Planetary Geology & Surface Simulation Laboratory

Understand worlds.
Recreate their surfaces.

We investigate Mars and other planetary bodies through environmental simulation, geomorphology, remote sensing, field analogs, and planetary mapping.

Explore our research See our facilities

PGSSL Lab · Field · Orbit

Planetary surfaces record change. We combine experiments, observations and field geology to understand the processes written into that record.

Research

One surface.
Many processes.

From transient Martian brines and ground ice to ancient deltas, tectonics and field geology, our work links physical processes from outcrop to what spacecraft observe from orbit.

Brine stability under Martian conditions.

Laboratory simulations test how hygroscopic salts absorb atmospheric water, form transient brines, evaporate and rehydrate under Mars-relevant pressure and temperature.

This work constrains the short environmental windows where liquid films may briefly persist near the Martian surface, linking deliquescence, salt hydration and evaporation rates to present-day habitability limits and orbital mineral detections.

Why this matters

Ice and periglacial processes.

Polygonal terrain, scalloped depressions, brain terrain and ground-ice related landforms reveal the climatic history of Mars.

Delta morphodynamics and paleohydrology.

Tank experiments and orbital geomorphology help reconstruct Martian lakes, oceans, breaching events and sea-level change.

Delta morphology, including lobe-extruding deltas and stepped fan-deltas, helps constrain the transition from an early Martian ocean and regression to younger localized lake systems. The Valles Marineris breaching study adds canyon-scale sea-level rise context to this paleohydrologic record.

Field geology and planetary analogs.

Structural mapping, outcrop observations and terrestrial analog sites provide context for interpreting planetary surfaces.

Field analog studies in Mongolia, the United States, Chile and India connect desert surfaces, volcanic terrains, salt-rich environments and structural outcrops with the landforms observed on Mars and other planetary bodies.

Lunar tectonics and exploration.

Crustal stresses, tectonic structures and surface hazards relevant to future lunar exploration.

From the laboratory to orbit.

Experimental products and hyperspectral measurements are compared directly with orbital signatures from planetary missions.

Facilities

Build the environment.
Observe what happens.

Our experimental infrastructure is designed to connect controlled laboratory measurements with planetary processes seen in orbital data.

MISASA Mars Surface Simulation Chamber

Mars conditions.
Inside the laboratory.

Controlled experiments on brine formation, evaporation, frost-related activity, desiccation, mineral stability and regolith-atmosphere interactions.

Explore chamber research

Hyperspectral Imaging

See materials
beyond visible color.

VNIR and SWIR hyperspectral imaging integrated with a motorized scanning stage for mineralogical and hydration-related measurements of samples, analog materials and experimental products.

Hyperspectral imaging system and motorized stage

Brine experiments

Deliquescence, liquid stability, evaporation pathways and water activity.

Frost and ice

Formation, sublimation and surface modification in cold environments.

Surface processes

Experimental results interpreted together with terrestrial analog sites.

Spectral comparison

Laboratory products compared with orbital spectra and mission observations.

People

A small group.
Big planetary questions.

Our team works across planetary geology, geomorphology, remote sensing and experimental surface science.

Trishit Ruj

Principal Investigator

Associate Professor, Institute for Planetary Materials, Okayama University

Aswathi Janardhanan

Postdoctoral Researcher

Planetary surface science and experimental research

Takumu Chijiiwa

D1 · PhD Student

Present-day water activity in Martian high latitudes

Hiral PB

M2 · Master's Student

Water-ice distribution in the Martian subsurface

Aditya Ray

M1 . Master's Student

Incoming master's student

Past Students

Ren Kito

Former M.Sc Student

Delta morphology and reconstruction of Martian global regression

Takaki Sako

Former M.Sc Student

Polygon morphology and identification of near-surface ice

Projects

Planetary geology,
made physical.

Experiments, field analogs and planetary observations form a single research workflow.

Simulated Martian Delta

Tank experiments for paleohydrologic reconstruction

Dune Analog Site

Field observations linked to planetary surface processes

Simulation Chamber

Experimental infrastructure for Mars-relevant environments

News

From the lab.

August 2026

Graduate student Hiral PB received the Best Student Poster Award for her presentation titled “Ice-rich Crater Fills as Indicators of Stable Subsurface Ice on Mars” at the AOGS 2026 meeting in Fukuoka.

March 2026

Takaki Sako received the Dean’s Choice Award at Okayama University.

December 2025

Takumu Chijiiwa received the OU-SPRING Fellowship to begin his PhD at Okayama University.

November 2025

The Planetary Surface Simulation Chamber was fully installed and became ready for experiments.

November 2025

Installation completed for the new Hyperspectral Imaging Systems covering VNIR and SWIR ranges.

October 2025

Press coverage on EurekAlert featured our Geology study on Martian mid-latitude ice accumulation.

August 2025

A first-author paper by Trishit Ruj was accepted in Geology, presenting new insights into Martian mid-latitude glaciation.

April 2025

Trishit Ruj received the Inamori Foundation Research Grant.