Research projects that I'm interested in are those that connect sub-fields in planetary science. My research is primarily focused on numerical simulations of surface and interior processes on solid bodies and has spanned the solar system. My work has two broad implications:

Early Planetary Evolution Unraveling how the planets and their satellites formed is important not only to understand how our solar system evolved, but to constrain exoplanet formation. The surface and interior of solid bodies hold clues to the early conditions of our solar system. My work focuses on using observations of surface features along with numerical modeling to elucidate the early accretional, thermal, and chemical evolution of solar system objects. I try to answer, "How did we get here?".

Astrobiology NASA's "follow the water" philosophy has led me to study atmosphere-regolith interactions on Mars in search for locations and times where liquid water is available. Recent observations strongly indicate that liquid water most probably is active and flowing on Mars today; however, pure liquid water is rarely stable on the martian surface. My work focuses on understanding how liquids form and simulating when they form in order to search for environments conducive to life beyond Earth. I try to answer, "What is our place in the universe?".

1. Martin-Torres, F. J., Zorzano, M.-P., Valentin-Serrano, P., Harri, A.-M., Genzer, M., Kemppinen, O., Rivera-Valentin, E. G., et al., 2015. Transient liquid water and water activity at Gale crater Mars. Nature Geoscience, doi:10.1038/ngeo2412.
2. Rivera-Valentin, E. G., Chevrier, V. F., 2015. Revisiting the Phoenix TECP data: Implications for regolith control of near-surface humidity on Mars. Icarus, 253, 156-158.
3. Lopez Garcia, E. J., Rivera-Valentin, E. G., Schenk, P. M., Hammond, N. P., Barr, A. C., 2014. Topographic constraints on the origin of the equatorial ridge on Iapetus. Icarus, 237, 419-421.
4. Luspay-Kuti, A., Chevrier, V. F., Cordier, D., Rivera-Valentin, E. G., Singh, S., Wagner, A., Wasiak, F. C., 2014. Experimental constraints on the composition and dynamics of Titan's polar lakes. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 410, 75-83.
5. Nuding, D. L., Rivera-Valentin, E. G., Davis, R. D., Gough, R. V., Chevrier, V. F., Tolbert, M. A., 2014. Deliquescence and efflorescence of Calcium Perchlorate: An investigation of stable aqueous solutions relevant to Mars. Icarus, 243, 420-428.
6. Rivera-Valentin, E. G., Barr, A. C., Lopez Garcia, E. J., Kirchoff, M. R., Schenk, P. M., 2014. Constraints on planetesimal disk mass from the cratering and equatorial ridge on Iapetus. Astrophysical Journal, 792, 127.
7. Rivera-Valentin, E. G., Barr, A. C., 2014. Impact-induced compositional variations on Mercury. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 391, 234-242.
8. Rivera-Valentin, E. G., Barr, A. C., 2014. Estimating the size of late veneer impactors from impact-induced mixing on Mercury. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 782, L8.
9. Chevrier, V. F., Rivera-Valentin, E. G., 2012. Formation of recurring slope lineae by liquid brines on present-day Mars. Geophysical Research Letters, 39, L21202.
10. Keresturi, A., Rivera-Valentin, E. G., 2012. Locations of thin liquid water layers on present-day Mars. Icarus, 221, 289-295.
11. Luspay-Kuti, A., Chevrier, V. F., Wasiak, F. C., Roe, L. A., Welivitiya, W. D. D. P., Cornet, T., Sing, S., Rivera-Valentin, E. G., 2012. Experimental simulations of methane evaporation on Titan. Geophysical Research Letters, 39, L23203.
12. Rivera-Valentin, E. G., Blackburn, D. G., Ulrich, R. K., 2012. Exploring the effects of overburden on the sublimation and transport of H₂O on Iapetus. Icarus, 220, 808-820.
13. Rivera-Valentin, E. G., Blackburn, D. G., Ulrich, R. K., 2011. Revisiting the thermal inertia of Iapetus: Clues to the thickness of the dark material. Icarus, 216, 347-358.