Dante Lauretta
Encyclopedia
Dante Lauretta is an Associate Professor of Planetary Science
and Cosmochemistry
at the University of Arizona
's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. He received a B.S. in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Arizona in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis
in 1997. He was a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Geological Sciences at Arizona State University from 1997 through 1999. He was an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Arizona State University from 1999 through 2001. He was hired on to the faculty at the University of Arizona in 2001.
His research interests focus on the chemistry and mineralogy of asteroids and comets as determined by in situ laboratory analysis and spacecraft observations. This work is important for constraining the chemistry of the solar nebula, understanding the origin of complex organic molecules in the early Solar System, and constraining the initial chemical inventories of the terrestrial planets. He is an expert in the analysis of extraterrestrial materials. In particular, he uses inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron microprobe analysis (EPMA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to study meteorites, lunar samples, and particles returned by Stardust.
Lauretta was the recipient of the 2002 Nier Prize
of the Meteoritical Society
, and the 1995 Nininger Meteorite Award
.
He was selected as a Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences in 2008.
He was a member of the 2002-2003 Antarctic Search for Meteorites and received the Antarctica Service Medal of the United States of America in 2010 for his service.
He is coauthor (with M. Katherine Crombie (his wife), Chris Gholson, and Erik Melchiorre) of 'Rich Hill: The History of Arizona's Most Amazing Gold District'.
He is the coauthor (with Marvin Killgore) of A Color Atlas of Meteorites in Thin Section (2005).
He is lead editor of the University of Arizona's Space Science series book “Meteorites and the Early Solar System II” (2006, University of Arizona Press) ISBN 9780816525621.
Hi is the co-editor of the “Protoplanetary Dust” volume (2010) in the Cambridge University Press Planetary Science Series.
He is currently serving as the Deputy Principal Investigator on NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission to return 60 g of carbonaceous asteroid regolith from asteroid 1999 RQ36.
Dr. Lauretta is known for his experimental work on the formation of iron-bearing sulfide
s in the solar nebula
. He also worked on the cosmochemical behavior of various elements, such as mercury
, boron and beryllium in meteorite
s.
Asteroid 5819 Lauretta
was named in his honor.
Planetary science
Planetary science is the scientific study of planets , moons, and planetary systems, in particular those of the Solar System and the processes that form them. It studies objects ranging in size from micrometeoroids to gas giants, aiming to determine their composition, dynamics, formation,...
and Cosmochemistry
Cosmochemistry
Cosmochemistry or chemical cosmology is the study of the chemical composition of matter in the universe and the processes that led to those compositions. This is done primarily through the study of the chemical composition of meteorites and other physical samples...
at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. He received a B.S. in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Arizona in 1993 and a Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
in 1997. He was a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Geological Sciences at Arizona State University from 1997 through 1999. He was an Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Arizona State University from 1999 through 2001. He was hired on to the faculty at the University of Arizona in 2001.
His research interests focus on the chemistry and mineralogy of asteroids and comets as determined by in situ laboratory analysis and spacecraft observations. This work is important for constraining the chemistry of the solar nebula, understanding the origin of complex organic molecules in the early Solar System, and constraining the initial chemical inventories of the terrestrial planets. He is an expert in the analysis of extraterrestrial materials. In particular, he uses inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron microprobe analysis (EPMA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to study meteorites, lunar samples, and particles returned by Stardust.
Lauretta was the recipient of the 2002 Nier Prize
Nier Prize
The Nier Prize is named after Alfred O. C. Nier and is awarded annually by the Meteoritical Society and recognizes outstanding research in meteoritics and closely allied fields by young scientists....
of the Meteoritical Society
Meteoritical Society
The Meteoritical Society is a non-profit scholarly organization founded in 1933 to promote research and education in planetary science with emphasis on studies of meteorites and other extraterrestrial materials that further our understanding of the origin and history of the solar system.The...
, and the 1995 Nininger Meteorite Award
Nininger Meteorite Award
The Nininger Meteorite Award recognizes outstanding student achievement in the “Science of Meteoritics” as embodied by an original research paper. In 1965, Dr. Harvey H. Nininger and Mrs. Addie D...
.
He was selected as a Kavli Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences in 2008.
He was a member of the 2002-2003 Antarctic Search for Meteorites and received the Antarctica Service Medal of the United States of America in 2010 for his service.
He is coauthor (with M. Katherine Crombie (his wife), Chris Gholson, and Erik Melchiorre) of 'Rich Hill: The History of Arizona's Most Amazing Gold District'.
He is the coauthor (with Marvin Killgore) of A Color Atlas of Meteorites in Thin Section (2005).
He is lead editor of the University of Arizona's Space Science series book “Meteorites and the Early Solar System II” (2006, University of Arizona Press) ISBN 9780816525621.
Hi is the co-editor of the “Protoplanetary Dust” volume (2010) in the Cambridge University Press Planetary Science Series.
He is currently serving as the Deputy Principal Investigator on NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission to return 60 g of carbonaceous asteroid regolith from asteroid 1999 RQ36.
Dr. Lauretta is known for his experimental work on the formation of iron-bearing sulfide
Sulfide
A sulfide is an anion of sulfur in its lowest oxidation state of 2-. Sulfide is also a slightly archaic term for thioethers, a common type of organosulfur compound that are well known for their bad odors.- Properties :...
s in the solar nebula
Solar nebula
In cosmogony, the nebular hypothesis is the most widely accepted model explaining the formation and evolution of the Solar System. There is evidence that it was first proposed in 1734 by Emanuel Swedenborg. Originally applied only to our own Solar System, this method of planetary system formation...
. He also worked on the cosmochemical behavior of various elements, such as mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
, boron and beryllium in meteorite
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
s.
Asteroid 5819 Lauretta
5819 Lauretta
Lauretta is an asteroid. It was discovered on October 29, 1989 by Schelte J. Bus at Cerro Tololo. It was named after Dr. Dante Lauretta.-External links:*...
was named in his honor.
See also
- Spacecraft targets in List of notable asteroids