After completing a dual B.A. in astronomy and geology at Mount Holyoke College, I moved to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to work on a Ph.D. in geology with Dr. Devon Burr. While a student at Mount Holyoke College, I became intrigued with the history of water on Mars and with impact crater formation and post-emplacement modification (what happens to craters after they have formed). With Dr. Burr, I am currently working at the intersection of these two topics, investigating the formation of central pits (a centrally located depression formed within some impact craters), which are often associated with liquid or frozen water in the target (area of the planet being impacted), and testing if lakes used to be present within select central pits and within craters that formed within the Medusae Fossae Formation on Mars. I use geomorphometric, spectroscopic (study of how light interacts with materials), and statistical analyses in these projects with data from Mars Global Surveyor, 2001 Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter instruments.
Publications
- Dyar, M. D., Breves, E. A., Gunter, M. E., Lanzirotti, A., Tucker, J. M., Carey, C. J., Peel, S. E., Brown, E. B., Oberti, R., Lerotic, M., Delaney, J. S., 2016. Use of multivariate analysis for synchrotron micro-XANES analysis of iron valence state in amphiboles. American Mineralogist 101, 1171-1189. DOI: 10.2138/am-2016-5556 (IF: 1.918; Google: 1 citation; Scopus: 1 citation)
- Dyar, M. D., Breves, E., Jawin, E., Marchand, G., Nelms, M., O’Connor, V., Peel, S., Rothstein, Y., Sklute, E. C., Lane, M. D., Bishop, J. L., Mertzman, S. A., 2013. What lurks in the Martian rocks and soils? Investigations of sulfates, phosphates, and perchlorates Mössbauer parameters of iron in sulfate minerals. American Mineralogist 98, 1943-1965. DOI:10.2138/am.2013.4604 (IF: 1.918; Google: 18 citations; Scopus: 9 citations)
- Peel, S. E., Fassett, C. I., 2013. Valleys in pit craters on Mars: Characteristics, distribution, and formation mechanisms. Icarus 225, 272-282. DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2013.03.031 (IF: 3.038; Google: 12 citations; Scopus: 11 citations)
- Dyar, M. D., Klima, R., Fleagle, A., Peel, S., 2013. Fundamental Mössbauer parameters of synthetic Ca-Mg-Fe pyroxenes. American Mineralogist 98, 1172-1186. DOI: 10.2138/am.2013.4333 (IF: 1.964; Google: 5 citations; Scopus: 4 citations)
- Bishop, J. L., Perry, K. A., Dyar, M. D., Bristow, T. F., Blake, D. F., Brown, A. J., Peel, S. E., 2013. Coordinated spectral and XRD analyses of magnesite-nontronite-forsterite mixtures and implications for carbonates on Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research E: Planets 118, 635-650. DOI: 10.1002/jgre.20066 (IF: 3.426; Google: 14 citations; Scopus: 11 citations)
- Dyar, M. D., Breves, E. A., Emerson, E., Bell, S. W., Nelms, M., Ozanne, M. V., Peel, S. E., Carmosino, M. L., Tucker, J. M., Gunter, M. E., Delaney, J. S., Lanzirotti, A., Woodland, A. B., 2012. Accurate determination of ferric iron in garnets by bulk Mössbauer spectroscopy and synchrotron micro-XANES. American Mineralogist 97, 1726-1740. DOI: 10.2138/am.2012.4107 (IF: 1.964; Google: 8 citations; Scopus: 7 citations)
Conference Abstracts
- Peel, S. E., and D. M. Burr (2018, April) Mapping lacustrine, fluvial, and aeolian deposits within craters in the Aeolis Dorsa region of Mars. 67th GSA Southeastern section, abs. no. 19-6. Knoxville, TN, Poster.
- Peel, S. E., and D. M. Burr (2018, March) Intercrater deposits in the Aeolis Dorsa region, Mars: Evidence for lakes? 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 1006. The Woodlands, TX, Poster.
- Peel, S. E., and D. M. Burr (2018, March) Paleo-lakes in central pits, Mars: An update. 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 1004. The Woodlands, TX, Talk.
- Peel, S. E.*, Burr, D. M. (2017, August) Investigating central pit formation mechanisms using inferential statistics, an update. 8th Planetary Crater Consortium, abs. no. 1712. Flagstaff, AZ. Talk.
- Burr, D. M.*, Jacobsen, R. E., Lefort, A., Borden, R. M., Boyd, A. S., Peel, S. E. (2017, June) Update on mapping of the Aeolis Dorsa region, Mars: discovering ever more diversity in this inverted landscape. 3rd Planetary Mappers Meeting, abs. no. 7010. Flagstaff, AZ. Poster and talk.
- Peel, S. E.* and Burr, D. M. (2017, March) Testing of central pit formation mechanisms using inferential statistics. 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 1020. Houston, TX. Poster.
- Peel, S. E.* and Burr, D. M. (2017, March) Testing for [the presence of] central pit paleo-lakes on Mars, an update. 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 1021. Houston, TX. Poster.
- Peel, S. E.* and Burr, D. M. (2016, March). Paleo-lakes in central pit craters on Mars. 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 1024. Houston, TX. Poster.
- Peel, S. E.* and Burr, D. M. (2015, May). Crater counting as a tool to derive the timing of paleo-lakes in central pit craters on Mars. Workshop on Issues in Crater Studies and Dating of Planetary Surfaces. Laurel, MD. Talk.
- Peel, S. E.*, Fassett, C. I., and Burr, D. M. (2014, Sept.). Interior valley networks in central pit craters on Mars. 46th Annual Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium. Knoxville, TN. Talk.
- Peel, S. E.*, and Fassett, C. I. (2012, March). Central pit craters with interior valley networks on Mars: Characteristics and formation processes. 43rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 1250. Houston, TX. Poster.
- Peel, S. E.*, Dyar, M. D. and Klima, R. L. (2011, March). Crystal structure parameters as predictors of VNIR spectroscopy of synthetic pyroxenes. 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 1394. Houston, TX. Poster.
- Klima, R. L., Dyar, M. D. and Peel, S. E.* (2011, March). Spectral modeling and crystallographic properties of Al-rich pyroxenes. 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 2181. Houston, TX. Poster.
- Perry, K. A.*, Bishop, J. L., Dyar, M. D., Blake, D. F., Peel, S. and Brown, A. J. (2011, March). Spectral analysis of nontronite-magnesite-olivine mixtures and implications for carbonates on Mars. 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 1554. Houston, TX. Poster.
- Speicher, E. A.*, Dyar, M. D., Gunter, M. E., Lanzirotti, A., Tucker, J. M., Peel, S. E., Brown, E. B. and Delaney, J. S. (2011, March). Synchrotron micro-XANES analysis of Fe3+in oriented amphiboles. 42nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, abs. no. 2287. Houston, TX. Poster.
- Dyar, M. D.*, Peel, S. E. and Klima, R. L. (2010, November). Relationships between crystal structure and NIR spectroscopy of synthetic pyroxenes. Geological Society of America meeting. Denver, CO. Talk.