4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 183-301
Dr. Liu's research focuses on the investigation of extraterrestrial rocks and soils, returned by planetary sample return missions or by nature. She uses microbeam methods including CT, FE-SEM, Electron probe, SIMS, micro-XRF to obtain mineralogical and geochemical information of rocks and soils, in order to understand the processes affecting the surface and interior of different planetary bodies.
Her research focuses on volatiles, from those on the surface to the interior. Results aim to answer questions such as: What are the sources of surface and interior volatiles? What is the budget of volatiles on a planetary body? How are they lost from magma? Most recent research includes the study of vapor condensats on lunar volcanic beads, determination of subsurface and magmatic water signatures on Mars using an impact-melt hygrometer, and hydrothermal products in Martian meteorites.
She also studies petrogenesis of igneous rocks in meteorites and igneous those encountered by the Perseverance rover in Jezero crater.
Selected Peer-Reviewed Articles