Dr. James M. Karner

Senior Research Scientist I

Institute of Meteoritics

MSC03 2050

1 University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001


Phone: 505-277-8327

Fax: 505-277-3577

Email: jkarner /at/ unm /dot/ edu

M.S. University of New Mexico, 1997

Ph.D., University of New Mexico, 2003

My present research in the IOM is comparative planetary mineralogy. In other words, I study rocks from all the terrestrial bodies from which we have samples (Earth, Moon, Mars and asteroids) and compare and contrast their mineralogy and geochemistry. By doing this, we gain insight into the history and evolution of planetary bodies. The main tools I use to study the samples are the electron microprobe, scanning electron microscope and secondary ion mass spectrometer. Over the years we have concentrated on the igneous minerals found in volcanic rocks, i.e., basalts. Now we are studying low temperature minerals such as jarosite, which is a fairly common mineral on Earth and has recently been discovered on the surface of Mars.


Recent Publications

Karner, J. M., Papike, J. J., Shearer, C. K., McKay, G. A., Le, L., and Burger, P. V. (2007) Valence state partitioning of Cr and V between pyroxene-melt: Estimates of oxygen fugacity for martian basalt QUE94201. American Mineralogist, 92:1238-1241. Click for PDF reprint

Papike, J. J., Burger, P. V., Karner, J. M., Shearer, C. K., and Lueth V. W. (2007) Terrestrial analogs of martian jarosites: Major, minor, element systematics and Na-K zoning in selected samples. American Mineralogist, 92:444-447. Click for PDF reprint

Papike, J. J., Karner, J. M., and Shearer, C.K. (2006) Terrestrial analogs of martian sulfates: major and minor element systematics of alunite-jarosite from Goldfield, Nevada. American Mineralogist, 91, 1197-1200. Click for PDF reprint

Karner, J. M., Papike, J. J., and Shearer, C. K. (2006) Comparative planetary mineralogy: pyroxene major and minor element chemistry and partitioning of vanadium between pyroxene and melt in planetary basalts. American Mineralogist, 91:1574-1582. Click for PDF reprint

Karner, J. M., Sutton, S. R., Papike, J. J., Shearer, C. K., Jones, J. H., and Newville, M. (2006) Application of a new vanadium valence oxybarometer to basaltic glasses from the Earth, Moon, and Mars. American Mineralogist, 91, 270-277. Click for PDF reprint


Microprobe/SEM Laboratories


Hide additional publications


Papike, J. J., Karner, J. M., and Shearer, C. K. (2006) Comparative planetary mineralogy: implications of martian and terrestrial jarosite. A crystal chemical perspective. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 70, 1309-1321. Click for PDF reprint

Papike, J. J., Karner J. M., and Shearer C. K. (2004) Comparative planetary mineralogy: V/(Cr + Al) systematics in chromite as an indicator of relative oxygen fugacity. American Mineralogist, 89:1557-1560. Click for PDF reprint

Karner, J. M., Papike, J. J., and Shearer, C. K. (2006) V systematics in pyroxene and the potential for a quantitative pyroxene vanadium valence oxybarometer. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVII, Abstract #1116.

Shearer, C. K., Papike, J. J., and Karner, J. M. (2006) Pyroxene europium valence oxybarometer. Effects of pyroxene composition, melt composition and crystallization kinetics. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXVII, Abstract #1289.

Papike, J. J., Karner, J. M., and Shearer, C. K. (2006) Jarosite-alunite crystal chemistry. (abstract). Workshop on Martian sulfates as recorders of atmospheric-fluid-rock interactions, #7003.

Papike, J. J., Burger, P.V., Karner, J. M., Shearer, C. K., and Lueth, V. W. (2006) Terrestrial analogs of martian sulfates: major and minor element systematics of selected jarosite samples (abstract). Workshop on Martian sulfates as recorders of atmospheric-fluid-rock interactions, #7009.

Burger, P. V., Papike, J. J., Shearer, C. K., and Karner, J. M. (2006) The role of fluid chemistry on crystallization kinetics in Na and K zoning in jarosite. (abstract). Workshop on Martian sulfates as recorders of atmospheric-fluid-rock interactions, #7011.

Papike, J. J., Karner J. M., and Shearer C. K. (2003) Determination of planetary basalt parentage: A simple technique using the electron microprobe. American Mineralogist, 88:469-472.

Rietmeijer, F. J. M., Hallenbeck, S. L., Nuth III J. A., and Karner, J. M. (2002) Amorphous magnesiosilicate smokes annealed in vacuum: The evolution of magnesium silicates in circumstellar and cometary dust, Icarus 156:269-286.

Rietmeijer F. J. M., Nuth III J. A., Karner J. M., and Hallenbeck S. L. (2002) Gas to solid condensation in a Mg-SiO-H2-O2 vapor: Metastable eutectics in the MgO-SiO2 phase diagram. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 4:546-551.

Herd, C. D. K., Karner, J. M., Shearer, C. K., and Papike, J. J. (2001) The effect of oxygen fugacity on Co and Ni partitioning in olivine: Insights into martian magmas. Meteoritics and Planetary Science 36:A78-A79.

Karner, J. M., Papike, J. J., Shearer, C. K., and Spilde, M. N. (2002) Systematics of vanadium in olivine from planetary basalts. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIII, Abstract #1301.

Karner, J. M., Newsom, H. E., Jones, R. H., Simmons, J., Garcia, T., Livingston, D., and Townend, B. (2002) Meteorite identification -- a partnership opportunity. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIII, Abstract #1855.

Papike, J. J., Karner, J. M., Shearer, C. K., and Spilde, M. N. (2002) Spinel from Apollo 12 olivine mare basalts: Chemical systematics of selected major, minor, and trace elements. Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIII, Abstract #1238.


Hide additional publications