Study Level
PhDSupervisors
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| Associate Professor David Flannery | Dr Patrick Hayman |
Overview
NASA’s newest Mars rover, Perseverance, has just arrived on the red planet. Tasked with searching for ancient life in the geological record of a ~4 billion-year-old crater lake, the mission science team must use our only available analogue – the Earth – as their guide to exploration.
Research activities
You will perform extensive geological fieldwork in order to model a 3 billion-year-old river and lake system in remote Western Australia.
Facies analysis, including the taphonomy of microbial biosignatures, will yield insights into the nature of early-evolving ecosystems on Earth and guide the search for life on Mars. You may have an opportunity to join a global research team and influence the operations of spacecraft on Mars.
Outcomes
Study of this ancient habitable environment will inform the development of exploration strategies for Mars rovers.
Skills and experience
A combination of field, laboratory and desktop studies will be undertaken. This is part of a larger collaborative project.
A strong interest in the subject and a background in field geology is required. You will need to work independently.
Apply
Contact supervisors for more information: