Lawrence Grossman

Pioneer in the study of the minerals that condensed from gases in the early solar system. Conducts research on the origin of solid matter with the aim of learning how the sun and planets formed starting 4567 million years ago. Work on calculating the condensation sequence of the minerals from a gas of solar composition, and for his related studies on the origin of calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) inclusions in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites are fundamental to understanding solar system formation. The CAIs are the oldest solid objects formed in our solar system and his calculations established that they have compositions consistent with being the earliest condensates to form in our solar system. Research has extended to kinetic treatment of evaporation processes in the solar nebula, and the role of evaporation and condensation in the formation of meteoritic chondrules.  Member of the Stardust Preliminary Examination Team that produced a general description of samples returned to Earth in January 2006 from Comet Wild-2 by NASA's Stardust spacecraft. Has over 200 publications on characterizing and analyzing CAIs.