Dr. Steven Simon
Senior Research Scientist III
Institute of Meteoritics
1 University of New Mexico
MSC03 2050
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Phone: 505-277-1644
Email: sbs8@unm.edu
Ph.D. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 1988
I am a mineralogist/petrologist who studies meteorites and lunar samples, mainly by using the scanning electron microscope and electron microprobe. I have done a lot of work on refractory inclusions in carbonaceous chondrites, and lunar rocks and soils. From refractory inclusions we learn details about the early history of the solar system. From lunar samples we learn about the geologic history of the Moon. I am currently involved in a large consortium that is studying a core of lunar soil returned by the Apollo 17 mission.
Recent Publications
Richter, F., Saper, L., Villeneuve J., Chaussidon, M., Watson B., Davis A.M., Mendybaev R., and Simon S.B. (2021) Reassesing the thermal history of martian meteorite Shergotty and Apollo mare basalt 15555 using kinetic isotope fractionation of zoned minerals. Geochimica et Cosmochimca Acta 295, 265-285.
Hertwig, A.T., Liu, M.-C., Brearley, A.J. and Simon, S.B. (2021) Petrographic and isotopic investigations of two unusual Ca-Al-rich inclusions from primitive CO3 chondrites. Geochimica et Cosmochimca Acta 296, 75-96.
Ma, C., Krot, A.N., Beckett, J.R., Nagashima, K., Tschauner, O., Rossman, G.R., Simon, S.B., and Bischoff, A. (2020) Warkite, Ca2Sc6Al6O20, a new mineral in carbonaceous chondrites and a keystone phase in ultra-refractory inclusions from the solar nebula. Geochimica et Cosmochimca Acta 277, 52-86.
Simon, S.B., Krot, A.N., Nagashima, K., Kööp, L., and Davis, A.M. (2019) Condensate refractory inclusions from the CO3.00 chondrite Dominion Range 08006: Petrography, mineral chemistry, and isotopic compositions. Geochimica et Cosmochimca Acta 246, 109-122.
Simon, S.B., Krot, A.N., and Nagashima, K. (2019) Oxygen and Al-Mg isotopic compositions of grossite-bearing refractory inclusions from CO3 chondrites. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 54, 1362-1378.
Krot, A.N., Nagashima, K., Simon, S.B., Ma, C., Connolly Jr., H.C., Huss, G.R., Davis, A.M. and Bizzarro, M. (2019) Mineralogy, petrography, and oxygen and aluminum-magnesium isotope systematics of grossite-bearing refractory inclusions. Geochemistry 79, doi: 10.1016/j.chemer.2019.08.001.
Krot, A.N., Ma, C., Nagashima, K., Davis, A.M., Beckett J.R., Simon, S.B., Komatsu M., Fagan T.J., Brenker F., Ivanova M.A. and Bischoff A. (2019) Mineralogy, petrography, and oxygen isotopic compositions of ultrarefractory inclusions from carbonaceous chondrites. Geochemistry 79, doi: 10.1016/j.chemer.2019.07.001.
Simon, J.I., Ross, D.K., Nguyen, A.N., Simon, S.B. and Messenger, S. (2019) Molecular cloud origin for oxygen isotopic heterogeneity recorded by a primordial spinel-rich refractory inclusion. The Astrophysical Journal Letters 884:L29.
Simon, S.B. and Sutton, S.R. (2018) Valences of Ti, Cr, and V in Apollo 17 high-Ti and very low-Ti basalts and implications for their sources. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 53, 2138-2154.
Kawasaki, N., Simon, S.B., Grossman, L., Sakamoto, N. and Yurimoto, H. (2018) Crystal growth and disequilibrium distribution of oxygen isotopes in an igneous Ca-Al-rich inclusion from the Allende carbonaceous chondrite. Geochimica et Cosmochimca Acta (GCA) 221, 318-341.