Natasha Johnson is the Chief of the Astrochemistry Laboratory in the Solar System Exploration Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Her research interests include gas-grain reactions in the early solar nebula, atmospheric-surface reactions on Venus, and the formation of prebiotic organics in the early solar system. Her primary research activities have involved laboratory experiments to form organics through surface-mediated reactions, synthesizing analogs for early solar system materials, and running solid samples under Venus temperature/pressure conditions.
Dr. Johnson is currently serving as the Project Scientist for DAVINCI+, a 2019 Discovery Phase A Concept Study. She had also served as the Project Scientist for DAVINCI, a 2016 Discovery Phase A Concept Study (a Venus atmosphere descent probe). Dr. Johnson is the founder and director of vici (Venus In situ Chamber Investigations), which is a small Venus pressure chamber facility located at NASA Goddard.
Gas-Grain Reactions
I am interested in gas-grain reactions that occur in different environments such as found during nebular materials interactions, planetary surfaces reacting with their respectives atmospheres (emphasis Venus), and changes in crustal mineralogy whether at depth or on the surface.
Venus Surface Mineralogy
I am curious about the surface mineraolgy of Venus. We currently only have limited elemental knowledge of the surface and modeled mineralogical data. I perform high temperature/pressure experiments that mimic Venus atmospheric conditions at the surface (470C/96bar). In particular, I would like to continue to explore the rate of change in the Venus surface mineralogy over time at high temperatures.
Early Solar Nebula Materials
This encompases many areas but in particular, we explore the formation of complex hydrocarbons/organics through straightforward gas/surface mediated reactions. This process is expected to occur in the early solar nebula which also encompasses the formation of small particulates such as silicate dust/smoke.
10/2019
-
Present
Chief, Astrochemistry Laboratory
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Maryland
6/2018
-
10/2019
Associate Chief, Astrochemistry Laboratory
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Maryland
2009
-
2018
Research Scientist, Astrochemistry Laboratory
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, MD
2007
-
2009
NASA Postdoctoral Program Resident Management Associate
NASA Headquarters,
Washington, DC Planetary Science Division, Astrobiology, R&A Programmatic Support
2005
-
2007
Visiting Fellow, Astrochemistry Lab
USRA/CRESST,
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
2002
-
2005
National Research Council (NRC) Research Associate
NASA,
Goddard Space Flight Center
1991
-
1996
Principal Solar Observer/Data Analyst, 60ft Solar Tower
USC,
Mt. Wilson Observatory, California Project: High Degree Helioseismology [Dr. Edward Rhodes]
2002 - Ph.D. (Earth & Planetary Sciences) Washington University in St. Louis
1998 - A.M. (Earth & Planetary Sciences) Washington University in St. Louis
1991 - B.A., cum laude (Math/Geology/Comp. Sci./Physics) University of Arizona, Tucson
Refereed
Elsila, J. E., N. M. Johnson, D. P. Glavin, J. C. Aponte, and J. P. Dworkin. 2021. "Amino acid abundances and compositions in iron and stony‐iron meteorites."
Meteoritics & Planetary Science,
56
(3):
586-600
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1111/maps.13638]
Ferguson, F. T., N. M. Johnson, N. Abreu, and J. A. Nuth. 2021. "The Formation of Carbonaceous Material in the Early Solar Nebula: The Role of Metal Dusting."
The Astrophysical Journal,
908
(1):
48
[10.3847/1538-4357/abcecc]
Nuth, J. A., F. T. Ferguson, H. G. Hill, and N. M. Johnson. 2020. "Did a Complex Carbon Cycle Operate in the Inner Solar System?"
Life,
10
(9):
206
[10.3390/life10090206]
Johnson, N. M., and M. R. Oliveira. 2019. "Venus Atmospheric Composition In Situ Data: A Compilation."
Earth and Space Science,
6
(7):
1299-1318
[10.1029/2018ea000536]
Glaze, L. S., J. B. Garvin, B. Robertson, et al. 2017. "DAVINCI: Deep atmosphere venus investigation of noble gases, chemistry, and imaging."
2017 IEEE Aerospace Conference,
[10.1109/aero.2017.7943923]
Nuth, J. A., N. M. Johnson, F. T. Ferguson, and A. Carayon. 2016. "Gas/solid carbon branching ratios in surface-mediated reactions and the incorporation of carbonaceous material into planetesimals."
Meteoritics & Planetary Science,
51
(7):
1310-1322
[10.1111/maps.12666]
Nuth, J. A., N. M. Johnson, F. T. Ferguson, F. J. Rietmeijer, and H. G. Hill. 2016. "Great new insights from failed experiments, unanticipated results and embracing controversial observations."
Chemie der Erde - Geochemistry,
76
(1):
1-12
[10.1016/j.chemer.2015.09.002]
Ferguson, F. T., J. A. Nuth, and N. M. Johnson. 2015. "On the Use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy and Synthetic Calibration Spectra to Quantify Gas Concentrations in a Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst System."
Applied Spectroscopy,
69
(10):
1157-1169
[10.1366/15-07950]
Nuth, J., N. Johnson, and H. Hill. 2014. "CO Self-Shielding as a Mechanism to Make 16O-Enriched Solids in the Solar Nebula."
Challenges,
5
(1):
152-158
[10.3390/challe5010152]
Nuth, J. A., and N. M. Johnson. 2012. "Complex Protostellar Chemistry."
Science,
336
(6080):
424-425
[10.1126/science.1219709]
Burton, A. S., J. E. Elsila, M. P. Callahan, et al. 2012. "A propensity for n-ω-amino acids in thermally altered Antarctic meteorites
."
Meteoritics and Planetary Science
,
47:
374-386
[10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01400.x ]
Johnson, N. M., J. E. Elsila, M. Kopstein, and J. A. Nuth. 2012. "Carbon isotopic fractionation in Fischer-Tropsch-type reactions and relevance to meteorite organics."
Meteoritics & Planetary Science,
47:
1029-1034.
Kimura, Y., J. A. Nuth, N. M. Johnson, et al. 2010. "Synthesis of stacked-cup carbon nanotubes in a metal free low temperature system."
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Letters,
3:
4 - 10.
Nuth, J. A., Y. Kimura, C. Lucas, F. Ferguson, and N. M. Johnson. 2010. "The Formation of Graphite Whiskers in the Primitive Solar Nebula."
The Astrophysical Journal Letters,
710:
L98
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1088/2041-8205/710/1/L98]
Nuth, J. A., N. M. Johnson, and S. Manning. 2008. "A Self-Perpetuating Catalyst for the Production of Complex Organic Molecules in Protostellar Nebulae."
The Astrophysical Journal,
673:
L225
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1086/528741]
Nuth, J. A., and N. M. Johnson. 2006. "Crystalline silicates in comets: How did they form?"
Icarus,
180:
243
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1016/j.icarus.2005.09.003]
Nuth, J. A., G. M. Wilkinson, N. M. Johnson, and M. Dwyer. 2006. "A Mechanism for the Equilibrium Growth of Mineral Crystals in AGB Stars and Red Giants on 105 yr Timescales."
The Astrophysical Journal,
644:
1164
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1086/503700]
Ferguson, F. T., J. A. Nuth, and N. M. Johnson. 2004. "Thermogravimetric Measurement of the Iron Vapor Pressure from 1575K to 1975K."
J Chem Engin Data,
49:
497 - 501.
Johnson, N. M., and B. Fegley. 2003. "Longevity of fluorine-bearing tremolite on Venus."
Icarus,
165
(2):
340-348
[10.1016/s0019-1035(03)00212-4]
Johnson, N. M., and B. Fegley. 2003. "Tremolite decomposition on Venus II. Products, kinetics, and mechanism."
Icarus,
164
(2):
317-333
[10.1016/s0019-1035(03)00102-7]
Johnson, N. M. 2000. "Water on Venus: New Insights from Tremolite Decomposition."
Icarus,
146
(1):
301-306
[10.1006/icar.2000.6392]
Refereed
Elsila, J. E., N. M. Johnson, D. P. Glavin, J. C. Aponte, and J. P. Dworkin. 2021. "Amino acid abundances and compositions in iron and stony‐iron meteorites."
Meteoritics & Planetary Science
56
(3):
586-600
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1111/maps.13638]
Ferguson, F. T., N. M. Johnson, N. Abreu, and J. A. Nuth. 2021. "The Formation of Carbonaceous Material in the Early Solar Nebula: The Role of Metal Dusting."
The Astrophysical Journal
908
(1):
48
[10.3847/1538-4357/abcecc]
Nuth, J. A., F. T. Ferguson, H. G. Hill, and N. M. Johnson. 2020. "Did a Complex Carbon Cycle Operate in the Inner Solar System?"
Life
10
(9):
206
[10.3390/life10090206]
Johnson, N. M., and M. R. Oliveira. 2019. "Venus Atmospheric Composition In Situ Data: A Compilation."
Earth and Space Science
6
(7):
1299-1318
[10.1029/2018ea000536]
Glaze, L. S., J. B. Garvin, B. Robertson, et al. 2017. "DAVINCI: Deep atmosphere venus investigation of noble gases, chemistry, and imaging."
2017 IEEE Aerospace Conference
[10.1109/aero.2017.7943923]
Nuth, J. A., N. M. Johnson, F. T. Ferguson, and A. Carayon. 2016. "Gas/solid carbon branching ratios in surface-mediated reactions and the incorporation of carbonaceous material into planetesimals."
Meteoritics & Planetary Science
51
(7):
1310-1322
[10.1111/maps.12666]
Nuth, J. A., N. M. Johnson, F. T. Ferguson, F. J. Rietmeijer, and H. G. Hill. 2016. "Great new insights from failed experiments, unanticipated results and embracing controversial observations."
Chemie der Erde - Geochemistry
76
(1):
1-12
[10.1016/j.chemer.2015.09.002]
Ferguson, F. T., J. A. Nuth, and N. M. Johnson. 2015. "On the Use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy and Synthetic Calibration Spectra to Quantify Gas Concentrations in a Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst System."
Applied Spectroscopy
69
(10):
1157-1169
[10.1366/15-07950]
Nuth, J., N. Johnson, and H. Hill. 2014. "CO Self-Shielding as a Mechanism to Make 16O-Enriched Solids in the Solar Nebula."
Challenges
5
(1):
152-158
[10.3390/challe5010152]
Nuth, J. A., and N. M. Johnson. 2012. "Complex Protostellar Chemistry."
Science
336
(6080):
424-425
[10.1126/science.1219709]
Burton, A. S., J. E. Elsila, M. P. Callahan, et al. 2012. "A propensity for n-ω-amino acids in thermally altered Antarctic meteorites
."
Meteoritics and Planetary Science
47
374-386
[10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01400.x ]
Johnson, N. M., J. E. Elsila, M. Kopstein, and J. A. Nuth. 2012. "Carbon isotopic fractionation in Fischer-Tropsch-type reactions and relevance to meteorite organics."
Meteoritics & Planetary Science
47
1029-1034.
Kimura, Y., J. A. Nuth, N. M. Johnson, et al. 2010. "Synthesis of stacked-cup carbon nanotubes in a metal free low temperature system."
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Letters
3
4 - 10
Nuth, J. A., Y. Kimura, C. Lucas, F. Ferguson, and N. M. Johnson. 2010. "The Formation of Graphite Whiskers in the Primitive Solar Nebula."
The Astrophysical Journal Letters
710
L98
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1088/2041-8205/710/1/L98]
Nuth, J. A., N. M. Johnson, and S. Manning. 2008. "A Self-Perpetuating Catalyst for the Production of Complex Organic Molecules in Protostellar Nebulae."
The Astrophysical Journal
673
L225
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1086/528741]
Nuth, J. A., and N. M. Johnson. 2006. "Crystalline silicates in comets: How did they form?"
Icarus
180
243
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1016/j.icarus.2005.09.003]
Nuth, J. A., G. M. Wilkinson, N. M. Johnson, and M. Dwyer. 2006. "A Mechanism for the Equilibrium Growth of Mineral Crystals in AGB Stars and Red Giants on 105 yr Timescales."
The Astrophysical Journal
644
1164
[Full Text (Link)]
[10.1086/503700]
Ferguson, F. T., J. A. Nuth, and N. M. Johnson. 2004. "Thermogravimetric Measurement of the Iron Vapor Pressure from 1575K to 1975K."
J Chem Engin Data
49
497 - 501
Johnson, N. M., and B. Fegley. 2003. "Longevity of fluorine-bearing tremolite on Venus."
Icarus
165
(2):
340-348
[10.1016/s0019-1035(03)00212-4]
Johnson, N. M., and B. Fegley. 2003. "Tremolite decomposition on Venus II. Products, kinetics, and mechanism."
Icarus
164
(2):
317-333
[10.1016/s0019-1035(03)00102-7]
Johnson, N. M. 2000. "Water on Venus: New Insights from Tremolite Decomposition."
Icarus
146
(1):
301-306
[10.1006/icar.2000.6392]
