I am a planetary geologist interested in the mineralogy and geologic histories of planetary bodies. I started out studying volcano-tectonic features on Venus with the Magellan mission and now I study Mars, asteroids, meteorites, and very soon, samples returned from asteroid Bennu by the OSIRIS-REx mission. My primary tool, and thus my specialty, is spectroscopy. The main focus of my research is understanding the spectral features of minerals and rocks in the visible, near infrared, and thermal infrared portions of the electro-magnetic spectrum and using this knowledge to identify and/or characterize the rocks and minerals on planetary surfaces and in meteorites/returned samples. These data are useful because we can obtain them non-destructively and from spacecraft, without being in contact with the planetary surface. I analyze data from ongoing NASA spacecraft missions at Mars, and I'm a Co-Investigator on the OSIRIS-REx and Lucy missions, which carry thermal infrared spectrometers to carbonaceous and Trojan asteroids. I also serve as the Chair of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG).



Welcome

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.

                    -Carl Sagan

Dr. Victoria E. Hamilton, Institute Scientist

Solar System Science & Exploration Division

Southwest Research Institute

1050 Walnut St., Suite 300

Boulder, CO 80302

ph: 720.240.0115; fax: 303.546.9687

e-mail: hamilton@boulder.swri.edu