Research > Radiation of Rocky Surfaces Current experiments at
our laboratory simulate the effect of the solar wind on the
surface composition of asteroids and their appearance (spectral
reflectance). Low energy ion bombardment results in oxygen loss
as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (see results
in J. Geophys. Res. 104, 1865 (1999)). Other experiments look at
the effect of irradiation on interplanetary and interstellar
dust to interpret observations on collected dust which may bring
important clues on the origin of our solar system. Recently we
have completed research on forsterite and on troilite. See
Icarus 195 (2008) 622. In collaboration with Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, we have studied in the lab the process of
amorphization of interstellar grains. See Astrophysics Journal
662 (2007) 372 We use a nanosecond-pulsed excimer laser to
simulate the effect of the impact of hypervelocity (tens of
km/s) micrometeorites on surfaces that produce very high
temperatures locally at the impa