Katarzyna Gajewska

Collisions between celestial bodies represent one of the most prevalent and significant geological phenomena in the Solar System, leading to the formation of impact craters. Studying them not only sheds light on critical aspects of Earth's geological history but also imparts valuable insights into the overarching processes that shape planetary bodies throughout the universe.

In my PhD project, I focus on shock metamorphism, i.e., mechanical deformation and transformation of minerals under extreme pressure and temperature conditions resulting from an impact event. While quartz has been extensively studied in this context, my PhD project aims to delve into the responses of accessory minerals, which, though equally common, have received comparatively less attention. 

I particularly focus on utilizing Python scripting and leveraging computational methods to provide new qualitative and quantitative insights into shock-induced microstructures. With this approach, I aim to upscale the misorientations of the crystal lattice from the atomic scale to macroscale deformation mechanics.