Dr. Divya M. Persaud

research

I am fascinated by creative applications of 2D and 3D imaging and other remote sensing datasets to planetary surfaces. In particular, I am interested in:

  • how to best leverage remote sensing to plan for future planetary missions
  • quantitative and qualitative investigations of surface geology using orbital imagery and 3D visualization tools (e.g., impact craters, their morphologies, and what they can tell us about the subsurface or interior of a planetary body; morpho-stratigraphy of exposed layering on Mars)
  • processing and exploiting multi-resolution imagery to build 3D map products
  • and equitable, research-based approaches to engagement using 3D imagery

My full list of publications, both peer-reviewed and informal and sorted by date, can be found on my Publications page.

postdoctoral research, JPL (2021–22)

Supporting the Europa Lander concept and Europa Clipper Project Science and Reconnaissance Focus Group.

projects

  • using Apollo 16 imagery to investigate sampling strategies for future landed missions on Europa
  • using Cassini terrain data to evaluate methods of estimating crater relaxation on the Saturnian satellites

Persaud, D. M., Phillips, C. B., How to sample an alien world? Lessons for Europa from Apollo 16. 54th Lunar and Planetary Conference. Poster (virtual).

Phillips, C. B., Persaud, D. M., Hand, K. P., Correlation of Surface and Subsurface Properties when Choosing a Sampling Site: Applications from Mars and the Moon to Sampling Locations on Europa and Other Ocean Worlds, AGU Fall Meeting, 11–15 December, 2022. Poster (virtual).

doctoral research, University College London (2017–22)

Processing, visualizing, and analyzing 3D Mars orbital imagery for geological analysis as well as public engagement.

projects

  • stereo reconstruction of co-registered, multi-resolution 3D orbital imagery of Gale crater, Mars
  • 3D visualization and morpho-stratigraphic analysis of exposed layers in Sakarya Vallis, Gale crater, Mars using PRo3D

collaborations

  • processing and analysis of a CTX DTM of a terraced crater in the Cerberus Plains, Mars, to complement SHARAD data analysis (Xiong et al., ESS)
  • processing CTX and HRSC DTMs of Victoria crater and Gale crater, Mars, towards image simulations from a planetary penetrator descent camera (Brydon et al., PSS)
  • Rosalind Franklin (ExoMars) PanCam operations, ExoFit rover trials 1 and 2 (2018, 2019)

publications

research papers

Brydon, G., Persaud, D. M., Jones, G., 2021, Planetary Topography Measurement by Descent Stereophotogrammetry, Planetary and Space Science, 202, 105242. doi: 10.1016/j.pss.2021.105242

Xiong, S., Tao, Y., Persaud, D. M., Campbell, J. D., Putri, A.D.R., Muller, J.-P., 2020, Subsurface reflections detected by SHARAD data revealing buried channels and islands over the Elysium Planitia, Earth and Space Science. doi: 10.1029/2019EA000968

conference proceedings

Persaud, D. M., Barnes, R., Morpho-stratigraphy of Sakarya Vallis, Gale crater, Mars: a virtual outcrop study, 54th Annual Meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences, London, Ontario, 2–7 October, 2022. Oral presentation (virtual).

Persaud, D. M., Barnes, R., Tao, Y., Muller, J.-P., Remote 3D geological analysis of possible sedimentary layer geometries in upper Aeolis Mons, Gale Crater, Mars, Europlanets Science Congress, 21 September – 9 October 2020. Abstract #450. Oral presentation, virtual (withdrawn).

Chernetskiy, M., Muller, J.-P., Tao, Y., Persaud, D. M., Malik, R., 3D imaging of the moon for the NASA Artemis human exploration programme, British Planetary Science Conference, 2020. Oral presentation.

Persaud, D. M., Barnes, R., Tao, Y., Muller, J.-P., Stratigraphy in a channel in Gale Crater, Mars, from 3D HiRISE Imagery, British Planetary Science Conference, 2020. Oral presentation.

Persaud, D. M., Tao, Y., and Muller, J.-P., Multi-Resolution, Nested Orbital 3D Images of Gale Crater for Fused MSL Rover-Orbital Image Simulations. European Planetary Science Congress, Geneva, Switzerland, 16-20 September 2019. Abstract #1540. Oral presentation.

Hall, A., et al. ExoFiT: ExoMars-Like Field Trials – a Mission Simulation. In: 15th Symposium on Advanced Space Technologies in Robotics and Automation, 27-28 May 2019, ESA-ESTEC, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

Persaud, D. M., Tao, Y., and Muller, J.-P., Super-resolution restored HiRISE images for simulating “rover’s eye” views in 3D. European Planetary Science Congress, TU Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 16-21 September 2018. Abstract #505. Poster.

data releases

Persaud, D. M. (2021). Unit Map and Dips/Strikes of Sakarya Vallis, Gale Crater, Mars [Data set]. Zenodo. doi:10.5281/zenodo.5819267

Persaud, D. M. (2021). Multi-Resolution Basemap of Northwest Aeolis Mons, Gale Crater, Mars [Data set]. Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5808381

Persaud, D. M. (2021). Co-registered U. Arizona HiRISE DTM and ORI over Sakarya Vallis, Gale Crater, Mars [Data set]. Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5808371

Persaud, D. M., Tao, Y., Muller, J.-P. (2021). CTX DTM and ORI Mosaics over Sakarya Vallis, Gale Crater, Mars [Data set]. Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5808357

Persaud, D. M., Putri, A. D. R., Muller, J.-P. (2021). 30-m HRSC DTM Mosaic of Gale Crater, Mars [Data set]. Zenodo. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.5808354

European Space Agency, 2019, UCL-MSSL_Mars-CERBERUS_CTX-HiRISE-HRSC_V1.0, doi: 10.5270/esa-lqefjdl

relevant multimedia

previous research

impact cratering on icy satellites

Summer Internship Program, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2016)
NSF REU in Astrobiology, SETI Institute (2014)
  • tested methods of estimating initial crater depths of Saturn’s moons Rhea and Dione using Cassini ISS digital elevation models (DEMs)
  • investigated stereo methods for icy moon topography
  • produced crater size catalogs of four Saturnian moons
  • ongoing at JPL: assessment of methods of estimating initial crater depths of icy bodies

Persaud, D. M., Phillips, C. B., Methods of Estimating Initial Crater Depths on Icy Satellites using Stereo Topography, AGU Fall Meeting, 15-19 December, 2014. Oral presentation.

HOMER mission concept development

Senior Honors Thesis, University of Rochester (2016)
NASA Ames Academy for Space Exploration, NASA Ames Research Center (2015)

Designed a smallsat-scale ground penetrating radar (GPR)/synthetic aperture radar (SAR) hybrid multistatic system for the detection of lava tube systems on Mars; investigated and selected regions of interest and designed science mission; served as project manager in final two weeks to prepare technical manuscript.

Persaud, D. M., et al., 2016, HOMER: a smallsat ground penetrating radar sounding fleet to map planetary surfaces at high resolution, 47th Lunar and Planetary Conference. Poster.

Wu, T. S., Persaud, D. M., et al., Subsurface Feature Mapping of Mars using a High Resolution Ground Penetrating Radar System, AGU Fall Meeting, 14-18 December 2015. Poster.

Paleomagnetism group, University of Rochester

independent study (2015–16)

Used scanning electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy to characterize the matrix composition of Allende meteorite samples; identified rare chromite mineral species

NSF REU in Physics (2013)

Prepared and ran hysteresis and thermal demagnetization tests on impact glass samples to determine whether a magnetic field was generated by the Darwin impact

assistantship (2012–13)

Documented and prepared Fukang pallasite meteorite samples for magnetic tests

summer intern, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (2011, 2012)

Adapting a method of passive radiometry used with the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) for use with the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) to generate a reflectance map of the surface of Mercury at the 1064 nm wavelength.