Research Projects

This project will investigate how water has shaped the geological history and environmental conditions on Earth and Mars. By analyzing hydrous minerals from orbiter and rover data, alongside terrestrial analogs and lab-precipitated samples, it aims to uncover fluid-rock interactions and aqueous alteration processes. This study will investigate basalt weathering and clay formation under different conditions by water bath experiments on powdered basalt samples at varying temperatures. Identifying these mechanisms will provide insights into Mars’ aqueous history and its potential to support life while advancing our understanding of planetary evolution across the solar system. We will achieve the final objectives of the project by utilising several remote sensing and lab-based spectroscopic and geochemical techniques. Another aspect of this project is to simulate geological processes and interactions between water and planetary materials under varying conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure) that are similar to different planetary bodies (i.e., Mars). The findings will support astrobiological investigations, refine martian analog site characterization, and guide instrument design for future Mars missions. Extensive analysis of martian orbiter and rover-based data would be conducted, followed by fieldwork expeditions to terrestrial analog sites that resemble martian environments to gather comparative mineralogical samples and data using similar kinds of instruments that are currently being deployed on Mars. Various spectroscopic techniques (VNIR, FTIR, RAMAN) would be utilized for real-time change in the mineralogy under simulated conditions of the analog materials. Using XRD, SEM, EDS, EPMA of rocks and minerals from the analog localities will be characterized before and after the exposure to the simulated environment to assess the change in mineralogy. The final objective of this project is to develop computational models to simulate the dynamics of water transport, weathering, and alteration processes on planetary surfaces. With no sample return missions from Mars yet, its geological history relies on orbiter and rover data. Integrating studies of martian analog sites on Earth can enhance understanding of the planet. Background research on hydrothermal mineralogy and geochemistry is crucial ahead of Mars Sample Return and ISRO's upcoming Mars missions.

Hydrous Minerals, Aqueous Alteration, Mars Analog Sites, Spectroscopy (VNIR; FTIR), Fluid-Rock Interaction, Planetary Geochemistry