Research activity
SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION
My scientific career so far has developed in the field of laboratory planetology and astrobiology in support of remote sensing infrared data interpretation. I worked with FT-IR spectroscopy and µIR microscopes to investigate chemical and physical properties of mineral and molecules in simulated astrophysical environments. I collaborated also with gas phase Mass spectrometry in Ultra-High Vacuum. My expertise focus in analogs samples creation and handling: I worked with meteorites, minerals and organic molecules and I acquired good knowledge on adsorption and interaction processes between biomolecules and mineral matrices.
Education and Early Carrer
In my master thesis carried out in the Astrobiology Laboratory of INAF-Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri (Firenze) I worked on ultraviolet photoprocessing of glycine adsorbed on various space relevant minerals in space conditions to evaluate how solar weathering can affect the survival of amino acids on the surface of Near Earth Asteroids.
My PhD project was carried out in the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Florence with the supervision of John Robert Brucato from INAF - Astrophysical Observatory of Arcetri. I worked on thermal modification of mineral spectra in space conditions and grain size effects with a direct application to the interpretation of infrared remote sensing data collected by OSIRIS-REx mission on asteroid Bennu as part of the mission science team. I worked also on ultraviolet photoprocessing of biomolecules adsorbed on various space relevant minerals in astrophysical simulated conditions (asteroids, Mars, icy moons) to investigate biomarker survival and the possibility of identification by present and future space missions.
CURRENT science PROJECTS
MMX - Martian Moons eXploration
Sample return mission are the new frontier of planetary science. The possibility of enhanced analysis on Earth of pristine material from a planetary body will increase our knowledge on the evolution of the Solar System. MMX mission on one hand will increase our knwoledge on the two moons of Mars, Deimos and Phobos, on the other hand will collect a sample from the Phobos, the bigger one, bringing it back to Earth.
I'm CO-I of MMX mission as mission scientist of MIRS spectrometer. I'm working in support of instrument development contribuiting to calibration and laboratory measurements support. I'm also working on scientific analysis of Mars' moons in preparation of MIRS scientific activity.
OSIRIS-REx Sample Return mission
OSIRIS-REx mission is aimed to bring back to Earth a sample from the surface of the carbonaceous asteroid Bennu. The mission after two years of orbital phase around the asteroid, collected succesfully a sample from the surface and now is on the cruise back to Earth.
As member of the science team from 2018, I joined several working groups collaborating on spectroscopy and thermal analysis. I also performed several laboratory studies to support the interpretation of OVIRS and OTES the two spectrometers on board the spacecraft.
Mars analog laboratory studies and rover exploration
Laboratory simulations of Martian are not only key for identification of potential molecular biomarkers, but also for selection of sampling sites on Mars for future exploration missions, correct interpretation of data collected on the ground, and development of suitable life detection methods and technologies for in situ analysis.
Specifically, I collaborate in several project on photochemistry of molecules adsorbed on minerals under Martian-like / space-like conditions through UV irradiation processing. The degradation kinetics is inspected taking into account possible catalytic and/or protective effects of minerals. The aim of this project is ground support to biomarker search by ExoMars 2022 and Mars2020 rovers. I'm also involved in analog mineral analysis in support of Mars surface studies.
I'm member of Mars2020 Perseverance science team since January 2020.
DART-LICIAcube mission
DART is the first mission to test our ability in planetary defense. The spacecraft will try to deflect the orbit of a small companion in a binary asteroid system. A piggyback cubesat named LICICube will perform scientific analysis during the test.
As mission scientist of LICIAcube and collaborator DART, ASI/NASA space mission, I collaborate in laboratory studies of analog material in support of in situ science of the mission. I analyse effect of composition and grain size in VIS-NIR spectra of meteorites and minerals to help identification and science made from ground spectroscopy and remote sensing camera observations.
OTHER Collaborations
Planetary formation laboratory studies
I collaborated in studies on planet formation and ground observation support. Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of space relevant molecules is a challenging field complementary to interstellar medium observation to understand the physical process of creation and sublimation of interstellar complex molecules (iCOMs).
Icy moons exploration support
I work on biomarker survival and analog studies in support of icy world missions. I study biomolecules survival in icy mixture simualting outer Solar System environment evaluating possibility of positive detection from in situ analysis. I collaborated with JPL-NASA scientist supporting astrobiology objectives of NASA Europa Clipper space mission toward the icy moon of Jupiter and future Enceladus missions.
PAHs photochemistry for Mars and Early Earth
I collaborated in several projects involving PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and their interaction with minerals in space-like conditions through UV irradiation processing. PAHs are very abundant in the Solar System and are believed to be a fundamental in early earth biomolecular chemistry. The study of this compounds is a key point in understanding chemistry in our universe.
Astrobiology instrument developing
I was involved in several proposal and project for developing and spazialization of new technologies for astrobiological analysis in space. Currently I'm member of ABCS AstroBiology CubeSat space mission for functional tests and scientific support.
Meteorite characterization
I collaborate with the Department of Geology of the University of Pisa to study meteorites and characterize their structure using infrared spectroscopy and microIR spectroscopy. We study the alteration process and evolution of meteorite matrix as comparison of asteroidal evolution.
Mercury surface analyses
I collaborate in several pubblication on Mercury geology, carried out by INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Padova, provinding spectroscopical interpretation of spectrophotometric data from MESSANGER mission. These work are aimed to be a base for future BepiColombo mission currently on its way to reach the planet.