Spectral modeling in Lunar Permanently Shadowed Regions

Caltech - P.I. Dr. Bethany Ehlmann Dec. 2024-Present

Lunar Permanently Shadowed Regions
[Caltech]

Spectral modeling in lunar permanently shadowed regions and comparison with local observations from the LOLA and LAMP instruments.

Mapping Noachian terrain with HiRISE and Mastcam-Z

Caltech - P.I. Dr. Bethany Ehlmann Sept. 2024-Present

Noachian terrain on Mars
[NASA/MOLA/USGS]

Map Noachian terrain around Jezero crater from orbit and use color parameters to develop spectrally distinct units. Convolve bandpasses from the Mastcam-Z and HiRISE instruments to compare with data collected by the Mars 2020 rover.

Icy Plume Deposit UV and VNIR Spectral Characterization

LASP - P.I. Dr. Greg Holsclaw Oct 2023- Aug. 2024

Icy plume spectral analysis

Design vacuum chamber experiment to measure spectral properties of ice/regolith mixtures in UV and VNIR.

Toolbox for Research and Exploration (TREX) Field Campaign

PSI - P.I. Dr. Amanda Hendrix Oct 2022- Aug. 2024

TREX field campaign

Drone-mountable hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy for lunar exploration simulation (TREX, a NASA SSERVI node). Semi-autonomous mineral identification using tetracorder and python.

Nautilus: A Mission Concept to Triton

JPL PSSS - P.I. Amanda Steckel (Self) Jun 2022- Aug. 2023

Nautilus mission concept to Triton

Design a multi-flyby mission concept to Neptune's largest moon Triton for JPL's Planetary Science Summer School (PSSS).

Microbial Response to Radiation in High Altitude

LASP and CU Boulder - P.I. Dr. Brian Hynek Jan 2021- Jan. 2022

UV Measurements in Penitente field

Study how microbial diversity, mineral composition, PH, Eh, and solar radiation (UV-B) change inside / outside penitente fields and with elevation on Ojos del Salado (22,600 ft summit). Candidate for planetary analog for Mars and Icy moons.

Mars Landscape Evolution Modeling

LASP and CU Boulder - P.I. Dr. Brian Hynek Aug 2020-Present

Mars Noachian terrain
[NASA/MOLA/USGS]

Developed landscape evolution models comparing valley network formation from precipitation (warm wet) versus ice melt (icy cold) sources. Link to paper.

Atmospheric Lidar

CIRES and CU Boulder - P.I. Dr. Xinzhao Chu Aug 2019- Jun 2020

Atmospheric lidar measurements

Upgrade and operate Fe Boltzmann, Na Flourescence, and Fe Doppler lidar in McMurdo, Antarctica. Analyze sudden stratospheric warming in souther hemisphere.

Integrated Propellant Storage and Feed System

MIT Lincoln Laboratory - P.I. Amanda Steckel (Self) Oct 2017- Sep 2019

Illustration incorperating integrated propellant storage and feed system in cubesat

Technicial initiative funded by the air force ($200k) to design a freeform propellant delivery system for cubesats. Conference paper (PDF).

Regolith Thruster

Cornell University - P.I. Dr. Mason Peck Aug 2014- May 2015

Regolith thruster technology

Development of innovative propulsion technology using planetary regolith (soil) as propellant for lunar or asteroid hopper, enabling in-situ resource utilization.

VIOLET Satellite Project Team

Cornell University, AFRL - P.I. Dr. Mason Peck Aug 2010- Jan 2015

VIOLET satellite project
[Cornell University]

Lead integration and test of the VIOLET small satellite, which was an AFRL mission testing advanced agile attitude control systems. Design unit and spacecraft level tests (Flatsat) and associated testing equipment, lead integration in clean room, report updates to AFRL and present at formal reviews. Safety, configuration management, and quality assurance lead.

High Temperature Biomass Pyrolysis Reactor

Cornell University - P.I. Dr. Elisabeth Fisher Aug 2013- May 2014

Full reactor schematic

Designed a laminar entrained flow reactor for high temperature thermal conversion of powdered biomass. Modeled insertion to verify pyrolysis conditions, as chemical compounds produced depend on temperature.

Ionospheric Satellite and Radar Data Analysis

Cornell University - P.I. Dr. David Hysell Aug 2011- May 2013

Ionospheric data analysis
[Cornell University]

Model TEC (total electron content) waves over the Caribbean with Python and Google Earth. Analyze Ionospheric plasma density irregularities from C/NOFS satellite and Jicamarca ground radar systems.

CV

Resume

Google Scholar | ORCID

Publications

(1)
Steckel, Amanda V. and Tucker, Gregory E. and Rossi, Matthew and Hynek, Brian. (2025). Landscape Evolution Models of Incision on Mars: Implications for the Ancient Climate. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 130,, e2024JE008637. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JE008637
(2)
Steckel, A. V.; Conrad, J. W.; Dekarske, J.; Dolan, S.; Downey, B.; Felton, R.; Giesche, A.; Hanson, L. E.; Horvath, T.; Maxwell, R.; Shumway, A. O.; Siddique, A. A.; Strom, C.; Teece, B. L.; Todd, J.; Trinh, K. T.; Velez, M. A.; Walter, C. A.; Lowes, L.; Hudson, T. L.; Scully, J. E. C. The Science Case for Nautilus: A Multi-Flyby Mission Concept to Triton. 2024, 3040, 1173.
(3)
Steckel, A. V.; Clark, R. N.; Prettyman, T. H.; Kumari, N.; Meier, M. L.; Pearson, N. C.; Ahrens, C. J.; Martin, A. C.; Patterson, R. V.; Lane, M.; Vilas, F.; Knightly, P.; Wettergreen, D.; Banks, M. E.; Bell, E.; Wright, S. P.; Noe Dobrea, E. Z.; Hendrix, A. Mineral Identification Using Tetracorder During the TREX Field Campaign. 2024, 3040, 2793.
(4)
Steckel, A. V.; Clark, R. N.; Pearson, N. C.; Buxner, S.; Prettyman, T. H.; Kumari, N.; Meier, M. L.; Ahrens, C. J.; Martin, A. C.; Patterson, R. V.; Lane, M.; Vilas, F.; Knightly, P.; Wettergreen, D.; Banks, M. E.; Bell, E.; Wright, S. P.; Noe Dobrea, E. Z.; Hendrix, A. Utilizing a Hyperspectral Camera for Field Surveys During the TREX Field Mission. 2023, 2806, 2720.
(5)
Steckel, A. V. Developing Techniques to Assess the Habitability Potential of Ancient Mars and Beyond. phdthesis, University of Colorado at Boulder, United States – Colorado, 2024.
(6)
Steckel, A.; Clark, R.; Hendrix, A. Mineral Identification with Hyperspectral Imagery Near the Atmospheric Water Absorption Band. Geological Society of America Abstracts 2024, 56, 399660. https://doi.org/10.1130/abs/2024CD-399660.
(7)
Horvath, T.; Conrad, J. W.; Dekarske, J.; Dolan, S.; Downey, B. G.; Felton, R.; Giesche, A.; Hanson, L. E.; Maxwell, R.; Shumway, A. O.; Siddique, A.; Steckel, A.; Strom, C.; Teece, B.; Todd, J.; Trinh, K. T.; Velez, M. A.; Walter, C. A.; Lowes, L. L.; Hudson, T.; Scully, J. E. C. The Architecture of Nautilus: A Multi-Flyby Mission Concept to Triton. 2023, 2023, P23D-3087.
(8)
Steckel, A.; Clark, R.; Pearson, N. C.; Buxner, S.; Prettyman, T.; Kumari, N.; Meier, M.; Ahrens, C.; Martin, A. C.; Patterson, R. V.; Lane, M.; Vilas, F.; Knightly, P.; Wettergreen, D.; Banks, M.; Bell, E.; Wright, S. P.; Noe Dobrea, E.; Hendrix, A. Hyperspectral Imaging Spectrometer for Geologic Unit Mapping in Planetary Analog Setting. 2023, 55, 317.07.
(9)
Kumari, N.; Prettyman, T. H.; Lane, M.; Martin, A. C.; Patterson, R. V.; Meier, M. L.; Aherns, C. J.; Pearson, N. C.; Clark, R. N.; Vilas, F.; Steckel, A. V.; Knightly, J. P.; Wettergreen, D.; Banks, M. E.; Bell, E.; Wright, S. P.; Noe Dobrea, E. Z.; Hendrix, A. Procedure Standardization for Toolbox for Research and Exploration (TREX) Field Data Analysis. 2023, 2806, 1814.
(10)
Prettyman, T. H.; Buxner, S.; Steckel, A. V.; Knightly, J. P.; Hendrix, A.; Noe Dobrea, E.; Clark, R. N.; Wettergreen, D. S.; Ahrens, C.; Kumari, N.; Martin, A. C.; Meier, M. L.; Patterson, R. V.; Vilas, F. Radioelement Geochemistry: Rover Analog Study at Yellow Cat. 2023, 2806, 1389.
(11)
Noe Dobrea, E. Z.; Ahrens, C.; Banks, M. E.; Bell, E.; Breitfeld, A.; Bristow, T.; Candela, A.; Clark, R. N.; Hansen, M.; Hendrix, A.; Holsclaw, G.; Knightly, P.; Kumari, N.; Lane, M. D.; Martin, A. C.; Meier, M. L.; Patterson, R. V.; Pearson, N. C.; Prettyman, T. H.; Steckel, A. V.; Vijayarangan, S.; Vilas, F.; Wettergreen, D.; Wright, S. P. Autonomous Rover Science in the Field: Yellow Cat. 2023, 2806, 2366.
(12)
Steckel, A.; Tucker, G.; Rossi, M.; Hynek, B. Landscape Evolution Modeling of Martian River Valley Networks. 2021, 2021, EP55D-1138.
(13)
Stern, J. C.; Graham, H.; Burcar, B.; Martin, E. S.; Noell, A. C.; Hand, K. P.; Bowman, J.; Doran, P. T.; Edgcomb, V. P.; Holden, J. F.; Howells, A. E.; Malaska, M. J.; Nunn, B. L.; Radebaugh, J.; Rodriguez, L.; Borges, S. R.; Bower, D.; Courville, S. W.; Diaz, M.; Hockman, B.; Huber, J. A.; Lawrence, J. D.; Vick-Majors, T.; Nixon, C. A.; Spear, J. R.; Steckel, A. V.; Solomonidou, A.; Schmerr, N. C.; Schmidt, B. E.; Schrenk, M.; Seyler, L. M.; Smith, A.; Walker, C. C.; Whelley, P. L.; Wolfenbarger, N. S.; Vance, S. D. A Comprehensive Framework for Assessing Terrestrial Analogue Field Sites for Ocean Worlds.

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