LabCompass

M. S. Thompson

Physics and Astronomy · Purdue University West Lafayette

OpenAlex ORCID
Established · publishing since 1990
Astro and Planetary SciencePlanetary Science and ExplorationIsotope Analysis in EcologyGeological and Geochemical AnalysisSpace Exploration and Technology

Publications

167

Citations

1,638

Est. group size

~2

Recurring co-author estimate

Active years

37

Publishing since 1990

Research summary
AI-generated

M. S. Thompson studies the surfaces of airless bodies in our solar system—such as asteroids, the Moon, and Mercury—focusing on how tiny meteorite impacts and solar wind exposure physically and chemically alter rock and dust over time, a process called space weathering. The work relies heavily on high-resolution microscopy (electron microscopy techniques like TEM, HRTEM, and SEM/EDS) to examine samples returned from missions such as OSIRIS-REx, as well as meteorites and lunar soil. This research supports the interpretation of remote-sensing data and helps prepare for future sample-return and exploration missions.

Space weathering of airless bodiesElectron microscopy of extraterrestrial samplesAsteroid and meteorite sample analysis (OSIRIS-REx)Lunar and Mercury surface/exosphere scienceNanoscale mineralogy and geochemistry

Publication output has grown over the last decade, with year-to-year fluctuations but a notably high count in the most recent year, indicating an active and currently expanding research output.

Generated by claude-sonnet-5 from public bibliographic data · Jul 20, 2026

Publication cadence
Publications per year over the last 10 years — averaging 13.6/year recently
2017: 8 publications172018: 9 publications182019: 16 publications192020: 13 publications202021: 22 publications212022: 6 publications222023: 11 publications232024: 14 publications242025: 13 publications252026: 24 publications2426
Recent publications
Publishes in
  • Meteoritics and Planetary Science×16
  • Microscopy and Microanalysis×16
  • Astromaterials Data Archive×16
  • Lunar and Planetary Science Conference×14
  • Icarus×6
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This profile was generated automatically from public scholarly data (OpenAlex). Group size and activity levels are estimates derived from co-authorship patterns.

Last updated Jul 20, 2026.

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