the
PLANETARY RESEARCH GROUP
Welcome to the Planetary Research Group, based at North Carolina State University.
We use remote sensing data, fieldwork at analogue sites across Earth, and laboratory and numerical modelling to understand why planets look the way they do.

MAPPING
Identifying and characterising landforms on planetary surfaces, including volcanic, tectonic, impact, and mass wasting features to determine geological properties and histories
FIELDWORK
Acquiring detailed field observations, images, and topographic data of select sites on Earth to understand volcanic, tectonic, and erosive processes
ANALOGUE MODELLING
Utilising analogue materials, image processing, and particle analysis in scaled physical models to simulate planetary surface processes
NUMERICAL MODELLING
Employing 2D and 3D finite element models to test deformation processes and compare predicted strains with real-world observations