Professor Penelope (Penny) King
Ph.D. Arizona State University, USA
Professor, Research School of Earth Sciences
College of Science
T:
61-2-6125-0667
Areas of expertise
- Geology 0403
- Geochemistry 0402
- Surface Processes 040607
- Volcanology 040314
- Extraterrestrial Geology 040302
Research interests
Interaction of planetary materials with gases and the role of these processes in understanding the evolution of planetary environments and surfaces. These studies are relevant to gas sequestration, reactions at and beneath volcanoes and in ore deposits, and reactions on the surface of Mars and in the early solar system.
Effect of volatile elements, pH and oxidation/reduction on materials at high and low temperature.
Analysis of materials - especially novel techniques for analyzing light elements, multivalent elements and trace elements - to better constrain past environmental processes.
Biography
Education
Ph.D. – Department of Geology – Arizona State University (ASU) – USA 1999
B.Sc. Hons. IA – Dept. Geology – Australian National University (ANU) – Australia 1993
Employment
Professor – Research School of Earth Sciences (RSES) – ANU 2019-
Senior Fellow – Research School of Earth Sciences (RSES) – ANU 2015-18
ARC Future Fellowship – RSES – ANU 2014-2018
Fellow – RSES – ANU 2012-2014
Senior Research Scientist III Inst. Meteoritics – Univ. New Mexico (UNM) 2007-2011
Associate Professor (Tenured) – Dept. Earth Sciences – Univ. Western Ontario (UWO) 2006-07
Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) – Dept. Earth Sciences – UWO 1999-2006
Available student projects
Our research group is accepting applications from Honours and PhD students for projects on gas-solid reactions.
- Adsorption of methane on materials simulating volcanic, impact and volcaniclastic basalts on Mars (with Dr. John Moores)
- Reactions between SO2 and minerals
- Volatile cycles on planets
Contact penny.king@anu.edu.au if you are interested. Applicants with a background in Geology, Chemistry or Chemical Engineering are encouraged to apply.
Current student projects
Analytical & Field-based Projects
- Oxygen isotopes of sapphires (with Aurelia Duncan, Colin Price & Janaina Avila)
- Volatiles in volcanic tephra from the Izu-Bonin-Marianas arc (Janaina Avila)
- Development of non-destructive, field-based reflectance infrared techniques to recognise mineral coatings on rock art, with application to finding datable coatings (with Dr. Tristen Jones)
Laboratory Projects
- Carbon capture in basaltic rocks (Emily Robson & Anna Herring)
Planetary Geology Projects
- Origin of unusual iron meteorites with silicate inclusions (Rachel Kirby)
- Salts in CM chondrites (Rachel Kirby)
- Volatiles on the terrestrial planets (Riley Baile)
Past student projects
ANU Analytical & Field-based Projects
- Minerals in 2018 Kilauea Volcanic ash (Emily Oborski)
- Hornblendes in I-type granites from the Bega Batholith (Katie Robb)
- How swelling clays interact with land use (Prue Merriman)
- Do carbonate tufas provide climate proxy data? (Aly Weirman)
- Petrology and unusual chemical features of altered rocks from the Grasberg Deposit, Indonesia (Melanie Sieber, Dick Henley)
ANU Laboratory Projects
- Reaction of volcanic gases with glasses and mobilisation of trace elements (Andrew Palmi)
- Reaction of SO2 with basaltic glasses prepared at different oxygen fugacities (Christian Renggli)
- Reaction of SO2 with glasses in the Anorthite-Albite-Diopside system (Christian Renggli)
- Development of a glass thermometer using the effect of temperature on the mid-infrared spectra of glasses (Leo Pure, Andrew Palm)
ANU Planetary Geology Projects
- Formation of calcium sulfate minerals on Mars (Tim Hunt)
- Distribution of metals on the Moon's surface (Christian Renggli)
- Mid-infrared studies of organic materials in meteorites (Shannon McConachie)
Publications
- Saadatfar, M, Brink, F, Latham, S et al 2020, 'High resolution 3D mapping of grain kinematics during high temperature sequestration of SO2 from flue gas by carbonate aggregates', Scientific Reports, vol. 10.
- Sieber, M, Brink, F, Leys, C et al. 2020, 'Prograde and retrograde metasomatic reactions in mineralised magnesium-silicate skarn in the Cu-Au Ertsberg East Skarn System, Ertsberg, Papua Province, Indonesia', Ore Geology Reviews, vol. 125, pp. 1-14.
- Moores, J, King, P, Smith, C et al. 2019, 'The Methane Diurnal Variation and Microseepage Flux at Gale Crater, Mars as Constrained by the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Curiosity Observations', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 46, no. 16, pp. 9430-9438.
- Renggli, C, Palm, A, King, P et al 2019, 'Implications of Reactions Between SO2 and Basaltic Glasses for the Mineralogy of Planetary Crusts', Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, vol. 124, no. 10, pp. 2563-2582.
- Chan, M, Hinman, N, Potter-McIntyre, S et al 2019, 'Deciphering Biosignatures in Planetary Contexts', Astrobiology, vol. 19, no. 9, pp. 1075-1102.
- Nekvasil, H, DiFrancesco, N, Rogers, A et al 2019, 'Vapor-Deposited Minerals Contributed to the Martian Surface During Magmatic Degassing', Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, vol. 142, no. 6, pp. 1592-1617.
- Renggli, C, King, P, Henley, R et al 2019, 'An experimental study of SO2 reactions with silicate glasses and supercooled melts in the system anorthite–diopside–albite at high temperature', Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, vol. 174, no. 3, doi.org/10.1007/s00410-018-1538-2.
- Dalby, K, Berger, J, Brand, H et al 2018, 'Analytical Techniques for Probing Small-Scale Layers that Preserve Information on Gas-Solid Interactions', Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, vol. 84, pp. 103-175.
- King, P, Wheeler, V, Renggli, C et al 2018, 'Gas-Solid Reactions: Theory, Experiments and Case Studies Relevant to Earth and Planetary Processes', Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, vol. 84, no. 1, pp. 1-56.
- Lanzirotti, A, Dyar, M, Sutton, S et al 2018, 'Accurate predictions of microscale oxygen barometry in basaltic glasses using v K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy: A multivariate approach', American Mineralogist, vol. 103, no. 8, pp. 1282-1297.
- Palm, A, King, P, Renggli, C et al 2018, 'Unravelling the Consequences of SO2-Basalt Reactions for Geochemical Fractionation and Mineral Formation', Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, vol. 84, pp. 257-283.
- Mernagh, T, King, P, McMillan, P et al 2018, 'Using Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy to Analyze Gas-Solid Reactions', Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, vol. 84, no. 1, pp. 177-228.
- Renggli, C & King, P 2018, 'SO2 Gas Reactions with Silicate Glasses', Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, vol. 84, no. 1, pp. 229-255.
- King, P, Fegley, B & Seward, T 2018, 'High Temperature Gas-Solid Reactions in Earth and Planetary Processes PREFACE', Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, vol. 84, no. 1, pp. iv.
- Henley, R, Brink, F, King, P et al 2017, 'High temperature gas-solid reactions in calc-silicate Cu-Au skarn formation; Ertsberg, Papua Province, Indonesia', Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, vol. 172, pp. 1-19pp.
- Renggli, C, King, P, Henley, R et al 2017, 'Volcanic gas composition, metal dispersion and deposition during explosive volcanic eruptions on the Moon', Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 206, pp. 296-311.
- King, P, Troitzsch, U & Jones, T 2017, 'Characterization of mineral coatings associated with a Pleistocene-Holocene rock art style: The Northern Running Figures of the East Alligator River region, western Arnhem Land, Australia', Data in Brief, vol. 10, pp. 537-543pp.
- Jones, T, Levchenko, V, King, P et al 2017, 'Radiocarbon age constraints for a Pleistocene-Holocene transition rock art style: The Northern Running Figures of the East Alligator River region, western Arnhem Land, Australia', Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, vol. 11, pp. 80-89.
- Perrett, G, Campbell, J, Gellert, R et al 2016, 'Refinement of the Compton-Rayleigh scatter ratio method for use on the Mars Science Laboratory alpha particle X-ray spectrometer: II - Extraction of invisible element content', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research: Section B, vol. 368, pp. 129-137.
- Berger, J, Schmidt, M, Gellert, R et al 2016, 'A global Mars dust composition refined by the Alpha-Particle X-ray Spectrometer in Gale Crater', Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 43, no. 1, pp. 67-75.
- Norman, M & King, P 2016, 'An editorial view on publishing articles', Elements, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 148-149.
- Glibin, V & King, P 2015, 'Prediction of the thermodynamic functions of mixing of binary oxide melts in the PbO-SiO2, Al2O3-SiO2 and CaO-Al2O3 systems by structure-based modification of the quasi-chemical model.', Calphad: Computer Coupling of Phase Diagrams and Thermochemistry, vol. 49, pp. 19-34.
- Henley, R, King, P, Wykes, J et al 2015, 'Porphyry copper deposit formation by sub-volcanic sulphur dioxide flux and chemisorption', Nature Geoscience, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 210-215.
- King, P 2015, 'Reaching our goals effectively - A work in progress', Elements, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. -.
- Bristow, T, Bish, D, Vaniman, D et al 2015, 'The origin and implications of clay minerals from Yellowknife Bay, Gale crater, Mars', American Mineralogist, vol. 100, no. 4, pp. 824-836.
- Newsom, H, Mangold, N, Kah, L et al. 2015, 'Gale crater and impact processes - Curiosity's first 364 Sols on Mars', Icarus, vol. 249, pp. 108-128.
- Lane, M, Bishop, J, Dyar, M et al 2015, 'Mid-infrared emission spectroscopy and visible/near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy of Fe-sulfate minerals', American Mineralogist, vol. 100, no. 1, pp. 66-82.
- Berger, J, King, P, Green, A et al 2015, 'Effect of halite coatings on thermal infrared spectra', Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, vol. 120, no. 4, pp. 2162-2178.
- King, P, Edwards, A & Abram, N 2015, 'Recognizing biases that affect women geoscientists in the workplace', Elements, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 88-89.
- Stern, J, Sutter, B, Freissinet, C et al 2015, 'Evidence for indigenous nitrogen in sedimentary and aeolian deposits from the Curiosity rover investigations at Gale crater, Mars', PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 112, no. 14, pp. 4245-4250.
- Webster, C, Mahaffy, P, Atreya, S et al 2015, 'Mars methane detection and variability at Gale crater', Science, vol. 347, no. 6220, pp. 415-417.
- Mahaffy, P, Webster, C, Stern, J et al 2015, 'The imprint of atmospheric evolution in the D/H of Hesperian clay minerals on Mars', Science, vol. 347, no. 6220, pp. 412-414.
- King, P, Kirby, R, Loiselle, L et al 2015, 'A life in science: Suggestions for applying for a Master's or PhD degree', Elements, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 7-8.
- Grotzinger, J, Sumner, D, Kah, L et al 2014, 'A habitable fluvio-lacustrine environment at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars', Science, vol. 343, no. 6169, pp. -.
- Hassler, D, Zeitlin, C, Wimmer-Schweingruber, R et al 2014, 'Mars's surface radiation environment measured with the Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover', Science, vol. 343, no. 6169.
- Ollila, A, Newsom, H, Clark, B et al 2014, 'Trace element geochemistry ( Li, Ba, Sr, and Rb) using Curiosity's ChemCam: Early results for Gale crater from Bradbury Landing Site to Rocknest', Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, vol. 119, no. 1, pp. 255-285.
- Farley, K, Malespin, C, Mahaffy, P et al 2014, 'In situ radiometric and exposure age dating of the Martian surface', Science, vol. 343, no. 6169.
- Vaniman, D, Bish, D, Ming, D et al 2014, 'Mineralogy of a Mudstone at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars', Science, vol. 343, no. 6169.
- Ming, D, Archer Jr, P, Glavin, D et al 2014, 'Volatile and organic compositions of sedimentary rocks in Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars', Science, vol. 343, no. 6169.
- Burne, R, Moore, L, Christy, A et al 2014, 'Stevensite in the modern thrombolites of Lake Clifton, Western Australia: A missing link in microbialite mineralization?', Geology, vol. 42, no. 7, pp. 575-578.
- Campbell, J, King, P, Burkemper, L et al 2014, 'The Mars Science Laboratory APXS calibration target: Comparison of Martian measurements with the terrestrial calibration', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research: Section B, vol. 323, pp. 49-58.
- Berger, J, King, P, Gellert, R et al 2014, 'MSL-APXS titanium observation tray measurements: laboratory experiments and results for the Rocknest Fines at the Curiosity Field Site in Gale Crater, Mars', Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, vol. 119, no. 5, pp. 1046-1060.
- Blaney, D, Wiens, R, Maurice, S et al 2014, 'Chemistry and texture of the rocks at Rocknest, Gale Crater: Evidence for sedimentary origin and diagenetic alteration', Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 119, no. 9, pp. 2109-2131.
- King, P & Bennett, V 2014, 'Setting up or renovating a laboratory', Elements, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 170-171.
- Bish, D, Blake, D, Vaniman, D et al 2013, 'X-ray Diffraction Results from Mars Science Laboratory: Mineralogy of Rocknest at Gale Crater', Science, vol. 341, no. 6153.
- Webster, C, Mahaffy, P, Flesch, G et al 2013, 'Isotope Ratios of H, C, and O in CO2 and H2O of the Martian Atmosphere', Science, vol. 341, no. 6143, pp. 260-263.
- Meslin, P, Gasnault, O, Forni, O et al 2013, 'Soil Diversity and Hydration as Observed by ChemCam at Gale Crater, Mars', Science, vol. 341, no. 6153.
- Blake, D, Morris, R, Kocurek, G et al 2013, 'Curiosity at Gale Crater, Mars: Characterization and Analysis of the Rocknest Sand Shadow', Science, vol. 341, no. 6153.
- Mahaffy, P, Webster, C, Atreya, S et al 2013, 'Abundance and Isotopic Composition of Gases in the Martian Atmosphere from the Curiosity Rover', Science, vol. 341, no. 6143, pp. 263-266.
- Williams, R, Grotzinger, J, Dietrich, W et al 2013, 'Martian fluvial conglomerates at Gale crater', Science, vol. 340, no. 6136, pp. 1068-1072.
- Webster, C, Mahaffy, P, Atreya, S et al 2013, 'Low Upper Limit to Methane Abundance on Mars', Science, vol. 342, no. 6156, pp. 355-357.
- Leshin, L, Mahaffy, P, Webster, C et al 2013, 'Volatile, Isotope, and Organic Analysis of Martian Fines with the Mars Curiosity Rover', Science, vol. 341, no. 6153.
- King, P 2013, 'Traveling for work - lessons from the Mars Curiosity Rover', Elements, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 156-157.
- Schmidt, M, Campbell, J, Gellert, R et al 2014, 'Geochemical diversity in first rocks examined by the Curiosity Rover in Gale Crater: Evidence for and significance of an alkali and volatile-rich igneous source', Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, vol. 119, no. 1, pp. 64-81.
- Stolper, E, Baker, M, Newcombe, M et al 2013, 'The petrochemistry of Jake_M: A martian mugearite', Science, vol. 341, no. 6153, pp. 1239463-1239463.
- King, P, Sham, T, Gordon, R et al 2013, 'Microbeam X-ray analysis of Ce3+/Ce4+ in Ti-rich minerals: A case study with titanite (sphene) with implications for multivalent trace element substitution in minerals', American Mineralogist, vol. 98, no. 1, pp. 110-119.
- Lee, R, Ramsey, M & King, P 2013, 'Development of a new laboratory technique for high-temperature thermal emission spectroscopy of silicate melts', Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 118, no. 5, pp. 1968-1983.
- McLennan, S, Anderson, R, Bell, J et al 2014, 'Elemental Geochemistry of Sedimentary Rocks at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars', Science, vol. 343, no. 6169.
- Campbell, J, Perrett, G, Maxwell, J et al 2013, 'Refinement of the Compton-Rayleigh scatter ratio method for use on the Mars Science Laboratory alpha particle X-ray spectrometer', Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research: Section B, vol. 302, pp. 24-31.
- Yingst, R, Kah, L, Palucis, M et al 2013, 'Characteristics of pebble- and cobble-sized clasts along the Curiosity rover traverse from Bradbury Landing to Rocknest', Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, vol. 118, no. 11, pp. 2361-2380.
- King, P & Larsen, J 2013, 'A micro-reflectance IR spectroscopy method for analyzing volatile species in basaltic, andesitic, phonolitic, and rhyolitic glasses', American Mineralogist, vol. 98, no. 7, pp. 1162-1171.
- de Moor, J, Fischer, T, King, P et al 2013, 'Volatile-rich silicate melts from Oldoinyo Lengai volcano (Tanzania): Implications for carbonatite genesis and eruptive behavior', Earth and Planetary Science Letters, vol. 361, pp. 379-390.
- de Moor, J, Fischer, T, Sharp, Z et al 2013, 'Sulfur degassing at Erta Ale (Ethiopia) and Masaya (Nicaragua) volcanoes: Implications for degassing processes and oxygen fugacities of basaltic systems', Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. G3, vol. 14, no. 10, pp. 4076-4108.
- King, P 2013, 'Changing research direction in the middle of an academic career', Elements, vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 476-.
- Vernazza, P, Delbo, M, King, P et al 2012, 'High surface porosity as the origin of emissivity features in asteroid spectra', Icarus, vol. 221, no. 2, pp. 1162-1172.
- King, P 2012, 'How to run a workshop', Elements, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 151-152.
- McLennan, S, Sephton, M, Allen, C et al 2012, 'Planning for Mars Returned Sample Science: Final report of the MSR End-to-End International Science Analysis Group (E2E-iSAG)', Astrobiology, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 175-230.
- Campbell, J, Perrett, G, Gellert, R et al 2012, 'Calibration of the Mars Science Laboratory Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer', Space Science Reviews, vol. 170, no. 1-4, pp. 319-340.
- King, P & Fulton, C 2012, 'Writing your first proposal', Elements, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 314-315.
- Hyde, B, King, P, Dyar, M et al 2011, 'Methods to analyze metastable and microparticulate hydrated and hydrous iron sulfate minerals', American Mineralogist, vol. 96, no. 11-12, pp. 1856-1869.
- Vernazza, P, Lamy, P, Groussin, O et al 2011, 'Asteroid (21) Lutetia as a remnant of Earth's precursor planetesimals', Icarus, vol. 216, no. 2, pp. 650-659.
- King, P 2011, 'Trying to write, instead of "trying not to write"', Elements, vol. 7, no. 6, p. 370.
- Shearer, C, Burger, P, Neal, C et al 2010, 'Non-basaltic asteroidal magmatism during the earliest stages of solar system evolution: A view from Antarctic achondrites Graves Nunatak 06128 and 06129', Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 74, no. 3, pp. 1172-1199.
- Foster, I, King, P, Hyde, B et al 2010, 'Characterization of halophiles in natural MgSO4 salts and laboratory enrichment samples: Astrobiological implications for Mars', Planetary and Space Science, vol. 58, no. 4, pp. 599-615.
- King, P & McLennan, S 2010, 'Sulfur on Mars', Elements, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 107-112.
- Izawa, M, Flemming, R, King, P et al 2010, 'Mineralogical and spectroscopic investigation of the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite by X-ray diffraction and infrared reflectance spectroscopy', Meteoritics and Planetary Science, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 675-698.
- Lee, R, King, P & Ramsey, M 2010, 'Spectral analysis of synthetic quartzofeldspathic glasses using laboratory thermal infrared spectroscopy', Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 115, no. 6.
- Russell, S, Longstaffe, F, King, P et al 2010, 'The oxygen-isotope composition of chondrules and isolated forsterite and olivine grains from the Tagish Lake carbonaceous chondrite', Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 74, no. 8, pp. 2484-2499.
- Izawa, M, King, P, Flemming, R et al 2010, 'Mineralogical and spectroscopic investigation of enstatite chondrites by X-ray diffraction and infrared reflectance spectroscopy', Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 115, no. 7, pp. E07008(1-18).
- Dufresne, C, King, P, Dyar, M et al 2009, 'Effect of SiO2, total FeO, Fe3+/Fe2+ and alkali elements in basaltic glasses on mid-infrared spectra', American Mineralogist, vol. 94, no. 11-12, pp. 1580-1590.
- Lane, M, Bishop, J, Dyar, M et al 2008, 'Mineralogy of the Paso Robles soils on Mars', American Mineralogist, vol. 93, no. 5-6, pp. 728-739.
- Wagner, C, Deloule, E, Fialin, M et al 2008, 'Dehydrogenation of kaersutitic amphibole under electron beam excitation recorded by changes in Fe3+/?Fe: An EMP and SIMS study', American Mineralogist, vol. 93, no. 8-9, pp. 1273-1281.
- Mongrain, J, Larsen, J & King, P 2008, 'Rapid water exsolution, degassing, and bubble collapse observed experimentally in K-phonolite melts', Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, vol. 173, no. 3-4, pp. 178-184.
- Klimm, K, Holtz, F & King, P 2008, 'Fractionation vs. magma mixing in the Wangrah Suite A-type granites, Lachlan Fold Belt, Australia: Experimental constraints', Lithos, vol. 102, no. 3-4, pp. 415-434.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- Identifying submarine volcanism in the Izu-Bonin-Marianas Forearc (Primary Investigator)
- Impact of hot gas on volcanic rocks and ore-forming processes (Primary Investigator)
- Collaborative Research: The spectral and thermal response of active basaltic surfaces: Constraining lava cooling, petrology and flow propagation models (Secondary Investigator)
- Gas-Solid Reactions in Earth and Planetary Systems (Primary Investigator)
- Immersive Visualisation for Field-Based Sciences (Secondary Investigator)
- Tracking Water on Planetary Surfaces Using Data from the Curiosity Rover, the Laboratory, Meteorites and Australian Field Sites (Primary Investigator)
