cathy dukes headshot

Catherine Dukes directs the Laboratory for Astrophysics and Surface Physics (LASP) and provides expertise in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for the University of Virginia's Nanoscale Materials Characterization Facility (NMCF). Her NSF and NASA funded research focuses on the interaction of radiation (ions, electrons, and photons) with surfaces and the resulting physical and chemical effects.

Our emphasis is on understanding the fundamental physics at work in our solar system, particularly the effects of solar-wind particles on the surfaces of airless bodies such as our Moon, Mercury, asteroids, and comets, by simulating planetary regolith environments in the laboratory.

We are currently part of a consortium of researchers investigating an unopened lunar core samples collected during the Apollo 17 Mission near Lara crater. Dukes has recently joined the sample analysis team for the OSIRIS-REx Mission, returning regolith grains from the carbonaceous asteroid Bennu, and is a Management Committee member of the Virginia Initiative for Cosmic Origins.

LASP Webpage: HTTPS://ENGINEERING.VIRGINIA.EDU/LABORATORY-ASTROPHYSICS-AND-SURFACE-PHYSICS-LASP-UVA

KEVION: keV Ion Irradiation Facility for Planetary Science: HTTPS://ENGINEERING.VIRGINIA.EDU/LASP/KEVION

Education

  • BS in Physics (High Honors in Physics) - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
  • MS in Engineering Physics – University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Research Interests

  • Laboratory Planetary Science: the Moon, Mercury, Ceres, Eros, and other airless bodies
  • Surface and near-surface analysis of returned extraterrestrial materials with a focus on Space Weathering
  • Ion-Surface / Photon-Surface Interactions / Astrochemistry
  • Surface Analysis/Electron Spectroscopy & Materials Characterization
  • Instrument Development

Selected Publications

  • K.B. Stelmach, C.A. Dukes, and R.T. Garrod, "The Effect of Hydrogenation on Enstatite Nanosilicate Structures and Chirality in the ISM: A DFT and TD-DFT Investigation," - Submitted to the Journal of Physical Chemistry - Manuscript ID: jp-2023-06521a (Sept 29, 2023)
  • D. Laczniak, M. Thompson, R. Christoffersen, C. Dukes, R. Morris, and L. Keller, “Investigating the role of incident ion flux in solar wind space weathering of carbon-rich asteroidal regolith via H+ and He+ irradiation of the Murchison meteorite,” Icarus, ICARUS-D-23-00318, accepted November (2023)
  • P. Riccardi and C. A. Dukes, “Spectra of low energy electrons emitted in the interaction of slow Ne+ ions with Mg surfaces,” Surfaces 2510825 - accepted August (2023)
  • C. Bu, L.S. Morrissey, B.C. Bostick, M.H. Burger, K. P. Bowen, S.N. Chillrud, D.L. Domingue, C.A. Dukes, D.S. Ebel, G.E. Harlow, P-M. Hillenbrand, D.A. Ivanov, R.M. Killen, J.M. Ross, D. Schury, O. J. Tucker, X. Urbain, R. Zhang, and D. W. Savin, “Absolute Doubly Differential Angular Sputtering Yields for 20 keV Kr+ on Polycrystalline Cu,” Applied Physics Letters - under review May (2023)
  • Z. Sun, Z. Baraissov, C. A. Dukes,  D. K. Dare, T. Oseroff, M. O. Thompson, D. A. Muller, M. U. Liepe, “Surface oxides, carbides, and impurities on RF superconducting Nb and Nb3Sn: A comprehensive analysis,” - Superconductor Science and Technology, 36, 115030 (2023)
  • L. C. Chaves, M.S. Thompson, M. J. Loeffler, C. A. Dukes, P.S .Szabo, B.H. Horgan, “Evaluating the effects of space weathering on magnetite on airless planetary bodies,” Icarus, 402, 115634 (2023).
  • F. Leblanc, R. Deborde, D. Tramontina, E. Bringa, J.Y. Chaufray, S. Aizawa, R. Modolo, L. Morrissey, A. Woodson, S. Verkercke, C. Dukes. "On the origins of backscattered solar wind energetic neutral hydrogen from the Moon and Mercury," Planetary and Space Science, 229, 105660 (2023)
  • L. Chaves, M. Thompson, B. Horgan, C. Dukes, M. Loeffler," Investigating the Response of Sulfides and Fe- Oxides Under Space Weathering Conditions Through the Analysis of Returned and Experimental Samples," Microscopy & Microanalysis, 28, S1, 2698–2699 (2022)
  • P. Riccardi & C.A. Dukes, "Effects of the solid target on electronic excitations during binary atomic collisions," Vacuum 204, 111393 (2022)
  • D. Laczniak, Thompson, M., Christoffersen, R., Dukes, C., Clemett, S., Morris, R., & Keller, L., "Investigating Space Weathering Effects on Carbonaceous Asteroids Using High-flux and Low-flux Ion Irradiation of the Murchison Meteorite," Microscopy & Microanalysis, 27(S1), 2538-2541, (2021)
  • J. M. Christoph, Minesinger, G. M., Bu, C., Dukes, C. A., and Elkins-Tanton, L. T., "Space weathering effects in troilite by simulated solar-wind hydrogen and helium ion irradiation," Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 127, e2021JE006916. (2022).
  • P. Riccardi & C.A. Dukes, "2p excitation in target atoms in the interaction of slow ions with Al surfaces," Surface Science 719 (2022) 122025
  • Laczniak, D., Thompson, M., Christoffersen, R., Dukes, C., Clemett, S., Morris, R., & Keller, L.,"Investigating Space Weathering Effects on Carbonaceous Asteroids Using High-flux and Low-flux Ion Irradiation of the Murchison Meteorite," Microscopy & Microanalysis, 27(S1), 2538-2541, (2021)
  • Laczniak, D., Thompson, M., Christoffersen, R., Dukes, C. A., Clemett, S., Morris, R., & Keller, L., "Characterizing spectral, microstructural, and chemical effects of solar- wind irradiation on carbon-rich asteroids: Coordinated analysis of H+ and He+-irradiated Murchison carbonaceous chondrite," Icarus 364, 114479, (2021)
  • L. Daly, M. R. Lee,....., C. A. Dukes, M. J. Loeffler and M. S. Thompson, "Solar contributions to Earth’s oceans," Nature Astronomy 5, 1275–1285 (2021)
  • Laczniak, D., Thompson, M., Dukes, C., Morris, R., Clemett, S., Keller, L., & Christoffersen, R., "Investigating Space Weathering Effects Using Coordinated Analysis of a H - and He -Irradiated Carbonaceous Chondrite," Microscopy & Microanalysis, 26, 2598-2601 (2020)
  • C. Bu, G. Rodriguez Lopez, C.A. Dukes, O. Ruesch, L.A. McFadden, & J-Y. Li, "Stability of Hydrated Carbonates on Ceres," Icarus 320 (Occator Crater), 136-149 (2019).
  • C. Bu, G. Rodriguez Lopez, C.A. Dukes, O. Ruesch, L.A. McFadden, & J-Y Li, "Search for Sulfates on the Surface of Ceres," Meteor. Planet. Sci. 53 (DAWN Ceres), 9, 1946-1960 (2018).
  • M.J. Schaible, C.A. Dukes, A.C. Hutcherson, P. Lee, M.R. Collier, R.E. Johnson, "Solar wind sputtering rates of small bodies and ion mass spectrometry detection of secondary ions," JGR: Planets, 122, 1968–1983 (2017).
  • C.A. Dukes and R.E. Johnson, "Contribution of Surface Processes to the Lunar Exosphere: Laboratory Experiments," in Encyclopedia of Lunar Science, Springer International, ed. B. Cudnik, 1 - 7 (2017).
  • Bu, D. Bahr, C. A. Dukes and R. A. Baragiola, "Effects of Cracking on the Surface Potential of Icy Grains in Saturn’s E-ring: Laboratory Studies," Astrophysical Journal 825.2: 106 (2016).
  • C. A. Dukes and D. Hurley, "Sampling the Moon," Science 351, 6270, 232-233 (Invited Perspective) (2016).
  • M.J. Loeffler, C.A. Dukes, R. Christoffersen and R.A. Baragiola, "Space Weathering of Silicates Simulated by Laser Irradiation," Meteoritics and Planetary Science (2016).
  • C. A. Dukes and R. A. Baragiola, "The Lunar Exosphere-Surface Connection: Measurements of Secondary Ions from Apollo," Icarus 255, 51 - 57 (2015).
  • P. Vernazza, D. Fulvio, R. Brunetto, J. P. Emery, C. A. Dukes, F. Cipriani, O. Witasse, M. J. Schaible, B., Zanda, G. Strazzulla, R. A. Baragiola, Paucity of Tagish Lake-like parent bodies in the Asteroid Belt and among Jupiter Trojans," Icarus 225, 1, 517-525 (2013).
  • E. H. Mitchell, U. Raut, D. Fulvio, M. J. Schaible, C. A. Dukes and R. A. Baragiola, Ultraviolet photodesorption driver for water migration on the lunar surface," Planetary & Space Sci. 89, 42-46 (2013).
  • C.A. Dukes, W.Y. Chang, M. Famá, and R. Baragiola, Laboratory studies on the sputtering contribution to the sodium atmospheres of Mercury and the Moon," Icarus, 212, 2, p. 463-469 (2011).

Interests / Hobbies

  • Scientific Instrument Research and Development
  • UVa Cavaliers' Basketball and Soccer (Go Hoos!)
  • Mystery Novels