Matthew Svenson

Picture of Matthew Svenson

Thesis Title

Processes and Products of Crater Lakes: A Case Study of the Ries Impact Structure, Germany.

Thesis Topic  

Matthew’s research leverages insights from the petrographical and geochemical characterization of early paleolake deposits at the Ries impact structure, Germany, to better understand the processes that form lacustrine systems within impact craters, the habitability of the early post-impact lacustrine environment, and the role of impact craters in generating clay minerals. As part of this research, the Ries impact structure is also used as an analogue site to better guide the exploration of Jezero Crater on Mars, and to examine the origin of putative post-impact lacustrine deposits at the margins of Jezero crater.

Current Degree

  • Ph.D. Candidate in Geology with Specialization in Planetary Science

Awards

  • Western News, Newsmakers of the Year | Western University (2019)
  • Postgraduate Scholarships Doctoral program (PGS-D) | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) (2019/09 – 2021/09)
  • CAN-SBX Travel Grant | Canadian Space Agency (2019/08)
  • Queen Elizabeth II / Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) | Province of Ontario / Western University (2017/09 – 2018/08; 2018/09 – 2019/08) 
  • Institute for Earth and Space Exploration Volunteer Award (2017/05)
  • Global Opportunities Award | Western University (2017/05) 
  • Eisenbrey Student Travel Award | Institute of Lake Superior Geology (2016/05) 
  • Astromaterials Training and Research Opportunity Undergraduate Research Award (ASTRO) | Canadian Space Agency (2015/05 – 2015/08)
  • Dean’s List | Lakehead University (2014/09 – 2016/05)

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

  1. [3] Svensson M. J. O., Kissin S. A., et al.  2019. A method for determination of the source of iron in Thule Inuit and Dorset culture artifacts from the Canadian Arctic. Journal of Archaeological Science. (Published; Accepted 15/01/2020; 22 pages). 
  2. [2] Osinski G. R., Battler M., Caudill C. M., Francis R., Haltigin T., Hipkin V. J., Kerrigan M., Pilles E. A., Pontefract A., Tornabene L. L., … Svensson M. J. O. et al. 2018. The CanMars Mars Sample Return Analogue Mission. Planetary and Space Science. (Published; Accepted 24/07/2018; 21 pages). 
  3. [1] Caudill C. M., Pontefract A. Osinski G. R., Tornabene L. L., Pilles E., Battler M., Francis R., Godin E., Grau. A., Haltigin T., Hipkin V., Mittelholz A., Poitras J., Simpson S. L., Svensson M. J. O., Xie T. 2018 CanMars Science Results and Review of Optimization for Sample Selection for Mars Sample Return (MSR) based on Science Operations and Procedures. Planetary and Space Science. (Published; Accepted 05/30/2019; 51 pages). 
  4. Svensson, Matthew J. O., “The Origin and Evolution of Impact Crater Lakes: A Case Study of the Ries Impact Structure, Germany” (2022). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 9079. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/9079

Conference Publications

  1. [23] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., Sapers H. M., 2022. Determining the Origin of Framboidal Pyrite in Early Post-Impact Sedimentary Deposits at the Ries Impact Structure, Germany. AbSciCon. – AGU – 2022. Abstract # 1031810 (International Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Poster).
  2. [22] Flemming R. L.*, Sabarinathan J., Pilles E. A., Veinberg L., McCausland P. J. A., McIssac K. A., Osinski G. R., Tornabene L. L., Schmidt M. E., Gellert R., McCraig M. A. … Svensson M. J. O. et al. 2021. In-situ X-ray diffraction (ISXRD) for exploring mineralogy and geology of Mars. Geological Association of Canada / Mineralogical Association of Canada (GAC/MAC) – 2021. (National Conference; Research Group; Oral). 
  3. [21] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Caudill C. M., Goudge. T. A., Longstaffe F. J., Sapers H. M., Tornabene. L. L. 2021. The Ries impact structure, Germany: Insight into the role of impact cratering in forming clay minerals on Mars. Workshop on Terrestrial Analogues for Planetary Exploration. (International Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Oral).
  4. [20] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Goudge. T. A., Longstaffe F. J., Tornabene. L. L. 2021. The Ries impact structure as an analogue for Jezero Crater’s marginal carbonates. Workshop on Terrestrial Analogues for Planetary Exploration. (International Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Poster). 
  5. [19] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., 2021. Revisiting the origin of the Ries graded suevite: implications for plume fallback preservation. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference LII, Abstract #2478. (International Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Poster). 
  6. [18] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., 2020. Secondary mineralization along the impactite – lake deposit transition in the Nördlingen 1973 drill core, Ries impact structure, Germany. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference LI, Abstract #3072. (International Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Poster). 
  7. [17] Flemming R. L.*, Rupert A. N., Field J., Pilles E. A., Sabrinathan J., Veinberg S. L., Leftwich K., Shaw A., Dickinson C., … Svensson M. J. O., et al. 2020. In Situ X-ray diffraction (ISXRD) for exploring Mars mineralogy and geology. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference LI, Abstract #2965. (International Conference; Research Group; Oral). 
  8. [16] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., 2019. Hydrothermal alteration of the basal lake sediments at the Ries impact structure, Germany. Impacts and their Role in the Evolution of Life – 2019. (International Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Poster). 
  9. [15] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., 2019. Hydrothermally altered impact crater lakes and the secondary clay minerals they left behind. Geological Association of Canada / Mineralogical Association of Canada (GAC/MAC) – 2019. (National Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Oral). 
  10. [14] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., 2019. Formation of secondary clay minerals in post-impact lacustrine rocks at the Ries impact structure, Germany. Space Day at Western. (Institutional Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Poster).
  11. [13] Svensson M.J.O.*, Chamma M. A.*, Pascual A. D. P.*, Azad B.*, Andres C. N.*, Tolometti G. D.*, et al. 2019. The 2019 Western University High Altitude Balloon Initiative. Space Day at Western. (Institutional Conference; Student Research Group; Oral). 
  12. [12] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., 2019. Formation of secondary clay minerals in post-impact lacustrine rocks at the Ries impact structure, Germany. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference L, Abstract #2494. (International Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Poster). 
  13. [11] Svensson M. J. O.*, Longstaffe F. J., Osinski G. R., Simpson S. L., 2018. Hydrothermal alteration of the crater lake sediments at the Ries impact structure, Germany. 55th Annual Meeting of the Clay Minerals Society, Page 228. (International Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Oral).
  14. [10] Svensson M. J. O.*, Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., Simpson S. L. 2018 Hydrothermal alteration of the crater lake sediments at the Ries impact structure, Germany. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XLIX, Abstract #1370. (International Conference; Ph.D. Thesis; Poster). 
  15. [9] Svensson M. J. O.*, Fralick P. W. 2018. The Badwater Gabbro as an analogue for the weathering of Martian basalts. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XLIX, Abstract #1372. (International Conference; Undergraduate Research Assistantship; Poster Presentation). 
  16. [8] Simpson S. L.*, Osinski G. R., Longstaffe F. J., Kring D. A., Schmieder M., Svensson M. J. O., Gulick S. P. S. 2018. Characterization of impact glass alteration and associated secondary clay mineralogy through the upper Chicxulub peak ring. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XLIX, Abstract #2518. (International Conference; Research Group; Poster). 
  17. [7] Svensson M. J. O.*, Flemming R. L., Osinski G. R. 2017. Hydrothermal alteration in the crater lake sediments of the Ries impact structure, Germany. Geological Association of Canada / Mineralogical Association of Canada (GAC/MAC) – 2017. Abstract #368. (National Conference; M.Sc. Thesis; Poster).
  18. [6] Svensson M. J. O.*, Malloney. M., Duff. S., Osinski G. R. 2017. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as a simulated stand-off instrument in the CanMars 2016 analogue mission. Space Day at Western. (Institutional Conference; Analogue Mission; Poster). 
  19. [5] Innis L.*, Svensson M. J. O.*, 2017. The potential for a high-altitude balloon (HAB) mission through the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration (CPSX). Space Day at Western. (Institutional Conference; Western Space Outreach; Oral Presentation).
  20. [4] Osinski G. R.*, Battler M., Caudill C. M., Pilles E., Allard P., Balachandran K., … Svensson M. J. O. et al. 2017. Overview of the 2016 #CanMars Mars sample return analogue mission. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XLVIII, Abstract #2417. (International Conference; Analogue Mission; Poster). 
  21. [3] Svensson M. J. O., Malloney M., Duff S., Osinski G. R.* 2017. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as a simulated stand-off instrument in the CanMars 2016 analogue mission. Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XLVIII, Abstract #1511. (International Conference; Analogue Mission; Poster). 
  22. [2] Svensson M. J. O.*, Kissin S. A. 2016. Source of Native Iron in Canadian Arctic Artifacts. 61st Meeting of the Institute of Lake Superior Geology. (International Conference; Honours Thesis; Poster).
  23. [1] Svensson M. J. O.*, Fralick P. W. 2016. The Badwater Gabbro as an analogue for the weathering of Martian basalts. 61st Meeting of the Institute of Lake Superior Geology. (International Conference; Undergraduate Research Assistantship; Oral).