Assistant Professor Kanani K. M. Lee
Visit Dr. Lee's Personal Home Page
Dr. Lee investigates the interior of the Earth as well as the interiors of other planets using a number of high-pressure techniques: laser-heated diamond anvil cell, laser-driven shockwaves on pre-compressed samples and ab-initio quantum-mechanical calculations. She received her degree from UC Berkeley in December 2003; thesis entitled, 'Exploring planetary interiors: Experiments at Extreme Conditions.' Dr. Lee has recently served as an O.K. Earl Postdoctoral Fellow in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology.
Publications
- K. K. M. Lee, L. R. Benedetti, A. Mackinnon, D. Hicks, S. J. Moon, P. Loubeyre, F. Occelli, A. Dewaele, G. W. Collins, and R. Jeanloz, "Taking Thin Diamonds to Their Limit: Coupling Static-Compression and Laser-Shock Techniques to Generate Dense Water," AIP Conference Proceedings 620, 1363 (2002). pdf
- K. K. M. Lee and R. Jeanloz, "High pressure alloying of potassium and iron: Radioactivity in the Earth's core?," Geophysical Research Letters, 30(23), 2212 (2003). pdf
- K. K. M. Lee, B. O'Neill, R. Jeanloz, "Limits to resolution in composition and density in ultra high-pressure experiments on natural mantle-rock samples," Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 143-144, 241 (2004). pdf
- K. K. M. Lee, G. Steinle-Neumann and R. Jeanloz, "Ab-initio high-pressure alloying of iron and potassium: Implications for the Earth's core," Geophysical Research Letters, 31(11), L11603 (2004). pdf
- K. K. M. Lee, B. O'Neill, W. R. Panero, S.-H. Shim, L. R. Benedetti and R. Jeanloz, "Equations of state of the high-pressure phases of a natural peridotite and implications for the Earth's lower mantle," Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 223(3-4), 381-393, (2004). pdf P-V data
- K. K. M. Lee and G. Steinle-Neumann, "High-pressure alloying of iron and xenon: 'Missing' Xe in the Earth's core," Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 111, B02202, doi:10.1029/2005JB003781 (2006). pdf
- K. K. M. Lee, L. R. Benedetti, R. Jeanloz, P. M. Celliers, J. H. Eggert, D. G. Hicks, S. J. Moon, A. Mackinnon, G. W. Collins, E. Henry, M. Koenig, A. Benuzzi-Mounaix, "Laser-driven shock experiments on pre-compressed water: Implications for icy giant planets," Journal of Chemical Physics, 125, 104701, doi:10.1063/1.2207618 (2006). pdf
- P. Loubeyre, P. M. Celliers, D. G. Hicks, E. Henry, A. Dewaele, J. Pasley, J. H. Eggert , M. Koenig, F. Occelli, K. K. M. Lee, R. Jeanloz, D. Neely, A. Benuzzi-Mounaix, D. Bradley, M. Bastea, S. Moon and G.W. Collins, "Coupling static and dynamic compressions: First measurements in dense hydrogen," High Pressure Research, 24(1), 25 (2004). pdf
- P. M. Celliers, G. W. Collins, D. G. Hicks, M. Koenig, E. Henry, A. Benuzzi-Mounaix, D. Batani, D. K. Bradley, L. B. DaSilva, R. J. Wallace, S. J. Moon, J. H. Eggert, K. K. M. Lee, L. R. Benedetti, R. Jeanloz, I. Masclet, N. Dague, B. Marchet, M. Rabec Le Gloahec, Ch. Reverdin, J. Pasley, O. Willi, D. Neely and C. Danson, "Electronic conduction in shock-compressed water," Physics of Plasmas, 11(8), L41 (2004). pdf
- K. K. M. Lee and G. Steinle-Neumann, "Pressure- and chemistry-dependent electron capture radioactivity," Fall AGU Meeting, San Francisco, V41F-1528, 2005.
- K. K. M. Lee, P. D. Asimow, O. Tschauner, "Phase assemblage and stability of pyroxenite at Lower-Mantle conditions," Spring AGU Meeting, New Orleans, V42A-02, 2005.
- K. K. M. Lee and G. Steinle-Neumann, "High-pressure alloying of iron and xenon: 'Missing' Xe in the Earth's core?," Eos Trans. AGU, 85(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract MR41A-08, 2004.
- K. K. M. Lee, L. R. Benedetti, R. Jeanloz, A. Dewaele, F. Occelli, P. Loubeyre, D. Hicks, J. H. Eggert, P. M. Celliers, A. Mackinnon, S. J. Moon, G. W. Collins, E. Henry, A. Benuzzi-Mounaix, M. Koenig, and J. Pasley, "Laser-driven shock compression on pre-compressed water: Exploring icy giant interiors," Eos Trans. AGU, 84(46), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V32G-06, 2003. OUTSTANDING STUDENT PAPER AWARD.
- K. K. M. Lee, G. Steinle-Neumann and R. Jeanloz, "Quantum theory and high-pressure experiments on iron-potassium alloying: Radioactivity in the Earth's Core?," Eos Trans. AGU, 84(46), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract T31G-03 INVITED, 2003.
Research
Vita
Research Interests
I employ various high-pressure and -temperature tools to study these effects on the physical and chemical properties of Earth materials, namely the phase diagram of Lower-Mantle assemblages, and the pressure-induced siderophile behavior of normally lithophile, chalcophile and atmophile elements.
Education
1999-2003 Ph.D., Geophysics
Department of Earth and Planetary Science
University of California, Berkeley
Thesis advisor: Raymond Jeanloz
Thesis: Exploring planetary interiors: Experiments at extreme conditions
In-situ high-pressure and high-temperature experiments are invaluable to understanding the interiors of planets primarily giving us insight into the relationship of pressure and temperature on the chemical and physical characteristics of planetary materials as well as testing current theories of planetary accretion, differentiation and evolution throughout a planet's lifetime. By using both static (laser-heated diamond anvil cell) and dynamic (laser-driven shock wave) techniques, I have attained the extreme conditions of planetary interiors. I have specifically analyzed the properties of the Earth's lower mantle by studying a natural peridotite at lower-mantle conditions. I have also studied the alloying of potassium and iron at high pressure in order to explore the possibility of radioactivity in the Earth's core, and have additionally studied water at very extreme conditions as it applies to icy giant planetary interiors.
1995-1999 Bachelor of Science, Physics, Magna Cum Laude
Department of Physics
University of San Francisco
Thesis advisor: Robert Pockalny, University of Rhode Island, GSO
Thesis: A comparison of circulation patterns at the mouth and head of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island
Awards and Honors
2005-present Alexander von Humboldt Summer Fellow, Universität Bayreuth, Bayerisches Geoinstitut
2004-2005 O. K. Earl Postdoctoral Fellow, California Institute of Technology
2003 Outstanding student paper award, 2003 Fall American Geophysical Union meeting, Volcanology, Geochemistry and Petrology Section
2003 Sigma Xi Grants-In-Aid awardee
2000-2003 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow
Teaching Experience
2006-present PHYS 451: Intermediate Mechanics, New Mexico State University
2001-2003 Taught and trained three undergraduate and four graduate students in the University of California, Berkeley's High-Pressure Mineral Physics group.
Spring 2000 Head Graduate Student Instructor, Geology/Astronomy 12 "The Planets," class size ~500 students, directly responsible for ~100 students.
Community Service
2005-present Referee, U.S. National Science Foundation, U. S. Department of Energy
2004-present Mentor, Women Mentoring Women, Caltech
2003-present Referee, Geophysical Research Letters
1996-2003 Exploratorium (a science, art, and human perception museum in San Francisco, CA; volunteer. Helped to develop and presented "Physics of Toys", an interactive laboratory used to teach physics of everyday phenomena to a wide audience on an individual basis.