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Dustin D. Heese, M.S.
Research and Presentations
Coming in 2026:
Origins 2026 (ISSOL - The International Astrobiology Society/ IAU Astrobiology Commission), July 6-10, 2026, Paris, France
Characterizing Biosignature Preservation in Fe-rich Sedimentary Systems: A Taphonomic Framework for Martian Life Detection and Sample Return
Session: 7. Searches for Habitable Environments and Life
Oral Presentation, Thursday July 9, 2026 @ 9:30 AM CEST(+2 GMT)
Astrobiology - Biosignature Preservation and Detection in Ironstone (in submission)
Seeking Journal - Quart in geodes in the Fort Payne Chert: Evidence for deep burial and hydrothermal conditions (in prep)
Heese, D.D., Goldstein, R.H., Marshall, C.P. (2026)
Insights into Biosignature Preservation and Detection in Ironstone. Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon 2026) Abstracts 2026, Madison, WI, USA, 2059870.
Oolitic ironstones, such as those within the Lower Silurian Red Mountain Formation of Alabama, are highly debated sedimentary deposits with key astrobiological relevance due to their morphological and mineralogical similarity to deposits found on Mars. To address uncertainty regarding biosignature preservation [...] Continue.
DOI: Awaiting DOI
Heese, D.D. (2026)
Biosignature Preservation and Detection in Ironstone (Publication No. 32677828) [Master's Thesis, The University of Kansas]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
Oolitic ironstones, such as those within the Lower Silurian Red Mountain Formation of Alabama, are highly debated sedimentary deposits with key astrobiological relevance due to their morphological and mineralogical similarity to deposits found on Mars. To address uncertainty regarding biosignature preservation [...] Continue.
DOI: Publication embargoed until 2027.
Heese, D.D. (2026, Public Talk)
Ironstone: a Terrestrial Analog for the Detection of Extraterrestrial Life on Mars,
Nerd Nite #123: Shams. Rocks. Shakes., Lawrence, Kansas, USA. Link
[...] Continue.
Heese, D.D., Goldstein, R.H., Marshall, C.P. (2025)
Raman Geothermometry of Oolitic Hematite. Geological Society of America Abstracts, 57, San Antonio, TX, USA, 8780.
Despite the extensive distribution of oolitic hematite deposits, the origin and conditions of their formation are still under considerable debate. Currently, it is postulated that these enigmatic deposits are mineralogically composed of hematite, chamosite, or iron oxyhydroxides. Likewise, [...] Continue.
DOI: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-8780
Heese, D.D., Marshall, C.P., Goldstein, R.H. (2025)
Quartz in geodes in the Fort Payne Chert: Evidence for deep burial and hydrothermal conditions. Geological Society of America Abstracts, 57, San Antonio, TX, USA, 8522.
The Mississippian Fort Payne Chert in northeastern Alabama contains megaquartz-lined geodes previously interpreted to have formed from low-temperature surface fluids or during shallow burial diagenesis at ~40 °C. Burial history models and regional paleomagnetic data, however [...] Continue.
DOI: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-8522
Heese, D.D., Dowling, A.R., Goldstein, R.H., Marshall, C.P. (2024)
Using Raman Spectroscopy to Investigate Crystallinity Variations, Mineralogical Diversity, and sp2 Carbonaceous Material Within Oolitic Hematite. Geological Society of America Abstracts, 56, Anaheim, CA, USA, 404354.
Oolitic hematite, a distinctive marine sedimentary rock composed of chemically precipitated hematite (a-Fe2O3) spheres, presents significant interest due to its complex mineralogy and formation processes. This study builds on a preliminary investigation by our group[1] which investigated hand samples from the Lower Silurian Red Mountain Formation that revealed [...] Continue.
Romine, C.E., Pryor, B.N., Heese, D.D., Marshall, C.P. (2024)
Elucidating Nanoparticle Size-Dependence Effects on the Raman Spectrum of Hematite. Geological Society of America Abstracts, 56, Anaheim, CA, USA, 404286.
Despite the importance of nanoparticle (NP) hematite in materials science, geological applications, and astrobiology, the Raman spectrum acquired from this material is poorly understood. While the study of the Raman spectroscopy of bulk single-crystals has recently been well documented very few studies have centered on understanding the size-dependent changes [...] Continue.
Heese, D.D., Dowling, A.R., Goldstein, R.H., Marshall, C.P. (2024)
Assessment of Biosignature Preservation and Detection in Oolitic Hematite. Astrobiology Graduate Conference Abstracts, 13, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA, 10.13140/RG.2.2.21605.20965.
Oolitic hematite is a sedimentary rock featuring spheres of chemically precipitated hematite. Preliminary findings from Raman spectroscopic investigations into oolitic hematite from the Lower Silurian Red Mountain Formation has unveiled a diverse mineral composition alongside the presence of disordered sp2 carbonaceous material. Thermal analysis suggests [...] Continue.
DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.21605.20965
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