thangjam | National Institute of Science Education and Research

Guneshwar Thangjam

Reader-F, SEPS

Earth & Planetary Sciences

thangjam@niser.ac.in

Positions Available

2 JRF/PhD and 6-12 month MSc/Mtech interns in ISRO/Chandrayaan and international Max Planck/MPG project
Preferably Physics/Geoscience background with good programming skill and immense interest in basic research
Work is hyperspectral data processing & analysis understanding basic physics and chemistry of Earth and planetary minerals

Education

2006-2008, MSc Geology, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, India

2012-2015, PhD, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research/ Clausthal University of Technology, Germany

Teaching

EP601 (Introduction to Earth Science, PhD core course; Shared with Dr. Bhattacharyya)
EP603 (Introduction to Planetary Science; PhD core course; Shared with Dr. Majumdar)
EP641 (Practical course; PhD core course)
EP700 (Research methodology; Research ethics, Plagiarism, and scientific works; shared with Dr. Bhattacharyya)
EP685 (Planetary Surface process; PhD elective course)
EP651 (Mineralogy and crystallography; PhD elective course)

Publications

2023

Dhoundiyal S., Porwal A., Niveditha C.V., Thangjam G., Aranha M., Kumar S., Paul D., Kalimuthu R., 2023. A novel algorithm for mapping carbonates using CRISM hyperspectral data. Icarus, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115504

2022

Hernandez J., Nathues A., Hiesinger H., Goetz W., Hoffmann H., Schmedemann N., Thangjam G., Mengel K., Sarkar R., 2022. Geology and colour of Kupalo crater on Ceres. Planetary and Space Science, 220, 105538.
Nathues A., Hoffmann M., Schmedemann N., Sarkar R., Thangjam G., Mengel K., Hernandez J., Hiesinger H. & Pasckert J. H., 2022. Brine residues and organics in the Urvara basin on Ceres. Nature Communications, 13, 927.
Castillo-Rogez J., Neveu M., Vinogradoff V., Miller K.E., Sori M.M., Tosi F., Schmidt B., Scully J.E.C, Daswani M.M., Hughson K., McSween H., De Sanctis C.M., Quick L., Ermakov N., Thangjam G., Otto K., Krohn K., Schenk P., Nathues A., Raymond C., 2022. Science Drivers for the Future Exploration of Ceres: From Solar System Evolution to Ocean World Science. Planetary Science Journal, 3, 64.

2021

Shi X., et al. and GAUSS team (Thangjam G., in GAUSS team). GAUSS - genesis of asteroids and evolution of the solar system: A sample return mission to Ceres. Experimental Astronomy, 2021. 10.1007/s10686-021-09800-1.

2020

A. Nathues, N. Schmedemann, G. Thangjam, J. H. Pasckert, K. Mengel, J. Castillo-Rogez, E. A. Cloutis, H. Hiesinger, M. Hoffmann, L. Le Corre, J.-Y. Li, C. Pieters, C. A. Raymond, V. Reddy, O. Ruesch & D. A. Williams, 2020. Recent cryovolcanic activity at Occator crater on Ceres. Nature Astronomy, 4, 794–801. (appeared in Cover Page).

2019

Nathues A., Hoffmann M., Ripken J., Thangjam G., Platz T., Schmedemann N., Takir D, (2019). Unique light scattering at Occator’s faculae on (1) Ceres. The Astronomical Journal. 158, 85.
Nathues A., Platz Th., Thangjam G., Nathues A., Hoffmann, M., Scully J.E.C., Stein N., Ruesch O., K. Mengel, 2019. Occator Crater in Color at Highest Spatial Resolution. Icarus, 320, 24-38.
Sizemore H. G., Schmidt B. E., Buczkowski D. A., Sori M. M., Castillo-Rogez J. C. , Berman D. C., Ahrens C., Chilton H. T., Hughson K. H. G., Duarte K., Otto K. A., Bland M.T., Neesemann A., Scully J. E. C., Crown D. A. Crown, Mest S. C., Williams D. A., Platz T., Schenk P.,, Landis M. E, Marchi S., Schorghofer N. Quick L.C.,, Prettyman T.H., De Sanctis M. C., Nass A. Nass, G. Thangjam G., Nathues A., Russell C.T., Raymond C.A, 2019. A Global Inventory of Ice-Related Morphological Features on Dwarf Planet Ceres: Implications for the evolution and current state of the cryosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research, 124, 7, 1650-1689.
Combe J-Ph., Raponi A., Tosi F., De Sanctis M.C., Carrozzo F.G., Zambon F., Ammannito E., Hughson K.H.G, Nathues A., Hoffmann M, Platz Th., Thangjam G., Schorghofer N., Schröder S., Byrne S., Landis M.E., Ruesch O., McCord T., Johnson K.E., Singh S.M., Raymond C.A., Russell C.T, 2019. Exposed H2O-rich areas detected on Ceres with the Dawn Visible and InfraRed mapping spectrometer. Icarus, 318, 22-41.
Francesca Z., Carrozzo F.G., Tosi F., Ciarniello M., Combe J. Ph., Frigeri A., De Sanctis M.C., Thangjam G., Nathues A., Hoffmann M., Longobardo A., Stephan K., Raponi A., Ammannito E., Krohn K., McFadden L.A., Palomba E., Raymond C.A., Russell C.T. 2018. The Dawn Science Team. Mineralogic mapping of Rongo quadrangle on Ceres. Icarus, 318, 212-229.
Tosi F., F.G. Carrozzo, F. Zambon, M. Ciarniello, A. Frigeri, J.-Ph. Combe, M.C. De Sanctis, M. Hoffmann, A. Longobardo, A. Nathues, A. Raponi, G. Thangjam, E. Ammannito, K. Krohn, L.A. McFadden, E. Palomba, C.M. Pieters, K. Stephan, C.A. Raymond, C.T. Russell, 2019. The Dawn Science Team, et al. Mineralogical Analysis of the Haulani Quadrangle of the Dwarf Planet Ceres. Icarus, 318, 170-187.

2018

Thangjam G., Nathues A., Platz T., Hoffmann M., Cloutis E. A., Mengel K., Izawa M. R. M., Applin D. M. 2019. Spectral properties and geology of bright and dark materials on dwarf planet Ceres. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, Volume53, Issue 9, Pages 1961-1982
Pieters C.M., Nathues A., Thangjam G., Hoffmann M., Platz T., De Sanctis M. C., Ammannito E., Tosi F., Zambon Pasckert F, J. H., Hiesinger H., Schröder S. E., Jaumann R., Matz K-D., Castillo-Rogez J. C., Ruesch O., McFadden L. A., O’Brien D. P, Sykes M., Raymond C. A., Russell C. T, 2018. Geologic context of unusual organic-rich areas on Ceres, Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 53 (9), 1983-1998.
Bhatt M., Wohler C., Dhingra D., Thangjam G., Rommel D., Mall U., Bhardwaj A., Grumpe A. (2018) Compositional studies of Mare Moscoviense: New perspectives from Chandrayaan-1 VIS-NIR data. Icarus, 305, 149-165.
Tosi F., Carrozzo F.G., Raponi A., De Sanctis M.C., Thangjam G., Zambon F., Ciarniello M., Nathues A., Hoffmann M., Frigeri A., Ammannito E., Krohn K., Longobardo A., Palomba E., Pieters C.M., Stephan K., Raymond C.A., Russell C.T, 2018. Mineralogy of Haulani crater on Ceres. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 318, 170-187.
Williams, D.A., Kneissl T., Neesemann A., Mest S.C., Palomba E., Platz T., Nathues A., Longobardo A., Scully J.E.C., Ermakov A., Jaumann R., Buczkowski D.L., Schäfer M., Thangjam G., Pieters C.M., Roatsch T., Preusker F., Marchi S., Schmedemann N., Hiesinger H., Frigeri A., Raymond C.A., Russell C.T., (2018). The geology of the kerwan quadrangle of dwarf planet Ceres: investigating Ceres’ oldest impact basin. Icarus, 316, 99-113.

2017

Nathues A., Platz T., Hoffmann, M., Thangjam G., E. A. Cloutis, D. M. Applin, L. Le Corre, V. Reddy, K. Mengel, S. Protopapa, D. Takir, F. Preusker, B. E. Schmidt, and C. T. Russell, (2017). Oxo crater on (1) Ceres: geological history and the role of water-ice. Astronomical Journal 154, 84.
Nathues A., Platz T., Thangjam G., Hoffmann M., Mengel K., Cloutis E.A., Corre L. Le, Reddy V., Kallisch J., Crown A.D., (2017). Evolution of Occator Crater on (1) Ceres. Astronomical Journal, 153, 112.

2016

Thangjam G., Hoffmann M., Nathues A., Li J.-Y., Platz T. (2016). Haze at Occator crater on Ceres. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 833, L25.
Platz T., Nathues A., Schorghofer N., Preusker F., Mazarico E., Schröder S. E., Byrne S., Kneissl T., Schmedemann N., Combe J.-P., Schäfer M., Thangjam G. S., Hoffmann M., Gutierrez-Marques P., Landis M. E., Dietrich W., Ripken J., Matz K.-D. & Russell C.T., (2016). Surface water-ice deposits in the northern shadowed regions of Ceres. Nature Astronomy, 1, 0007.
Nathues A., Hoffmann M., Platz T., Thangjam G., Cloutis E.A., Reddy V., Le Corre L., Li J.-Y., Mengel K., Rivkin A., Applin D.M., Schaefer M., Christensen U., Sierks H., Ripken J., Schmidt B.E., Hiesinger H., Sykes M.V., Sizemore H.G., Preusker F., Russell C.T., (2016). Colour Images of Dwarf Planet Ceres Reveal a Complicated Geological History. Planetary and Space Science, 134, 122-127.
Izawa M. R. M., Schäfer T., Pietrasz V.B, Mann P., Cloutis E.A., Nathues A., Mengel K., Schäfer M., Thangjam G., Hoffmann M., Tait K.T., Applin D.M., (2016). Effects of viewing geometry, aggregation state, and particle size on reflectance spectra of the Murchison CM2 chondrite in preparation for the Dawn encounter with Ceres. Icarus, 266, 235-248.

2015:

Thangjam G., Nathues A., Mengel K., Schäfer M., Hoffmann M., Cloutis E.A., Mann P., Müller C., Platz T., Schäfer T., (2015/2016). Three-dimensional spectral analysis of compositional heterogeneity at Arruntia crater on (4) Vesta using Dawn FC. Icarus, 267, 344-363.
Nathues A., Hoffmann M., Schaefer M, Le Corre L., Reddy V., Platz T., Cloutis E. A., Christensen U., Kneissl T., Li J.-Y., Mengel K., Schmedemann N., Schaefer T., Russell C. T., Applin D. M., Buczkowski D. L., Izawa M. R. M., Keller H. U., O’Brien D. P., Pieters C. M., Raymond C. A., Ripken J., Schenk P. M., Schmidt B. E., Sierks H., Sykes M. V., Thangjam G. S., Vincent J.-B., (2015). Sublimation in bright spots on Ceres. Nature, 528, 237-240.
Nathues A., Hoffmann M., Schäfer M., Thangjam G., Le Corre L., Reddy V., Christensen U., Mengel K., Sierks H., Vincent J.-B., Cloutis E.A., Russell C.T., Schäfer T., Gutierrez-Marques P., Hall I., Ripken J., Büttner I., (2015). Exogenic olivine on Vesta from Dawn Framing Camera color data. Icarus, 258, 467-482.

2014:

Thangjam G., Nathues A., Mengel K., Hoffmann M., Schäfer M., Reddy V., Cloutis E.A., Christensen U., Sierks H., Le Corre L., Vincent J.-B., Russell C. T., (2014). Olivine-rich exposures at Bellicia and Arruntia craters on (4) Vesta from Dawn FC. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 49, 10, 1831-1850.
Nathues A., Hoffmann M., Cloutis E.A., Schäfer M., Reddy V., Christensen U., Sierks H., Thangjam G.S., Le Corre L., Mengel K., Vincent J.-B., Russell C.T., Prettyman T., Schmedemann N., Kneissl T., Raymond C., Gutierrez-Marques P., Hall I., Büttner I., (2014). Detection of serpentine in exogenic carbonaceous chondrite material on Vesta from Dawn FC data. Icarus, 239, 222-237.
Schäfer M, Nathues A., Williams D.A., Mittlefehldt D.W., Le Corre L., Buczkowski D.L., Kneissl T., Thangjam G.S., Hoffmann M., Schmedemann N., Schäfer T., Scully J.E.C., Li J.-Y., Reddy V., Garry W.B., Krohn K., Yingst R.A., Gaskell R.W., Russell C.T., (2014). Imprint of the Rheasilvia Impact on Vesta – Geologic Mapping of Quadrangles Gegania and Lucaria. Icarus, 244, 60-73.

2013:

Thangjam G, Reddy V., Le Corre L., Nathues A., Sierks H., Hiesinger H., Li J.-Y., Sanchez J.A., Russell C.T., Gaskell R., Raymond C., (2013). Lithologic mapping of HED terrains on Vesta using Dawn Framing Camera color data. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, 48, 11, 2199-2210.

2012:

Arya A.S., Rajasekhar R.P., Thangjam G., Gujrati A., Amitabh, Trivedi S., Krishna B.G., Ajai, Kiran Kumar A.S., (2012). Lunar surface age determination using Chandrayaan-1 TMC data, Current Science, 102, 5, 783-788.

2011:

Arya A.S., Rajasekhar R.P., Thangjam G., Ajai, Kiran Kumar A.S., (2011). Detection of potential site for future human habitability on Moon using Chandrayaan-I data. Current Science, 100, 4, 524-529.

Specialisation

Study of planetary surface mineralogy and geology using remote sensing multi- and hyper-spectral data

Research

Areas of interest and plan:

Applied spectroscopy and planetary surface mineralogy (using spectral data-- Lunar M3, IIRS, Ceres VIR, Venus VIRTIS, Mars CRISM data, and using remote sensing software and python and shell scripting)
Experimental spectroscopy and mineral sciences understanding the basic physics and chemistry of mineral spectral features, especially the Electronic and Vibrational processes (using FTIR, Raman, XRD)
Experimental mineralogy and crystal chemistry of aqueous minerals, especially the phyllosilicates, carbonates, sulphates (using XRD, Raman, SEM/EDS)

Few questions of interest:

Water (OH/H2O) on Moon: What is the physical and chemical state-- structural or molecular or ice/frost or other? How wet or dry is the Moon? What it implies in terms of lunar evolution and the solar system context?
Missing mantle material of Moon: Is mantle material exposed in the South Pole Aitken basin? Is it olivine-rich or Mg-rich orthopyroxene? What it implies toward the geologic evolution of so-called differentiated planetary bodies?
Asteroid Ceres -- formed in the inner or outer solar system? Is this question solely depend on the detection of ammoniated-phyllosilicates because of 3.1 micron feature? If so, what is the uncertainty in NH4+ feature detection? And, what are the physical and chemical rationality for the origin either in the inner or outer solar system? What it implies in the solar system / ocean worlds / exo-planetary exploration?
Venus surface and geology -- active or not? What are the surface/sub-surface processes and links to volcanism and tectonism? How the surface science is coupled with atmosphere? How the surface mineralogy and processes could tell about the Venusian geologic evolution and what it implies in the solar-system / exoplanetary / Ocean worlds exploration and habitability?
Carbonate conundrum on Mars -- Why carbonates are missed on Mars-- is it observational issue or geologic issue by nature that is not understood? How the enrichment in sulphates is linked? What it implies in the Martian geology and atmosphere and in the the solar system context?
Understanding crystal chemistry and mineralogy of aqueous minerals, especially phyllosilicates, carbonates and sulphates enriched in OH/H2O and salts -- What is the physical and chemical state of the cationic and anioinic complex? What does the earliest formed aqueous minerals in the solar system imply in terms of the physical and chemical state?

Research projects and opportunities:

Project-I: Max Planck India Partner Group, funded by Max Planck Society, Germany, with an objective to understand the origin and formation of asteroid Ceres in the inner or outer solar system, by studying the ammoniated absorption feature at 3.1 µm using NASA Dawn VIR spectral data, in collaboration with NASA Dawn FC team of Dr. Andreas Nathues, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Germany; Funded by Max Planck Society/MPG, Munich, for 5 years.
- Research opportunity available (unique opportunity to work in international collaboration and lab visits almost every year):
  - One JRF/PhD position for 5 years (preferred from Physics/Chemistry/Geoscience/Engineering background with strong computational skill and fascination toward understanding basic sciences; JRF stipend as usual)
  - Project Assistant (for data computation and processing, with strong background in programming)
  - Project students/interns upto 6 months (with research support and possibility of stipend/contingency of Rs. 5,000 per month)
- Nature of work:
  - Data processing and calibration of NASA Dawn VIR hyperspectral data- the thermal and then the photometric correction
  - Data analysis and spectral investigation especially the 3.1 micron feature
  - Geochemical analysis and spectral measurement of asteroid Ceres analogue, especially ammoniated phyllosilicate at different temperature and vacuum conditions
Project-II: Chandrayaan-II IIRS science project, specifically working on potential lunar mantle compositions in the South Pole Aiken basin, and also understanding lunar water/hydroxyl absorption feature at 3 micron; ISRO AO Ch-2 project
- Research opportunity available:
  - One JRF position for 3 years (preferred from Physics/Chemistry/Geoscience/Engineering background with strong computational skill and fascination toward understanding basic sciences; JRF stipend as usual)
  - 3 project students/interns upto 6 months (with a stipend of Rs. 10,000 per month)
- Nature of work:
  - Data processing and calibration of Chandrayaan-II IIRS hyperspectral data- the thermal and then the photometric correction
  - Data analysis and spectral investigation especially the 1, 2, and 3 micron feature

Ongoing plan: Venus surface mineralogy and recent tectonism and volcanism (processing and analysis of VIRTIS spectrometer data, in collaboration with ISRO radar and spectrometer team, and also Max Planck Venus team)
- Nature of work
  - Processing of VIRTIS data for mineralogical analysis (a big challenge to understand the data and the processing, and decoupling the surface feature/process from the atmospheric features/process)
  - Comparative analysis of VIRTIS data with Venus Monitoring Camera data and Magellan and Arecibo radar data (in collaboration)
Ongoing plan: Europa surface mineralogy and insights into subsurface ocean understanding the recent geological activities (processing and analysis of NIMS and JIRAM spectrometer data, in collaboration with INAF/Rome)

Group Members

Ph.D. researchers:

1. Ms. Swarna Prava Das, NISER; MSc Geology, Sambalpur University (Understanding ammoniated phyllosilicates in the early solar system using analytic geochemistry; co-guide, Dr. Surya Snata Rout)

2. Ms. Debosmita Paul, (as co-guide; Guide- Prof. Alok Porwal, IIT-Bombay/CSRE; Lunar basalt pyroxene chemistry using Ch-1 M3 spectral data)

3. Mr. Sandeepan Dhoundiyal (as co-guide; Guide- Prof. Alok Porwal, IIT-Bombay/CSRE; Automated spectral detection of carbonate on Mars using CRISM spectral data)

4. Mr. Dibyendu Ghosh (informal; Guide- Prof. Alok Porwal, IIT-Bombay/CSRE; Understanding Martian valley network and erosional process: case study in Thaumasia region)

Postdoc/NPDF:

1. Dr. Rupali Mohanty, SERB-NPDF; PhD, NGRI (Lunar mass wasting processes and fresh recent impacts: links to seismic/aseismic process)

2. Dr. Kalimuthu Rajendran, NISER Postdoc; PhD, IIT Bombay (Mineral exploration using remote sensing and geochemical approach)

MSc students/JRF/Visitors:

1. Mr. Nikhil Keshav, MSc Physics dissertation, NISER (Lunar polar icy/volatile deposits using Ch2 IIRS and DFSAR data and understanding the physical model, in collaboration with Dr. Sriram, SAC/ISRO; Guidance with Tuhin Ghosh, Physics dept)

2. Mr. Sourav Mahato, MSc Physics dissertation, NISER (Lunar thermal emissivity and photometry using Woehler et al. 2017 approach; Guidance with Dr. Nishikanta Khandai, Physics dept)

3. Mr. Sowmya Bhowmick, JRF; MSc Physics, NIT Silchar (Asteroid Ceres thermal emissivity and temperature analysis)

4. Mr. Sunil Singh Behera, MSc Physics, Berhampur University (Lunar M3 data thermal and photometric correction using Bandfield et al. approach)

Past members:

1. Dr. Rahul Das Gupta, PhD, IISc (Project postdoc; worked for 8 months on aqueous geochemistry of CM Jbilet)

2. Dr. Nithin Mohan, PhD, SPL/ISRO (NISER postdoc; worked for 12 months on Venus surface emissivity)

3. Mr. Ajay Dev, MSc Physics, NISER (Short project in Max Planck project after MSc; Presently pursuing PhD in University of Western Australia, UWA/ICRAR)

4. Mr. Soumik Bhattacharya, MSc Physics 6th sem project, NISER (asteroid Ceres VIR data artefact and thermal correction)

5. Mr. Nelson Kshetrimayum, summer project, MSc Physics, NISER (Ch-2 IIRS data spectral data denoising)

6. Mr. Nishant Pratim Dash and Mr. Rion, short project, MSc Physics, NISER (Europa Moon's linea detection using machine learning; guidance with Dr. Subhankar, Computer Sc. dept)

7. Ms. CV Niveditha, MSc Physics 6th sem project, NISER (Spectral data unmixing using Hapke radiative transfer model)

8. Ms. Niveditha CV and Ms. Insha M, short project, NISER (lunar automated spectral mineral detection; guidance with Dr. Subhankar, Computer Sc. dept)

9. Mr. Chongtre Shylla, MSc short project, IIT BBS, Earth Science dept (Carbonate mineral spectral analysis)

10. Mr. Abhilasha Ghana, MSc short project, IIT BBS, Earth Science dept (primitive meteorites and importance)

11. Mr. Satyam Saboo, Xt. Xavier college, geology dept (asteroid Ceres FC and VIR data analysis)

12. Ms. Rutuja Attal, MSc Physics dissertation, NISER (Asteroid Ceres thermal emissivity using Dawn VIR data; guidance with Dr. Tuhin Ghosh, Physics dept)

13. Mr. Nikhil Keshav, MSc Physics 6th sem project, NISER (Lunar M3 thermal correction)

Responsibilities

Institute Library Committee member
Departmental faculty applications coordinator

NISER