Dr. Zhiyong Xiao

Professor

Planetary Environmental and Astrobiological Research Laboratory

School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University

xiaozhiyong@mail.sysu.edu.cn

 

EMPLOYMENT

2019/10–Present    SUN YAT-SEN UNIVERSITY                       Associate Professor

2014/01–2019/10  CHINA UNIVERSITY OF GEOSCIENCES (WUHAN)       Associate Professor

2016/01–2019/12   MACAU UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY   Adjunct Associate Professor

2018/10–2019/02   UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG                        Visiting Scholar 

2014/10–2015/10   UNIVERSITY OF OSLO                            Postdoc Fellow        

RESEARCH INTERESTS

    My research focuses on the surface evolution of terrestrial bodies in the Solar System. I take an interdisciplinary approach to understand the physics behind planetary surface processes and unlock the geological history, using knowledge gained from field investigation, geomorphology, mineralogy and petrology, laboratory geochemical analyses, and numerical simulation. Besides research duties in lunar and deep space missions (e.g., geological context analyses for the Chinese Chang'e-3-4-5 missions, and volatile-related landforms on Mercury for the MESSENGER mission), my primary research interest is impact cratering, which mainly contains three parts:

    (1) calibrate the age dating technique using impact crater populations and study the cratering history on the terrestrial bodies;

    (2) decipher unknown high-strain-rate processes during impact cratering based on morphology and topography of impact craters and numerical modelling;

    (3) search for potential impact craters in China, especially the source crater of the Australasian Strewn Field of tektites and microtektites.

 

TEACHING

Spring 2014: Structural Geology (CUG), undergraduate students and international students, English

Spring 2016/2017/2018/2019: Planetary Geology and Geochemistry (CUG), Graduate students, Chinese

Spring 2017/2018: Planetary Surface Processes (MUST), Graduate students,  English

Autumn 2020/2021: Introduction to Planetary Geology (SYSU), Undergraduate students,  Chinese

 

GROUP MEMBERS

Yunhua Wu (post-doc) | Meteorites | 2019 - Present

Yiren Chang (PhD student)  | Secondaries on the Moon  | 2018-Present

Yichen Wang (PhD student)  |  Crater population on the Moon |  2020-Present

Rui Xu (PhD student)  |  Debris flows triggered by secondary impacts |  2021-Present

Pan Yan (PhD student)  |  Microtektites from the Australasian Strewn Field |  2021-Present

Qing Pan (PhD student)  |  Impactites in Chinese Loess |  2021-Present

Yizhen Ma (MS student)  | Searching for potential impact craters in China  |  2019-Present

Ru Xu (MS student)  | Reddish pyroclastic deposits on the northern smooth plains of Mercury  |  2019-Present

4 undergraduate students are currently working in my group.

Chunyu Ding (associate researcher)  | Radar detection of terrestrial planets  |  2017- 2020

Minggang Xie (post-doc)  |  Crater population and impact history  |  2017- 2019

Yuzhen Cai (post-doc)  | Surface Topography of  terrestrial planets  |  2019- 2020

 

MISSION INVOLVEMENT

NASA MESSENGER, team member on the Geology Discipline Group, 2011-2013

CNSA Chang'e-3, core scientific member

CNSA Chang'e-4, core scientific member

CNSA First Mars Mission, team member on the radar group

 

FUND

  • 2015/01–2017/12: Effect of target volatiles on ejection angles: Indications from the morphology and distribution of secondary craters on Mercury. National Natural Science Foundation of China. Fund: RMB 250,000. Project Number: 41403053. Principle Investigator.
  • 2018/01–2021/12: The formation mechanism of dark spots on Mercury. National Natural Science Foundation of China. Fund: RMB 690,000. Project Number: 41773063. Principle Investigator.
  • 2020/01–2024/12: Crater degradation and its usage in age determination. B-type Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Project Number: XDB 41020402-3. Fund: RMB 2,000,000. Principle Investigator.
  • 2020/01–2022/12: Habitability evolution of planetary bodies. Pre-research Project on Civil Aerospace Technologies of CNSA. Project Number: D020101, D020202. Fund: RMB 1,040,000. Co Investigator.

PEER REVIEW PAPERS (*corresponding author, # students mentored)

  1. Zhiyong Xiao*, Zuoxun Zeng, Long Xiao, Wenzhe Fa, and Qian Huang. 2010. Origin of pit chains in the floor of lunar Copernican craters. Science China Physics, Mechanics&Astronomy, 53(12): 2145–2159. DOI: 10.1007/s11433-010-4174-z.
  2. David T. Blewett, Nancy L. Chabot, Brett W. Denevi, Carolyn M. Ernst, James W. Head, Noam R. Izenberg, Scott L. Murchie, Sean C. Solomon, Larry R. Nittler, Timothy J. McCoy, Zhiyong Xiao, David M. H. Baker, Caleb I. Fassett, Sarah E. Braden, Jürgen Oberst, Frank Scholten, Frank Preusker, Debra M. Hurwitz. 2011.Hollows on Mercury: MESSENGER Evidence for Geologically Recent Volatile-Related Activity. Science, 333: 1856–1859.
  3. James W. Head, Clark R. Chapman, Robert G. Strom, Caleb I. Fassett, Brett W. Denevi, David T. Blewett, Carolyn M. Ernst, Thomas R. Watters, Sean C. Solomon, Scott L. Murchie, Louise M. Prockter, Nancy L. Chabot, Jeffrey J. Gillis-Davis, Jennifer L. Whitten, Timothy A. Goudge, David M. H. Baker, Debra M. Hurwitz, Lillian R. Ostrach, Zhiyong Xiao, William J. Merline, Laura Kerber, James L. Dickson, Jürgen Oberst, Paul K. Byrne, Christian Klimczak, Larry R. Nittler. 2011. Flood Volcanism in the Northern High Latitudes of Mercury Revealed by MESSENGER. Science, 333: 1853–1856.
  4. Zhiyong Xiao*, and Robert G. Strom. Problems determining relative and absolute ages using the small crater population. Icarus, 2012, 220(1), 254–267, doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2012.05.012.
  5. David T. Blewett, William  M. Vaughan, Zhiyong Xiao, Nancy  L. Chabot, Brett W. Denevi, Carolyn  M. Ernst, Jörn Helbert, Mario D'Amore, Alessandro Maturilli, James W. Head, Sean C. Solomon. 2013. Mercury's hollows: Constraints on formation and composition from analysis of geological setting and spectral reflectance. Journal of Geophysics Research, 118, 1–20, doi: 10.1029/2012JE004174. 
  6. Debra M. Hurwitz, James W. Head, Paul K. Byrne, Zhiyong Xiao, Sean C. Solomon, MariaT. Zuber, David E. Smith, and Gregory A. Neumann. 2012. Investigating the origin of candidate lava channels on Mercury observed in MESSENGER data: Theory and observations. Journal of Geophysics Research, 118, 471–486, doi: 10.1029/2012JE004103.
  7. Zhiyong Xiao*, Zuoxun Zeng¸Ning Ding, Jamie Molaro. 2013. Mass wastingon the Moon: How active is the lunar surface? Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 376, 1–11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2013.06.015.
  8. Zhiyong Xiao*, Robert G. Strom, David T. Blewett, Paul K. Byrne, Sean C. Solomon, Scott L. Murchie, Ann L. Sprague, Deborah L. Domingue, Jörn Helbert. 2013. Dark spots on Mercury: A distinctive low-reflectance material and its relation to hollows. Journal of Geophysics Research, 118, 1752–1765,doi: 10.1002/jgre.20115.
  9. Zhiyong Xiao*, Goro Komatsu. 2013. Impact craters with ejecta flows and central pits on Mercury. Planetary and Space Science,82, 62–78, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2013.03.015.
  10. Zhiyong Xiao*, Goro Komatsu. 2013. Reprint of: Impact craters with ejecta flows and central pits on Mercury. Planetary and Space Science, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2013.07.001. 
  11. Zhiyong Xiao*, Robert G. Strom, Zuoxun Zeng. 2013. Mistakes in using cratersize-frequency distributions to estimateplanetary surface ages. Earth Science(in Chinese), 38 (1), 145–160, doi: 10.3700/dqkx.2013.S1.000.
  12. Qian Huang, Zhiyong Xiao, Long Xiao.2013. Ancient primary crust beneath the Aristarchus Plateau: Constraints from gravity and topography data.Planetary and Space Science,89, 189–193, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2013.09.016.
  13. Timothy A. Goudge, James W. Head, Laura Kerber, Noam R. Izenberg, David T. Blewett, Brett W. Denevi, Deborah L. Domingue, Jeffrey J. Gillis-Davis, Jörn Helbert, Gregory M. Holsclaw, William E. McClintock, Scott L. Murchie, Gregory A. Neumann, Mark S. Robinson, David E. Smith, Robert G. Strom, Zhiyong Xiao, Maria T. Zuber, and Sean C. Solomon.2014.Global Inventory and Characterization of Pyroclastic Deposits on Mercury: New Insights into Pyroclastic Activity from MESSENGER Orbital Data. Journal of Geophysics Research, in press, doi: 10.1002/2013JE004480.
  14. Zhiyong Xiao*, Zuoxun Zeng,Goro Komatsu. 2014. A global inventory of central pit craters on the Moon: Distribution, morphology, and geometry. Icarus, 227, 195–201.
  15. Zhiyong Xiao*, Robert G. Strom, Clark R. Chapman¸ James W. Head, Christian Klimczak, Lillian R. Ostrach, Jörn Helbert, Piero D'Incecco. 2014. Comparisons of fresh complex impact craters on Mercury and the Moon: Implications forcontrolling factors in impact excavation processes. Icarus, 228, 260–275, doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2013.10.002.
  16. Zhiyong Xiao*, Zuoxun Zeng, Zhiyong Li, David Blair, Long Xiao. 2014. Cooling fractures in impact melt deposits on the Moon and Mercury: Indications of cooling solely by thermal radiation. Journal of Geophysics Research, 119, 1496–1515, doi:10.1002/2013JE004560.
  17. Qian Huang, Zhiyong Xiao, Long Xiao. 2014. Subsurface structures of large volcanic complexes on the nearside of the Moon: A view from GRAIL gravity. Icarus, 243, 48–57.
  18. Robert G. Strom, Renu Malhotra, Zhiyong Xiao, Takashi Ito, Fumi Yoshida, Lillian R. Ostrach. 2015. The inner solar system cratering record and the origin of the impacting objects. Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 15, 407–434.
  19. Maria Teresa Brunetti, Zhiyong Xiao, Goro Komatsu, Silvia Peruccacci, Fausto Guzzetti. 2015. Large rock slides in impact craters on the Moon and Mercury. Icarus, 260, 289 - 300, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2015.07.014.
  20. Maria E. Banks, Zhiyong Xiao, Thomas R. Watters, Robert G. Strom, Sarah E. Braden, Clark R. Chapman, Sean C. Solomon, ChristianKlimczak, PaulK. Byrne. 2015. Duration of activity on lobate-scarp thrust faults on Mercury. Journal of Geophysics Research,120(11), 1751-1762, doi:10.1002/2015JE004828.
  21. Long Xiao, Peimin Zhu, Guangyou Fang, Zhiyong Xiao, Yongliao Zou, Jiannan Zhao, Na Zhao, Yuefeng Yuan, Le Qiao, Xiaoping Zhang, Hao Zhang, Jiang Wang, Jun Huang, Qian Huang, Qi He, Bin Zhou, Yicai Ji, Qunying Zhang, Shaoxiang Shen, Yuxi Li, Yunze Gao. 2015. A young multilayered terrane of the northern Mare Imbrium revealed by Chang’E-3 mission.Science, 347 (6227), 1226–1229.
  22. Jiannan Zhao, Jun Huang, Le Qiao, Zhiyong Xiao, Qian Huang, Jiang Wang, Qi He, Long Xiao.2015. Geologic characteristics of the Chang’E-3 exploration region. Science China Physics, Mechanics and Astronomy. 57 (3), 569–576.
  23. Shangzhe Zhou#, Zhiyong Xiao*, Zuoxun Zeng, 2015.Impact Craters with Circular and Isolated Secondary Craters on the Continuous Secondaries Facies on the Moon. Journal of Earth Science, 26(5), 740–745. doi:10.1007/s12583-015-0579-y.
  24. Zhiyong Xiao*, Stephanie C. Werner. 2015. Size–frequency distribution of equilibrated crater populations on the Moon, Journal of Geophysics Research,120 (12), 2277–2292, doi: 10.1002/2015JE004860.
  25. Wenzhe Fa, Yuzhen Cai, Zhiyong Xiao, Wei Tian. 2016. Topographic roughness of the northern high latitudes of Mercury from MESSENGER Laser Altimeter data. Geophysical Research Letters, 43(7), 3078–3087, doi: 10.1002/2016GL069868.
  26. Xiao, Z.*, N. C. Prieur, and S. C. Werner (2016), The self-secondary crater population of the Hokusai crater on Mercury, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, 7424–7432, doi:10.1002/2016GL069868.
  27. Xiao, Z.* (2016), Size-frequency distribution of different secondary crater populations: 1. Equilibrium caused by secondary impacts, J. Geophys. Res. Planets, 121, 2404–2425, doi:10.1002/2016JE005139.
  28. Blewett, D. T.,A. C. Stadermann, H. C. Susorney, C. M. Ernst, Z. Xiao,et al. (2016), Analysis of MESSENGER high-resolution images of Mercury's hollows and implications for hollow formation, J. Geophys. Res. Planets, 121, 1798–1813, doi:10.1002/2016JE005070.
  29. Qiao, L., Xiao, Z., Zhao, J., Xiao, L., 2016. Subsurface structures at the Chang’e-3 landing site: Interpretations from orbital and in-situ imagery data. Journal of Earth Science, 27(4): 707-715.
  30. L.Xiao, J.Wang, Y.Dang, Z.Cheng, T.Huang, J.Zhao, Y.Xu, J.Huang, Z.Xiao, G.Komatsu. 2017. A new terrestrial analogue site for Mars research: The Qaidam Basin, Tibetan Plateau (NW China). Earth Science Reviews, 164, 84 – 101, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.11.003.
  31. Z.Xiao*, Q Huang, Z.Zeng, L.Xiao(2017), Small graben in the southeastern ejecta blanket of the lunar Copernicus crater: Implications for recent shallow igneous intrusion on the Moon. Icarus, 298, 89-97,       http://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2017.02.014.
  32. Xu, X.#, Kenkmann, T.*, Xiao, Z.*, Sturm, S., Metzger, N., Yang, Y., Weimer, D., Krietsch, H. and Zhu, M.-H. (2017), Reconnaissance survey of the Duolun ring structure in Inner Mongolia: Not an impact structure. Meteorit Planet Sci, 52: 1822–1842. doi:10.1111/maps.12890.
  33. Banks, M. E., Z., Xiao, S. E., Braden, N. G., Barlow, C. R., Chapman, C. I., Fassett, and S. S., Marchi (2017), Revised constraints onabsolute age limits for Mercury’s Kuiperian and Mansurian stratigraphic systems, J. Geophys. Res. Planets, 122,1010–1020, doi:10.1002/2016JE005254.
  34. Y. Yuan*, P. Zhu, N. Zhao, L. Xiao, E. Garnero,Z. Xiao, J. Zhao, L. Qiao (2017), The 3-D geological model around Chang'E‐3 landing site based on lunar penetrating radar Channel 1 data, Geophysical Research Letters 44 (13), 6553-6561.
  35. N. C. Prieur*#, T. Rolf, R. Luther, K. Wünnemann, Z. Xiao, S. C. Werner (2017), The effect of target properties on transient crater scaling for simple crater, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 122(8), 1704–1726, doi:10.1002/2017JE005283.
  36. Xie, M.#, Zhu, M.-H., Xiao, Z., Wu, Y., & Xu, A. (2017). Effect of topography degradation on crater size-frequency distributions: Implications for populations of small craters and age dating. Geophysical Research Letters, 44(20), 10,171–10,179,https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL075298.
  37. Z. Xiao*, Z. Chen, J. Pu, X. Xiao, Y. Wang, J. Huang (2018). Hailar crater – A possible impact structure in Inner Mongolia, China. Geomorphology, 306, 128 – 140, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.01.020.
  38. Huang, J., Xiao, Z., Flahaut, J., Martinot, M., Head, J., Xiao, X., et al. (2018). Geological characteristics of Von Kármán crater, northwestern South Pole‐Aitken Basin: Chang'E‐4 landing site region. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 123, 1684–1700. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JE005577.
  39. Z. Xiao*(2018), On the importance of self-secondaries. Geoscience Letters, 5, 17, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40562-018-0116-9.
  40. J. Wang, L. Xiao, D. Reiss, H. Hiesinger, J. Huang, Y. Xu, J. Zhao, Z. Xiao, and G. Komatsu (2018). Geological Features and Evolution of Yardangs in the Qaidam Basin, Tibetan Plateau (NW China): A Terrestrial Analogue for Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets,123, 2336–2364. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JE005719.
  41. Q. Deng, Li F., Yan J., Xiao Z., and J.A.P. Rodriguez. (2018), Buried impact features on Mercury as revealed by gravity data, J. Geophys. Res. Planets, 123. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JE005801.
  42. J. Pu#, Xiao Z.*, Huang C., Xiao L. (2018). Non-impact origin of the Baisha structure in Hainan Province, China. Journal of Earth Science, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-018-0887-0.
  43. P. Yan#, Z. Xiao*, Y. Ma, Y. Wang, J. Pu (2019). Formation mechanism of the Lidang circular structure in the Guangxi Province. Earth and Planetary Physics, 3(4), 298 – 304.
  44. Xie, M.*, Z. Xiao*, and A. Xu (2019). Time‐dependent production functions of lunar simple craters on layered targets with consideration of topographic degradation. Geophysical Research Letters, 46. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084097.
  45. Z. Zhong, J. Yan, T. Zhang, Z. Xiao, and J.A.P. Rodriguez (2019), Estimation of the elastic thickness over ancient Mare Moscoviense, Res. Astron. Astrophys. 19, 184, doi: 10.1088/1674–4527/19/12/184.
  46. Yan, Q., X. Zhang,  L. Xie,  D. Guo,  Y. Li,  Y. Xu, Z. Xiao, K. Di, L. Xiao ( 2019).  Weak dust activity near a geologically young surface revealed by Chang'E‐3 mission. Geophysical Research Letters,  46,  9405– 9413. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083611.
  47. Z. Zhong, J. Yan*, Z. Xiao (2020), Lunar regolith temperature variation in the Rümker region based on the real-time illumination. Remote Sensing, 2020, 12, 731; doi:10.3390/rs12040731.
  48. X. Meng, Y. Xu*, L. Xiao, and Z. Xiao (2020), Permittivity estimation of subsurface deposits in the Elysium–Utopia region on Mars with MRO Shallow Radar Sounder data. The Astronomical Journal, 159:156, 10 pp. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ab774c.
  49. C. Ding, C. Li *, Z. Xiao, S. Xing, Y. Wang, J. Feng, S. Dai, Y. Xiao, M. Yao (2020). Layering structures in the porous material beneath the Chang’e-3 landing site. Earth and Space Science. doi:10.1029/2019ea000862.
  50. C. Ding, Y. Cai, Z. Xiao*, and Y. Su (2020). A rocky hill on the continuous ejecta of Ziwei crater revealed by the Chang’e-3 mission. Earth Planet. Phys., 4(2), 105–110. http://doi.org/10.26464/epp2020016
  51. Y. Wang#, M. Xie, Z. Xiao*, J. Cui (2020), The minimum confidence limit for diameters in crater counts. Icarus, 341, 113645.
  52. Y. Cai, Z. Xiao*, C. Ding, J. Cui (2020). Fine debris flows formed by the Orientale Basin. Earth and Planetary Physics, doi: 10.26464/epp2020027.
  53. C. Ding, Z. Xiao*, B. Wu, Y. Li, N. C. Prieur, Y. Cai, Y. Su, and J. Cui (2020). Fragments delivered by secondary craters at the Chang'e‐4 landing site. Geophysical Research Letters, 47(7), e2020GL087361, doi: 10.1029/2020GL087361.
  54. M. Xie*, Z. Xiao*, X. Zhang, and A. Xu (2020). The provenance of regolith at the Chang'e‐5 candidate landing region. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 125, e2019JE006112. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JE006112.
  55. J. Huang*, Z. Xiao*, L. Xiao*, B. Horgan, X. Hu, P. Lucey, X. Xiao, et al. (2020). Diverse rock types detected in the lunar South Pole–Aitken Basin by the Chang’E-4 lunar mission. Geology,48, doi: 10.1130/G47280.1.
  56. Y. Wang#, Z. Xiao*, Y. Chang, J. Cui (2020). Lost volatiles during the formation of hollows on Mercury. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, doi: 10.1029/2020JE006559.
  57. C. Ding, Z. Xiao*, Y. Su, J. Zhao, J. Cui (2020). Compositional variations along the route of Chang'e-3 Yutu rover revealed by the lunar penetrating radar. Progress in Earth, Planets and Space. doi: 10.1186/s40645-020-00340-4.
  58. Deng, Q., Li, F., Yan, J., Xiao, Z., Ye, M., Xiao, C., & Barriot, J. P. (2020). The thermal evolution of Mercury over the past ~ 4.2 Ga as revealed by relaxation states of mantle plugs beneath impact basins. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, e2020GL089051. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089051
  59. M. Xie*, Z. Xiao*, X. Zhang, and A. Xu (2020). The change of Earth/Moon impactor population at about 3.5 billion years ago. Nature Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-020-01241-8
  60. 肖智勇*，许志琴 (2020). 行星构造：寻求地球演化的踪迹. 地质学报.
  61. Y. Chang#, Z. Xiao*, Y. Wang, C. Ding, J, Cui, Y. Cai (2021). An updated constraint on the local stratigraphy at the Chang’E-4 landing site. Earth and Planetary Physics, 5(1), 19 – 31, doi: 10.26464/epp2021007.
  62. X. Zhang*, M. Xie, Z. Xiao (2021). Thickness of orthopyroxene-rich materials of ejecta deposits from the south pole-Aitken basin, Icarus, doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2020.114214.
  63. C. Ding, Z. Xiao*, Y. Su, J. Cui (2021). Hyperbolic reflectors determined from peak echoes of ground-penetrating radar. Icarus. 358, 114280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2020.114280.
  64. Z. Xiao*, C. Ding, M. Xie, Y. Cai, J. Cui, K. Zhang, J. Wang (2021). Ejecta from the Orientale basin at the Chang'E-4 landing site. Geophysical Research Letters. 48, e2020GL090935, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL090935.
  65. C. Ding, Z. Xiao*, Y. Su (2021). A potential subsurface cavity in the continuous ejecta deposits of the Ziwei crater discovered by the Chang’e-3 mission. Earth, Planets, and Space. In press. 

SELECTED AWARDS

  • Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST, China Association for Science and Technology, 2016
  • Early Career Researcher Distinguished Lecture, AOGS, 2017
  • MESSENGER Group Achievement Award, NASA, 2018

SERVICES

  • Associate Editor: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets (2019-2022)
  • Topic Editor: Remote Sensing (2021-2023)
  • Reviewer for: Nature Geoscience, Science Advances, GRL, JGR-P, Nature Communication, Geomorphology, Icarus, etc.