Timothy Glotch
· Professor and Department Chair Planetary Science, SpectroscopyStony Brook University · Geosciences
Active 1997–2026
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About
Timothy Glotch is a planetary geologist and the Department Chair at the Department of Geosciences at Stony Brook University. His research interests include quantitative remote sensing at infrared wavelengths of the surfaces of Mars, the Moon, Earth, and small bodies, laboratory spectroscopic measurements of minerals, extraterrestrial samples, and their analogs under simulated lunar or asteroid environments, as well as micro-Raman and nano-infrared spectroscopy of terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples. He is the principal investigator of the RISE2 node of NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute and a co-investigator on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner Lunar Radiometer science team. Additionally, he was a Participating Scientist for the remote sensing portion of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx sample return mission to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. His recent research involves detailed micro- and nano-spectroscopic analyses of samples from near-Earth asteroids Ryugu and Bennu to uncover the history of early geochemical reactions in our Solar System, as well as analyses of lunar samples returned by Apollo missions to understand the genesis of unusual lunar rock types. He collaborates with teams at Brookhaven National Laboratory to identify signatures of uranium mining and milling activities from orbital hyperspectral imagers, supporting the Department of Energy's nuclear nonproliferation efforts.
Research topics
- Geology
- Astrobiology
- Physics
- Paleontology
- Geochemistry
- Mineralogy
- Astronomy
- Materials science
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
Selected publications
Bright carbonate veins on asteroid (101955) Bennu: Implications for aqueous alteration history
Science · 2020 · 125 citations
The composition of asteroids and their connection to meteorites provide insight into geologic processes that occurred in the early Solar System. We present spectra of the Nightingale crater region on near-Earth asteroid Bennu with a distinct infrared absorption around 3.4 micrometers. Corresponding images of boulders show centimeters-thick, roughly meter-long bright veins. We interpret the veins as being composed of carbonates, similar to those found in aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrite m…
Distinct Carbonate Lithologies in Jezero Crater, Mars
Geophysical Research Letters · 2021 · 58 citations
Senior authorCorrespondingJezero crater is the landing site for the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. The Noachian-aged crater has undergone several periods of fluvial and lacustrine activity and phyllosilicate- and carbonate-bearing rocks were formed and emplaced as a result. It also contains a portion of the regional Nili Fossae olivine-carbonate unit. In this work, we performed spectral mixture analysis of visible/near-infrared hyperspectral imagery over Jezero. We modeled carbonate abundances up to ∼35% and identified th…
Astronomy and Astrophysics · 2021 · 45 citations
Context. Asteroid (101955) Bennu is the target of NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission. The spacecraft’s instruments have characterized Bennu at global and local scales to select a sampling site and provide context for the sample that will be returned to Earth. These observations include thermal infrared spectral characterization by the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES). Aims. To understand the degree…
The Scientific Value of a Sustained Exploration Program at the Aristarchus Plateau
The Planetary Science Journal · 2021 · 24 citations
1st authorCorrespondingAbstract The Aristarchus plateau hosts a diversity of volcanic features, including the largest pyroclastic deposit on the Moon, the largest sinuous rille on the Moon, and intrusive and extrusive examples of evolved, Th-rich silicic lithologies. We provide an overview of previous remote-sensing measurements of the Aristarchus plateau and provide new analyses of Diviner Lunar Radiometer thermal IR data, Lunar Prospector Gamma Ray Spectrometer Th data, Chang’e-5 Microwave Radiometer data, and hyper…
Journal of Geophysical Research Planets · 2021 · 24 citations
Abstract Planetary surfaces can be complex mixtures of coarse and fine particles that exhibit linear and nonlinear mixing behaviors at mid‐infrared (MIR) wavelengths. Machine learning multivariate analysis can estimate modal mineralogy of mixtures and is favorable because it does not assume linear mixing across wavelengths. We used partial least squares (PLS) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (lasso), two types of machine learning, to build MIR spectral models to determine the…
Recent grants
Frequent coauthors
- 333 shared
P. R. Christensen
Arizona State University
- 243 shared
M. A. Barucci
Sorbonne Paris Cité
- 204 shared
J. R. Brucato
Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory
- 204 shared
Joshua P. Emery
- 203 shared
Salvatore Ferrone
Observatoire de Paris
- 203 shared
B. E. Clark
Radiology Associates of Albuquerque
- 203 shared
M. Pajola
Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova
- 203 shared
Marco Delbó
University of Leicester
Education
- 1999
B.A.
Colgate University
- 2004
Ph.D., Geological Sciences
Arizona State University
Awards & honors
- NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (…
- Participating Scientist for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx sample return…
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