Nuclear Physics in Space: Uncovering the Solar System's History with Gamma Rays and Neutrons
by
DrPatrick Peplowski(John Hopkins University)
→
US/Pacific
5-5132 (B50A)
5-5132
B50A
Description
Recording: available after talk
Abstract:
By detecting faint nuclear signals from the surfaces of planets, moons, and asteroids, scientists are uncovering the hidden stories of how these worlds formed and evolved. This technique, known as nuclear spectroscopy, has revealed the iron-rich crust of Mercury, the volatile content of Mars, and the building blocks of our Moon and various asteroids.
In this talk, I will explore how interplanetary spacecraft have used nuclear physics to probe the surfaces of our solar system's rocky bodies—and what these findings tell us about the origin and evolution of our planetary neighborhood. We'll journey from Mercury to Mars, stopping at the Moon and asteroids along the way, and see how fundamental nuclear interactions power one of the most exciting tools in planetary science
Speaker bio:
Patrick Peplowski is a staff scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, where he works to develop, build, test, and operate nuclear spectrometers that have flown on missions built by NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Agency (JAXA). He has been a science team member on eight different planetary science missions, including missions to Mercury, the moons of Earth, Mars, and Saturn, and a variety of asteroids. His background is in nuclear physics, having received his BS (2004) in Physics from the University of Washington, and his MS (2005) and PhD (2009) from the Florida State University. Patrick’s current research interests focus on measurements of spallation and neutron inelastic reaction cross sections, and he is currently the instrument scientist for the gamma-ray and neutron instruments for NASA’s Psyche mission (launched in 2023) and JAXA’s Mars’ Moon Exploration (MMX) mission, which will launch in 2026.