"I’m a scientist and I know what constitutes proof. But the reason I call myself by my childhood name is to remind myself that a scientist must also be absolutely like a child. If they see a thing, they must say that they see it, whether it was what they thought they were going to see or not. See first, think later, then test. But always see first. Otherwise you will only see what you were expecting. Most scientists forget that."

    - Wonko the Sane (Douglas Adams)

Dylan Hickson

I am a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Planetary Radar Science Group at the Arecibo Observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The warm weather is a welcome change from Toronto, Canada, where I received my PhD in Earth and Space Science from York University's Planetary Exploration Instrumentation Laboratory within the Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science .

Using geophysical and remote sensing techniques to see ever deeper into the natural world fascinates me. In my research, I use such techniques, specifically radar, to develop our understanding of the solar system.

My research focuses on the electromagnetic properties of rocks and minerals, radar polarimetry and scattering theory, and how radar relates to other wavelengths, such as infrared, optical, and ultraviolet. Through these studies I investigate the compositions and geomorphology of planetary surfaces as well as processes such as regolith evolution, space weathering, and impact cratering.

Dylan Hickson

Recent Publications

Lalla, E., Cote, K., Hickson, D., Garnitschnig, S., Konstantinidis, M., Such, P., Czakler, C., Schroder, C., Frigeri, A., Ercoli, M., Losiak, A., Gruber, S. and Groemer, G. (2019) Laboratory analysis of returned samples from the AMADEE-18 Mars analog missions. Astrobioloty In-press. Hickson, D., Boivin, A., Daly, M.G., Ghent R., Nolan, M.C., Tait, K., Cunje, A., Tsai, C-A. (2018) Near surface bulk density estimates of NEAs from radar observations and permittivity measurements of powdered geologic material. Icarus 306, 16-24.

Recent Conference Abstracts

Hickson, D.C., Becker, T.M., Virkki, A.K., Venditti, F.C.F., Marshall, S.E., Zambrano-Marin, L.F. and McGilvray, A. (2020) Space Weathering Effects from UV to Radar Wavelengths. 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC), Conference cancelled due to COVID-19. Hickson, D. , Boivin, A., Daly, M.G., Ghent, R.R., Tsai, C-A., Tait, K. (2018) Measurement-based Modeling of the Dielectric Permittivity of Particulate Geologic Material for Improved Radar Interpretation. AGU Fall Meeting Washington D.C., USA, 10-14 Dec. For a more comprehensive list, see CV.
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