burying themselves a few meters into the ground in the process. Because they land at high speed, they don’t need much fuel to slow themselves down before hitting the surface – which means that the missions can be lightweight – which also means inexpensive. And here’s the clever bit: they contain a suite of sensors that operate during and after the landing, taking a host of scientific measurements such as the structure of the material into which they have landed, its temperature and chemical composition – even photos of the landing site. Many scientists – us included – think the best place to land the first penetrator mission would be near the south pole of the Moon. This has never been visited before, because it is very cold and there is very little sunlight to power the solar cells needed to keep a traditional Moon lander or rover alive. In fact, some places are so cold that we believe that valuable materials such as water ice may have collected there over billions of years in a gigantic deep freeze, holding clues about how the Moon formed and evolved. Not only is this of tremendous scientific value, it also changes the way we think about exploring the Moon and even our solar system. If we can find this water it opens up the possibility of using it to supply astronauts in future Moon bases with drinking water. And then we can split it into hydrogen and oxygen to fuel a new fleet of spacecraft that could take advantage of the Moon’s low gravity to launch new missions to Mars and beyond. This study is a vital step in designing a penetrator mission. We want to study how the radio signal that it transmits after landing, is affected by the soil it is buried beneath. If we find that the signal passes easily through the soil, we can design the penetrator to go deeper so it can achieve more science. If the signal doesn’t pass easily, then we will design a shallower penetrator. The ideal experiment would test a radio signal passing through real lunar soil. But to do this would require a lot of soil – much more than we could obtain of the precious samples brought back to Earth by NASA’s Apollo missions. And there’s another problem – all the samples on Earth are from near the Moon’s equator, meaning it is very different to what we would expect to find near the pole. So our first step will be to identify a suitable lunar soil ‘analogue’ – an Earth rock that has been crushed to mimic the essential properties of the Moon’s polar soil. Then we will mix it with varying proportions of water ice, and cool it to a range of sub-zero temperatures, to mimic the conditions at the lunar poles. And finally we can obtain a suite of measurements of the electrical properties of the soil, which we can feed into a computer model to predict how our penetrator antenna will perform when buried on the Moon. This research will be performed by The Open University partnered by QinetiQ Limited, and you can follow our progress at www.spacelabslive.com
PROSPECT Measurement Verification Standard Preparation
The European Space Agency (ESA) is developing a suite of instruments in collaboration with the Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) for its lunar exploration Program. In particular, ESA is investing in building an instrument package called PROSPECT (Platform for Resource Observation and in-Situ Prospecting for Exploration, Commercial Exploitation and Transportation) consisting of a chemical laboratory (Prospect Sample Processing and Analysis - ProSPA) and a drill (PROSPECT Sample Excavation and Extraction Device - ProSEED). The PROSPECT package will drill into the sub surface in the lunar polar regions and extract samples of regolith which are expected to contain water ice and other cold trapped volatiles in unknown quantities. ProSPA will identify the complex mix of chemical species present in the polar lunar regolith, their abundances and isotopic composition. The complex mix of chemicals present in the lunar polar regions is not known but may be postulated as being a combination of equatorial lunar regolith, which has been studied extensively and that found in carbonaceous chondrites. This information has been used to define the requirements for the measurement performance of the PROSPECT end to end system which are related to specific elements, isotopes and chemical species. These requirements must be verified against a standard. This standard must be comparable in composition and complexity to that expected for the lunar polar regolith. Any standard produced can also be used as a standard for other instruments on Luna-27 and other missions to the lunar poles, elsewhere on the Moon or asteroids, as well as sample return. It’s utilisation across different platforms would allow comprehensive comparison of results between missions and instruments providing enhanced return, both scientific and in terms of resource prospecting. The PROSPECT User Group, which has defined these measurement requirements, has defined CM chondrite as the ideal standard material for verification of these measurement requirements for the system. As a lower priority CV chondrite has been identified as a candidate, it’s primary benefit being related to the relative abundance of the material. Given the relative scarcity of CM chondrite the suggested approach is to prepare standards using both CM chondrite (smaller quantity) and CV chondrite (larger quantity). Through this work, we will characterise a CM and a CV chondrite through mineralogical, chemical and isotopic measurements (e.g., C, N) using a suite of analytical instruments at the Open University. The CV chondrite based standard shall be used as a preliminary verification. Following a successful verification a full verification shall be accomplished using the CM chondrite based standard.
Astronomy and Planetary Sciences at the Open University
The aim of our programme in Astronomy & Planetary Science at the Open University (APSOU) is to carryout detailed investigations of the origin and evolution of galaxies, stars and planets with a special emphasis on our own Solar System through a combination of observation, simulation, laboratory analysis and theoretical modelling. Our research is divided into two broad areas, reflecting the historical research strengths. This research programme is well-matched to both nationally- and internationally-agreed research imperatives. In its final report, A Science Vision for European Astronomy2, Astronet’s Science Working Group identified four broad areas of strategic importance; our research covers major topics within each of these areas. APSOU projects also map onto two of the four Science Challenges that form STFC’s Road Map3 for science (‘How did the universe begin and how is it evolving?’ and ‘How do stars and planetary systems develop and is life unique to our planet?’). The present APSOU programme comprises 20 projects (labelled A to T), of which 6 are for consideration by the Astronomy Observation (AO) panel, 1 for Astronomy Theory (AT), and 13 for the Planetary Studies (PL) panel. The AO projects cover the breadth of the 7 themes recognised as UK strengths in the report of STFC’s Astronomy Advisory Panel (AAP), whilst the 13 PL projects are directed towards answering questions raised in two of the three themes identified as UK strengths in the roadmap of STFC’s Solar System Advisory Panel (SSAP)4.
Using apatite to investigate volatile inventories of chondritic meteorites
Recent advancements in in-situ analytical instrumentation and techniques have enabled high-precision measurements of water (OH) contents and its hydrogen (H) isotopic composition in volatile-bearing mineral phases (e.g., apatite) in extra-terrestrial samples such as lunar and Martian basalts. These investigations have brought about a paradigm shift in our understanding of the sources of volatiles in the inner Solar System materials and the processes that influence or change the signatures observed (e.g., Anand et al., 2014). On-going research on lunar samples seem to suggest carbonaceous chondrite-like sources for water in the Earth-Moon system, along with identifying magmatic degassing as a fundamental process operating on airless planetary bodies such as the Moon (e.g., Tartèse et al, 2014). In order to fully evaluate and assess the volatile inventory of the inner Solar System materials using apatite, it is necessary to investigate apatite in chondritic meteorites for their volatiles. We are expanding our research on apatites to include chondritic meteorites (specifically in carbonaceous chondrites) to generate a dataset with which to compare the existing data from lunar and other meteoritic samples. The proposed work will primarily focus on a selection of carbonaceous chondrites in which apatite has been previously reported (e.g. Krot et al., 2014). The work will involve optical and mineralogical investigations of polished thin-sections using Secondary Electron Microscope (SEM) and/or electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) techniques to investigate textural links between the apatite and surrounding minerals. Such textural information will be critical in developing a better understanding of the context in which apatite might have formed and will be useful in elucidating the volatile history of the samples.
Mineralogical and Petrological investigations of HED meteorites and their volatile inventories
Recent advancements in in-situ analytical instrumentation and techniques have enabled high-precision measurements of water (OH) contents and its hydrogen (H) isotopic composition in volatile-bearing mineral phases (e.g., apatite) in extra-terrestrial samples such as lunar and martian basalts. These investigations have brought about a paradigm shift in our understanding of the processes and sources involved in giving rise to the volatile inventory of the inner solar system bodies (e.g., Anand 2014). On-going research on lunar samples seem to suggest asteroidal sources for water in the Earth-Moon system along with a dominant role for magma degassing on an airless planetary body such as the Moon (e.g., Tartèse and Anand, 2013). In order to fully evaluate and assess the volatile inventory of the inner solar system it is necessary to investigate the basaltic samples from the Howardite-Eucrite-Diogenite (HED) suite of meteorites for their OH contents and H isotopic composition. We are embarking upon measurements of the OH contents and H isotopic composition of apatites in HEDs using a NanoSIMS building upon the analytical protocol recently established at the Open University (e.g., Tartese et al., 2013). However, the HED meteorites display a wide mineralogical, compositional, and textural variations and, therefore, it is critical to fully characterize each sample for its mineralogical and petrological features in order to fully integrate their volatile element data. The proposed work will involve analysis of polished thin sections of selected HEDs using a Secondary Electron Microscope (SEM) and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) techniques to investigate textural links between the apatite and surrounding minerals. Such textural information will be critical in developing a better understanding of the overall petrogenesis of the HED suite and is useful in determining the volatile history of the samples.
Publications
Book Chapter
Journal Article
The mystery of the missing mantle problem and insights from spectroscopy (2025)
Microfaults: Abundant shear deformation and frictional melting in chondrites (2025)
Remnants of a lost Planetesimal: Searching for the Angrite parent body (2025)
The viscosity and processing of molten lunar regolith (2025)
Evidence against water delivery by impacts within 10 million years of planetesimal formation (2024)
A mineralogical and isotopic study of the historic monomict eucrite Padvarninkai (2024)
Quantitative evolved gas analysis: Winchcombe in comparison with other CM2 meteorites (2024)
Detection of apatite in ferroan anorthosite indicative of a volatile-rich early lunar crust (2024)
Titanium-rich basaltic melts on the Moon modulated by reactive flow processes (2024)
Chondritic chlorine isotope composition of acapulcoites and lodranites (2024)
A primordial noble gas component discovered in the Ryugu asteroid and its implications (2024)
The impact history and prolonged magmatism of the angrite parent body (2024)
Endogenous Lunar Volatiles (2023)
In-situ phosphate U-Pb ages of the L chondrites (2023)
Water extraction from icy lunar simulants using low power microwave heating (2023)
Water extraction from icy lunar simulants using low power microwave heating (2023)
A solar wind-derived water reservoir on the Moon hosted by impact glass beads (2023)
Uranium–Lead Systematics of Lunar Basaltic Meteorite Northwest Africa 2977 (2023)
Magmatic chlorine isotope fractionation recorded in apatite from Chang'e-5 basalts (2022)
Ancient and recent collisions revealed by phosphate minerals in the Chelyabinsk meteorite (2022)
A deuterium-poor water reservoir in the asteroid 4 Vesta and the inner solar system (2021)
The Ca isotope composition of mare basalts as a probe into the heterogeneous lunar mantle (2021)
A dry lunar mantle reservoir for young mare basalts of Chang'E-5 (2021)
Evidence of extensive lunar crust formation in impact melt sheets 4,330 Myr ago (2020)
Preservation of primordial signatures of water in highly-shocked ancient lunar rocks (2020)
Multiple early-formed water reservoirs in the interior of Mars (2020)
A quantitative evolved gas analysis for extra-terrestrial samples (2020)
Regions of interest (ROI) for future exploration missions to the lunar South Pole (2020)
Numerical modelling of the microwave heating behaviour of lunar regolith (2019)
The timing of basaltic volcanism at the Apollo landing sites (2019)
The chlorine isotopic composition of the Moon: Insights from melt inclusions (2019)
Shock‐induced microtextures in lunar apatite and merrillite (2019)
Extra-terrestrial construction processes - advancements, opportunities and challenges (2017)
The mineralogy, petrology, and composition of anomalous eucrite Emmaville (2017)
Origin and Evolution of Water in the Moon’s Interior (2017)
Predominantly Non-Solar Origin of Nitrogen in Lunar Soils (2016)
On the iron isotope composition of Mars and volatile depletion in the terrestrial planets (2016)
Water in evolved lunar rocks: Evidence for multiple reservoirs (2016)
Microwave processing of lunar soil for supporting longer-term surface exploration on the Moon (2016)
Early degassing of lunar urKREEP by crust-breaching impact(s) (2016)
The abundance and isotopic composition of water in eucrites (2016)
An asteroidal origin for water in the Moon (2016)
Long-lived explosive volcanism on Mercury (2014)
Dust from collisions: A way to probe the composition of exo-planets? (2014)
Understanding the origin and evolution of water in the Moon through lunar sample studies (2014)
The origin of water in the primitive Moon as revealed by the lunar highlands samples (2014)
Hollows on Mercury: materials and mechanisms involved in their formation (2014)
Stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen in angrites (2013)
Late delivery of chondritic hydrogen into the lunar mantle: Insights from mare basalts (2013)
Geology, geochemistry, and geophysics of the Moon: status of current understanding (2012)
Back to the Moon: the scientific rationale for resuming lunar surface exploration (2012)
The Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer: first results (2012)
Lunar Net - a proposal in response to an ESA M3 call in 2010 for a medium sized mission (2012)
New Ar-Ar ages of southern Indian kimberlites and a lamproite and their geochemical evolution (2011)
Lunar water: a brief review (2010)
The mercury imaging X-ray spectrometer (MIXS) on BepiColombo (2010)
Mercury's surface and composition to be studied by BepiColombo (2010)
The C1XS X-Ray Spectrometer on Chandrayaan-1 (2009)
The petrology and geochemistry of Miller Range 05035: A new lunar gabbroic meteorite (2008)
Cryptomare magmatism 4.35 Gyr ago recorded in lunar meteorite Kalahari 009 (2007)
Discriminating bacterial from electrochemical corrosion using Fe isotopes (2007)
Searching for signatures of life on Mars: an Fe isotope perspective (2006)
Petrology and geochemistry of LaPaz Icefield 02205: a new unique low-Ti mare-basalt meteorite (2006)
Space weathering on airless planetary bodies: clues from the lunar mineral hapkeite (2004)
Diamonds: time capsules from the Siberian Mantle (2004)
Petrogenesis of lunar meteorite EET 96008 (2003)
The significance of mineral inclusions in large diamonds from Yakutia, Russia (2003)
KREEPy lunar meteorite Dhofar 287A: A new lunar mare basalt (2003)
Lunar regolith breccia Dhofar 287B: A record of lunar volcanism (2003)
Other
Presentation / Conference
Water Extraction from Icy Lunar Simulants using Low Power Microwave Heating (2022)
The shock response of apatite and its effect on volatiles in eucrites (2022)
Volatile Inventory of Lunar Meteorites from the Dominion Range (2022)
A Detailed Mineralogical and Isotopic Study of the Historic Monomict Eucrite Padvarninkai (2022)
Chlorine and hydrogen in brecciated lunar meteorites: implications for lunar volatile history (2021)
The Hydrogen and Chlorine Isotopic Composition of Highly Shocked Eucrites (2020)
Chlorine in Brecciated Lunar Meteorite Nwa 12593: Implications for Lunar Volatile History (2020)
Quantitative Evolved Gas Analysis of Apollo Lunar Soils (2020)
Understanding of microwave heating behaviour of lunar regolith and simulants (2019)
A quantitative evolved gas analysis for meteorite and lunar samples (2019)
Apollo Virtual Microscope Collection: Lunar Minaeralogy and Petrology of Apollo Rocks (2019)
Apatite Microstructures and its Volatile Composition in Eucrites (2019)
Water Production from Lunar Samples and Simulants (2019)
A Quantitative Evolved Gas Analysis for Lunar and Meteorite Materials (2019)
Cooling rates of chondrules from diffusion profiles in relict olivine grains (2018)
Cooling rate of chondrules from diffusion profiles in relict olivine grains (2018)
Linking volatiles and microstructures in apatite from eucrites (2018)
Hydrogen Reduction of Ilmenite in a Static System for a Lunar ISRU Demonstration (2018)
ProSPA: Analysis of Lunar Polar Volatiles and ISRU Demonstration on the Moon (2018)
Microstructural shock features in Lunar Mg-suite accessory phases (2017)
PROSPECTing for Lunar Polar Volatiles: the ProSPA Miniature In-situ Science Laboratory (2017)
Shock-Induced Texture in Lunar Mg-Suite Apatite and its Effect on Volatile Distribution (2017)
NWA 10989 – A New Lunar Meteorite with Equal Proportions of Feldspathic and VLT Material (2017)
Ion Microprobe Analyses of Trace Elements in Lunar Apatites (2017)
Trapping of Atmospheric Gases During Crushing of Lunar Samples (2017)
Chlorine in Lunar Basalts (2017)
Hydrogen reduction of ilmenite as an ISRU demonstration for ProSPA (2017)
Constraining the Cooling Rates of Chondrules (2017)
Chlorine isotope variation in eucrites (2016)
Constraining the cooling rates of chondrules (2016)
Constraining the cooling rates of chondrules (2016)
The isotopic composition of chlorine in apatite from eucrites (2016)
3D Printing on the Moon: Challenges and Opportunities (2015)
The Mineralogy and Petrology of Anomalous Eucrite Emmaville (2015)
Understanding the Chlorine Isotopic Compositions of Apatites in Lunar Basalts (2015)
Apatite-Melt Volatile Partitioning Under Lunar Conditions (2015)
Volatiles in the lunar crust - an evaluation of the role of metasomatism (2015)
Determining the source(s) of water in the lunar interior (2015)
Apatite: a versatile recorder of the history of lunar volatiles (2014)
Using apatite to unravel the origin of water in ancient Moon rocks (2014)
The abundance and isotopic composition of water in howardite-eucrite-diogenite meteorites (2014)
Water in and on the Moon: recent discoveries and future prospects (2014)
Investigating the distribution and source(s) of volatiles on the lunar surface (2013)
Using lunar apatite to assess the volatile inventory of the Moon (2013)
Graphitic Raman spectra in angrites: a source of high-temperature carbon? (2013)
Water in the Moon: insights from SIMS analyses of lunar apatites (2012)
Apollo 15 low-Ti and KREEP basalts: two distinct "water" reservoirs? (2012)
Investigating the water contents and hydrogen isotopic compositions of lunar apatite (2012)
A trapped nitrogen component in angrites (2012)
The abundance, distribution, and source(s) of water in the Moon (2012)
Lunar volatiles: an examination of hydrogen isotopes and hydroxyl content (2012)
Hydrogen and lead isotopic characteristics of lunar meteorite MIL 05035 (2012)
The hydroxyl content and hydrogen isotope composition of Lunar apatites (2012)
The Open University-NASA Apollo Virtual Microscope – a tool for Education and Outreach (2011)
Recent advancements in lunar science and the future exploration of the moon (2010)
Virtual microscope for extra-terrestrial samples (2010)
Mineralogy and petrology of a lunar highland breccia meteorite, MIL 07006 (2009)
Silicon isotope variations in the Earth and meteorites (2009)
SHRIMP U-Pb dating of Perovskites from southern Indian kimberlites (2008)
Trace-element signatures of kyanite-eclogites from a southern Indian kimberlite (2008)
Metasomatized Kyanite-eclogites xenoliths from a southern Indian kimberlite (2008)
Ion microprobe U-Pb dating of phosphates in lunar basaltic meteorites (2008)
Timing and duration of mare basalt magmatism: constraints from lunar samples (2008)
Mineralogical and geochemical investigations of mare basalts from the Appollo Collection (2008)
Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Shergottite RBT 04262 (2008)
Petrography and bulk composition of Miller Range 05035: a new lunar VLT gabbro (2007)
Dust from collisions in circumstellar disks: similarities to meteoritic materials? (2006)
Dust from collisions: mid-infrared absorbance spectroscopy of Martian meteorites (2006)
Fe isotopic composition of Martian meteorites and some terrestrial analogues (2006)