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I am a postdoctoral scholar in planetary science at Caltech, in the Aharonson research group. My main interest is the nature and history of water and other volatiles on planets and moons, as well as the origins and distribution of habitable environments in the solar system. Remote sensing (i.e. measuring physical or chemical properties from a distance) is the main observational tool my colleagues and I use to investigate the various worlds of our solar system. We also use computer simulations and make calculations to better understand the wealth of observational data available.
Research highlights
Moon
As I write, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is orbiting the Moon, collecting and beaming back to Earth veritable truck loads of exciting new observations of our closest planetary neighbor. Among the seven instruments onboard LRO, I primarily use the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (Diviner) to study the temperatures of the lunar surface.
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| The lunar south polar crater Cabeus, as viewed by Diviner. Brightness in the grayscale image corresponds to surface temperature measured just prior to the LCROSS impact, and the color swath shows temperatures measured about 90 seconds after impact. Heat from the impact created the bright dot indicated in the inset. Image: Paul Hayne/UCLA/JPL/GSFC/NASA
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We recently published results from the LRO and LCROSS missions in the journal Science indicating that the Moon's polar regions are colder and probably more chemically diverse than previously thought. Here is a nice summary by Dr. Richard Lovett of Nature News:
"Astronomers comb through Moon smash haul"
Here is an article by Charles Choi of Space.com on the trials and tribulations of pulling off the successful LCROSS/LRO missions:
"How NASA's Bold Moon Crash Almost Bombed
And a feature on ScienceDaily:
Lunar 'Permafrost': Evidence for Widespread Water Ice on the Moon
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Two Diviner papers were part of the special issue (see cover at right):
- P. O. Hayne, B. T. Greenhagen, M. C. Foote, M. A. Siegler, A. R. Vasavada, D. A. Paige, "Diviner Lunar Radiometer Observations of the LCROSS Impact" Science 330, p. 477 (2010).[PDF (5.79 MB)] supporting material: [PDF (291 KB)]
- D. A. Paige, M. A. Siegler, J. Zhang, P. O. Hayne, E. J. Foote, K. A. Bennett, A. R. Vasavada, B. T. Greenhagen, J. T. Schofield, D. J. McCleese, M. C. Foote, E. DeJong, B. G. Bills, W. Hartford, B. C. Murray, C. C. Allen, K. Snook, L. A. Soderblom, S. Calcutt, F. W. Taylor, N. E. Bowles, J. L. Bandfield, R. Elphic, R. Ghent, T. D. Glotch, M. B. Wyatt, and P. G. Lucey, "Diviner Lunar Radiometer Observations of Cold Traps in the Moon's South Polar Region" Science 330, p. 479 (2010).
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| Surface temperature map of the south polar region of the Moon acquired by Diviner. LCROSS struck one of the intensely cold craters near the center of the frame, revealing the presence of water ice and other frozen volatiles. Image: David A. Paige/UCLA/JPL/GSFC/NASA
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I am also co-author on one of two papers on lunar composition, also from Diviner measurements, led by Ben Greenhagen at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory:
- B. T. Greenhagen, P. G. Lucey, M. B. Wyatt, T. D. Glotch, C. C. Allen, J. A. Arnold, J. L. Bandfield, N. E. Bowles, K. L. Donaldson Hanna, P. O. Hayne, E. Song, I. R. Thomas, D. A. Paige, "Global Silicate Mineralogy of the Moon from the Diviner Lunar Radiometer" Science 329, p. 1507 (2010)
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Other projects I am working on, related to the Moon and other airless bodies: thermal response of the Moon to lunar eclipses, surface roughness and temperature, ice stability and migration in porous regolith, lunar water and hydroxyl temperature response
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