Micah is an experimental physicist and planetary scientist working in the Planetary magnetospheres group at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. He is an expert in developing experimental studies of how radiation (e.g., the solar wind and planetary magnetospheres) interacts with solid materials, and in applying that knowledge to further Solar System exploration. The goals of this work are to provide atomic-scale characterization of radiation-induced processes in a wide variety of astromaterials (e.g., meteorites and returned samples) and mineral analogs, vapor deposited molecular volatiles (e.g., H2O and CH4), and biomolecular thin films. Of particular interest are the interfaces of chiral molecules and magnetized surfaces. His experimental efforts combine ultra-high vacuum systems, cryogenic cooling, and ion, electron and UV/X-ray radiation sources to replicate outer space environments and to study how radiation produces space weathering effects on airless bodies such as the lunar surface, asteroids, and icy moons. Materials analyses are carried out using a variety of surface characterization techniques including ion and neutral mass spectrometry, scanning probe microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and photoelectron spectroscopy. Through collaborations with experts in computational modeling, the experimental results are used to better understand spacecraft observations, to help guide future exploration efforts, and to identify potentially valuable materials resources in space.
Micah J Schaible
(RESEARCH AST, PLANETARY STUDIES)
| Email: | micah.j.schaible@nasa.gov |
| Org Code: | 695 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 695 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: |
Brief Bio
Positions/Employment
Research Space Scientist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD
March 2024 - Present
Research Scientist II
EPICS Lab, Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA
September 2021 - March 2024
NASA Postdoctoral Fellow
SSERVI REVEALS Team, Georgia Tech - Atlanta, GA
September 2019 - August 2021
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
EPICS Lab, Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA
January 2017 - August 2019
Education
Ph.D. in Engineering Physics, December 2016
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
M.S. in Engineering Physics, May 2014
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
B.S. in General Engineering (High Honors), May 2008
Montana Tech University, Butte, MT
- Minors in Mathematics, Spanish, Chemistry
Awards
Research Faculty Community Trailblazer Award, 2022, Georgia Tech College of Science for “demonstrated and sustained leadership that strengthens the sense of community within the College of Sciences.”
Community Leadership Impact Award, 2022, Georgia Tech School of Chemistry and Biochemistry for “exceptional service and efforts in community building.”
Robert H. Goddard Exceptional Achievement for Science, 2019, Team award, DREAM2 Center for Space Environments, Goddard Space Flight Center.
Fred D. Rossi Outstanding Citizen Award, 2016, Materials Science and Engineering, UVA for “superior contributions to the academic, educational, and outreach goals … and for exemplary teamwork."
First Place for Space Sciences and Physics, 2014, Robert J. Huskey Graduate Research Exhibition, UVA.
Selected Publications
Refereed
2024. "Chapter 11: Astrobiology Education, Engagement, and Resources." Astrobiology 24 (S1): S-216-S-227 [10.1089/ast.2021.0098] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Chapter 3: The Origins and Evolution of Planetary Systems." Astrobiology 24 (S1): S-57-S-75 [10.1089/ast.2021.0127] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Chapter 2: What Is Life?." Astrobiology 24 (S1): S-40-S-56 [10.1089/ast.2021.0116] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Chapter 1: The Astrobiology Primer 3.0." Astrobiology 24 (S1): S-4-S-39 [10.1089/ast.2021.0129] [Journal Article/Letter]
2023. "Performance of chemically modified reduced graphene oxide (CMrGO) in lunar electrodynamic dust shield (EDS) applications." Acta Astronautica 211 674-683 [10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.07.003] [Journal Article/Letter]
2023. "Establishing a Best Practice for SDTrimSP Simulations of Solar Wind Ion Sputtering." The Planetary Science Journal 4 (4): 67 [10.3847/psj/acc587] [Journal Article/Letter]
2023. "CaCO3 Polymorphs as Mineral Catalysts for Prebiotic Phosphorylation of Uridine." Earth and Space Science 10 (2): [10.1029/2022ea002577] [Journal Article/Letter]
2021. "In situ observations of ions and magnetic field around Phobos: the mass spectrum analyzer (MSA) for the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission." Earth, Planets and Space 73 (1): 216 [10.1186/s40623-021-01452-x] [Journal Article/Letter]
2020.
"Electron Spin-Polarization Dependent Damage to Chiral Amino Acid
2020. "Photon‐Stimulated Desorption of MgS as a Potential Source of Sulfur in Mercury's Exosphere." Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125 (8): [10.1029/2020je006479] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "Characterization and Simulation of Natural Pyrite Surfaces: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study." The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 123 (43): 26397-26405 [10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b07586] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "Low energy secondary electron induced damage of condensed nucleotides." The Journal of Chemical Physics 150 (20): [10.1063/1.5090491] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "Overview of Phobos/Deimos Regolith Ion Sample Mission (PRISM) concept." CubeSats and NanoSats for Remote Sensing II [10.1117/12.2322415] [Proceedings]
2018. "Catalyst: Radiation Effects on Volatiles and Exploration of Asteroids and the Lunar Surface." Chem 4 (1): 8-12 [10.1016/j.chempr.2017.12.004] [Journal Article/Letter]
2017. "Solar Wind Sputtering Rates of Small Bodies and Ion Mass Spectrometry Detection of Secondary Ions." Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 122 (10): 1968-1983 [10.1002/2017je005359] [Journal Article/Letter]
2017. "High energy electron sintering of icy regoliths: Formation of the PacMan thermal anomalies on the icy Saturnian moons." Icarus 285 211-223 [10.1016/j.icarus.2016.08.033] [Journal Article/Letter]
2014. "Hydrogen implantation in silicates: The role of solar wind in SiOH bond formation on the surfaces of airless bodies in space." Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 119 (9): 2017-2028 [10.1002/2014je004650] [Journal Article/Letter]
2013. "Ultraviolet photodesorption as a driver of water migration on the lunar surface." Planetary and Space Science 89 42-46 [10.1016/j.pss.2013.02.002] [Journal Article/Letter]
Teaching Experience
Lead Instructor, Alternative Energy (Chem 3700) - Spring 2023
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Co-instructor (of record), Alternative Energy (Chem 3700) - Spring 2022
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Co-instructor (of record), Planetary Science and Astrobiology Seminar (EAS6040) - Spring 2019 – Spring 2020
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
Co-Instructor (of record), Intro. to Materials Science and Engineering (MSE2090) - Spring 2014
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Teaching Assistant, Physics of Materials (MSE 7140) - Fall 2013
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA