Project Assistant

Veronica Bray

Lunar and Planetary Laboratory

University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ 85721

abpptb@r.postjobfree.com

Academic qualifications

Post graduate

**** ** **** - *** ** Planetary Sciences, Imperial College London

Thesis Title: Impact Cratering on the Icy Satellites

Project Supervisors: Dr. Gareth Collins and Dr. Joanna Morgan

Awards:

Janet Watson Departmental Scholarship

European Space Agency (ESA) student scholarship

Thesis Outline: The project combines observational and numerical modelling data to develop a quantitative

model for impact cratering in pure ice. The observational component of the thesis involves analysis of crater

morphology on Ganymede via the study of Galileo images and new topographic profiles created of a number of

impact craters. The thesis also involves the use of the impact hydrocode iSALE and details the development

of two different strength models for the simulation of impact crater formation in un-layered ice. The optimal

strength model defined for pure ice is then modified to model impact cratering in layered ice and water targets;

results from this numerical modelling are used to estimate Europa s upper-crustal thickness.

Undergraduate

2000 to 2004 - MSci Planetary Science first class honours degree, University College London

MSci Dissertation: Meander Geometry of Venusian Canali

BSc Dissertation: The Origin and Morphological Evolution of Palimpsests on Ganymede

BSc Independent mapping: Uruk Sulcus and Memphis Facula regions of Ganymede

Project Supervisors: A. P. Jones, K. T. Pickering and J. E. Guest

Awards:

Dean s Award for graduating top of the 2004 class for Planetary Science

Planetary Science Prize for Academic Excellence, 2001

Research Experience

February to December 2006 - International Scholar at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory

Project with Dr E. Turtle on mapping and analysis of fracturing patterns and cratering on Enceladus;

fracturing work has since contributed to a paper by Dr. P. Helfenstein (in Prep.).

September 2006 - Visiting Scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute

Project with Dr. P. Schenk to extract topographic profiles of craters on Ganymede and Europa from Galileo

images via photoclinometry and stereo image analysis.

December 2005 to January 2006 - Chicxulub Seismic Experiment Team member

Installed seismometers across the Yucatan, Mexico, in preparation for an international offshore-onshore

seismic experiment to study the Chicxulub impact crater.

Publications

Bray V. J., D. B. J. Bussey, R. C. Ghail, A. P. Jones, K. T. Pickering (2007), Meander geometry of Venusian

canali: Constraints on flow regime and formation time, J. Geophys. Res., 112, E04S05,

doi:10.1029/2006JE002785.

Waltham, D., K. T. Pickering, and V. J. Bray (2008), Particulate gravity currents on Venus, J. Geophys. Res.,

113, E02012, doi:10.1029/2007JE002913.

Bray, V. J., G. S. Collins, J. V. Morgan and P. M. Schenk, The Effect of Target Properties on Crater

Morphology: Comparison of Central Peak Craters on the Moon and Ganymede, Meteoritics and Planetary

Science, In Review.

Additional Dissemination

Invited seminar-series speaker at various UK institutions, including Imperial College (August 2007, February

2005), the Southampton Oceanography Centre (November 2005) and University College London (January

2005).

Invited speaker at the Technical Presentation Skills Course hosted by the Graduate School of Engineering and

Physical Sciences at Imperial College (Autumn 2005).

Presentation of ongoing research at national and international conferences, including:

Bridging the Gap II, Montreal, Canada, September 2007

LPSC, Houston, TX, USA, March 2005-2007

AGU, San Fransisco, CA, USA, December 2006

DPS, Pasadena, CA, USA, October 2006

ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, May 2006

Chapman Conference, Key Largo, FL, USA, February 2006.

Relevant Work Experience and Training

October 2004 to January 2008 Imperial College Transferable Skills Courses

Professional Issues in Science - Research Ethics, Technical Writing Skills, Technical Presentation Skills

and Negotiating Skills for Researchers.

October 2001 to June 2003 Telescope training at the University of London Observatory

Trained in the efficient use of the Fry 18inch, Meade LX200, Radcliffe 24inch and Allen 24inch

telescopes; experienced with the Astronomical programs SkyCat, Xephem, AT1, GAIA.

June to September 2000 Data Handling Assistant at the UK s Regional Planetary Imaging Facility

Responsible for the reorganising, cataloguing and indexing of the UK s RPIF data; assisted professional

researchers and members of the general public in the use of the facility.

Commitments and Professional Memberships

Member of the Impacts and Astromaterials Research Centre, American Geophysical Union, Royal

Astronomical Society and the Meteoritical Society

Registered tutor of undergraduate Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology 2007-2008

Co-founder and 2002-2005 Captain/Treasurer of the University of London Archers

Secretary for the County of London Archery Association, 2002-2003

Primary coach/trainer for the University of London Archers 2003-2005

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