My research focuses on the evolution of aqueous habitable environments and the geology of Mars. Utilizing data from Mars rovers and remote sensing, I have developed a preliminary innovative framework outlining the evolution of Martian climate and surface aqueous processes. This trajectory transitions from pedogenesis (T>0℃) on early Mars, to freeze-thaw processes (T≈0℃) on middle-aged Mars, and finally to ground-ice and magma interactions (T<<0℃) on recent Mars. The global long-term cooling trend and its coupled evolution of water-rock interaction provides a robust explanation for the staged evolution of Martian hydrous minerals—progressing from clay minerals to sulfates and ultimately to recent hydrous minerals.
Moving forward, my work will center on three primary objectives: (1) testing whether this framework applies globally to understand how Mars transitioned to an uninhabitable state; (2) using mineralogical records to determine if Mars could have supported life prior to this transition; and (3) applying insights gained from Mars to study the habitability evolution of early Earth. These goals will be pursued through a comprehensive approach combining rover and remote sensing data, meteorite and returned sample analysis, laboratory experiments, terrestrial analog studies, and numerical modeling.
I am currently establishing the Mars Geosciences Laboratory at The University of Hong Kong and am actively recruiting highly motivated Ph.D. students continuously, as well as a postdoctoral researcher in the near future.