Dr. Gordon Osinski

Planetary Geology / Earth and Planetary Materials

Professor 

Office: BGS 1050
Labs: WSC 12, 14, 18, 26, 27, 30
Phone: 519-661-2111 x.84208
Email: gosinski@uwo.ca
Twitter:


Research Interests

Dr. Osinski's research interests are diverse and interdisciplinary in nature. His work synthesizes field, remote sensing, and laboratory observations with a range of geochemical data. His current research falls into three main areas: planetary geology, astrobiology, and economic geology. Meteorite impact craters provide a common cross-cutting theme. He approaches planetary geology with the fundamental view that interpretations of other planetary bodies must begin by using the Earth as a reference and fieldwork forms the basis for much of his research. He has conducted fieldwork on 6 continents, from Antarctica to Africa, but the Canadian Arctic is where much of his work takes place.

Dr. Osinski is also involved in several past and ongoing planetary exploration-related activities. He is a Co-I on the PanCam instrument on the European ExoMars mission to Mars and in November 2022 was named as PI of the Canadian Lunar Rover Mission – Canada’s first ever rover mission to the Moon. Dr. Osinski is also involved in providing geology training to Canadian and US astronauts. In September 2023 he was named to be part of the Geology Team for the Artemis III mission, the first mission to return to the Moon in over 50 years.

Selected Publications

  • Osinski G. R., Coulter A. B., Flemming R. L., Ozaruk A., Pickersgill A. E., Singleton A. C. 2023. Revisiting the Gow Lake impact structure, Saskatchewan, Canada. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 58: 775–788.
  • Garroni N. and Osinski G. R. 2023. The origin of carbonates in impact melt-bearing breccias from Site M0077 at the Chicxulub impact structure, Mexico. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 58: 834–854.
  • Osinski G. R., Grieve R. A. F., Ferrière L., Losiak A., Pickersgill A. E., Cavosie A. J., Hibbard S. M., Hill P. J. A., Jaimes Bermudez J., Marion C. L., Newman J. D., and Simpson S. L. 2022. Impact Earth: A review of the terrestrial impact record. Earth-Science Reviews 232: 104112.
  • Laughton J., Osinski G. R., Yakymchuk C. 2022. Late Neoarchean terrane and Paleoproterozoic HT-UHT metamorphism on southern Devon Island, Canadian Arctic. Precambrian Research 377: 106718.
  • Hibbard S. M., Osinski G. R., and Godin E. 2021.Vermicular Ridge Features on Dundas Harbour, Devon Island, Nunavut. Geomorphology 395:107947.
  • Caudill C., Osinski G. R., Greenberger R. N., Tornabene L. L., Longstaffe F. J., Flemming R L., B. L. and Ehlmann B. 2021. Origin of the degassing pipes at the Ries impact structure and implications for impact-induced alteration on Mars and other planetary bodies. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 56:404–422.
  • Osinski G. R., Ferrière L., Hill P. J. A., Prave A. R., Preston L. J., Singleton A., and Pickersgill A. E. 2021. The Mesoproterozoic Stac Fada Member, NW Scotland: An impact origin confirmed but refined. Journal of the Geological Society 178:jgs2020-056.
  • Osinski G. R., Cockell C. S., Pontefract A., and Sapers H. M. 2020. The role of meteorite impacts in the origin of life. Astrobiology 20:1121–1149.
  • Grau Galofre A., Jellinek A. M., and Osinski G. R. 2020. Valley formation on early Mars by subglacial and fluvial erosion. Nature Geoscience 13:663–668.
  • Simpson S. L., Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., Kring D. A., Schmieder M. 2020. Hydrothermal alteration associated with the Chicxulub impact crater upper peak-ring breccias. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 547:116425.
  • Xie T., Osinski G. R., and Shieh S. 2020. Raman study of shock features in plagioclase feldspar from the Mistastin Lake impact structure, Canada. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 55:1471–1490.
  • Anders D., Osinski G. R., Grieve R. A. F., Pilles E. A., Péntek A., Smith D. 2020. Origin and formation of Metabreccia in the Parkin Offset Dike, Sudbury impact structure, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 57:1324–1336.
  • Osinski G. R., Grieve R. A. F., Hill P. J. A., Simpson S. L., Cockell C. S., Christeson G. L., Ebert M., Gulick S., Melosh H. J., Riller U., Tikoo S. M., and Wittmann A. 2020. Explosive interaction of impact melt and seawater following the Chicxulub impact event. Geology 48:108–112.

Courses

  • Earth Sciences 2232G: Exploring the Planets
  • Planetary Science 9500Y & 9600Y: M.Sc. and Ph.D. Planetary Science Seminar Course
  • Planetary Science 9601A/B: Impact Cratering: Processes and Products
  • Planetary Science 9603A: Planetary Science Short Course
  • Planetary Science 9605L: Planetary Surface Processes Field School

Current & Future Students



Dr. Osinski currently has openings for M.Sc. and Ph.D. students interested in studying various aspects of meteorite impact craters, comparative planetary geology, analysis of planetary materials, including meteorites, and economic geology at the Sudbury impact structure.