Alexander Smirnov Postdoctoral Research Associate Department of Geosciences Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100 USA email: asmirnov(at)ms.cc.sunysb.edu office: 631-632-6801 lab: 631-632-6839 fax: 631-632-8240 skype: sasasmir GTalk: asmirnov.org Personal web
ResearcherID:  D-4672-2009 Education:  Phd in Geology (2006), State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY, USA (Abiotic formation and fate of ammonium in the Hadean Ocean) Diploma in Geology (2000), Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia  (Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Nižná Boca Sb-Au hydrothermal deposit (Western Carpathians, Slovakia) Employment: Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University (2008-to date) - Postdoctoral Research Associate Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Instituton of Washington (2006-2008) - Postdoctoral fellow Research Interests: Hydrothermal and low-temperature experimental geochemistry and mineralogy, geochemical modeling Prebiotic synthesis, Hadean nitrogen cycle, minerals and the origin of life, astrobiology Research Experience and Skills: (varying degrees of proficiency) X-Ray analytical methods (XPS, XRF, EPMA, SEM, XRD) Infrared, Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy B.E.T. Surface Area Analysis Ion and Gas Chromatography Experience with a wide variety of hydrothermal (fixed- and flexible volume) and low temperature experimental equipment (batch and flow-through mode) Extensive field work experience Several years of experience in laboratory management and day-do-day operations Teaching Experience: Instructor - GEO304 Energy, Mineral Resources, and the Environment (Summer 2009) Co-Instructor - GEO304 Energy, Mineral Resources, and the Environment (Spring 2009) Teaching Assistant - GEO107 Natural Hazards (Spring 2000) Teaching Assistant - GEO107 Natural Hazards (Fall 2000) Affiliations: The Geochemical Society (2001 - to date) NASA Astrobiology Institute/Penn State Astrobiology Research Center (2000-2006) NASA Astrobiology Institute/Astrobiology Biogeocatalysis Research Center at Montana State University (2008- to date) Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals:                                  Murphy, R., Lammers, K., Smirnov, A., Schoonen, M. A. A. & Strongin, D. R., 2010: Ferrihydrite phase transformation in the presence of aqueous sulfide and supercritical CO2, Chemical Geology, 271, 1-2, 26-30, doi:10.1016/j.chemgeo.2009.12.008 McCubbin, F.M., Smirnov, A., Nekvasil, H., Hauri, E., Wang, J. & Lindsley, D., 2010: Hydrous magmatism on Mars: A source of water for the surface and subsurface during the Amazonian, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, in print, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2010.01.028 McCubbin, F. M., Tosca, N. J., Smirnov, A., Fries, M., Steele, A. & Nekvasil, H., 2009: Jarosite in a Clinopyroxene-hosted Melt Inclusion from Martian Meteorite MIL 03346: Evidence for Hydrothermal Formation by Sulfide Oxidation, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 73, 16, 4907-4917 Števko, M. Pršek, J., Smirnov, A. & Ozdín, D., 2009: Chemical composition of sulfides and sulfosalts from the Mária-Margita deposit near Ochtiná, Mineralia Slovaca, 41, 2, 151-158 [in Slovak] Mason, H. E., McCubbin, F. M., Smirnov, A. & Phillips, B. L., 2009: Solid-State NMR and IR spectroscopic study of the role of H in a natural carbonate-rich fluorapatite. American Mineralogist, 94, 507-516 Smirnov, A., Hausner, D., Laffers, R., Strongin, D. & Schoonen, M. A. A., 2008: Abiotic ammonium formation in the presence of Ni-Fe metals and alloys and its implications for the Hadean nitrogen cycle. Geochemical Transactions, 9:5, doi:10.1186/1467-4866-9-5 Tosca, N. J., Smirnov, A. & McLennan, S.M., 2007: Application of the Pitzer ion interaction model to isopiestic data for the Fe2(SO4)3-H2SO4-H2O system at 298.15 and 323.15 K, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 71, 2680-2698 Smirnov, A., Pršek, J. & Chovan, M., 2006: Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Nižná Boca Sb-Au hydrothermal ore deposit (The Western Carpathians, Slovakia), Mineralogia Polonica, 37, 2, 71-94 Pršek, J., Makovicky, E., Chovan, M. & Smirnov, A., 2006: A note on the chemical composition of nuffieldite solid-solution from sulphide mineralizations (Western Carpathians, Slovakia). Mineralogia Polonica, 37, 1, 51-59 Schoonen, M.A.A., Smirnov, A. & Cohn, C.A., 2004: A perspective on the role of minerals in prebiotic synthesis, AMBIO – A Journal of Human Environment, 33, 8, 539-551 Smirnov, A. & Schoonen, M. A. A., 2003: Evaluating experimental artifacts in hydrothermal prebiotic synthesis experiments, Origins of Life and the Evolution of Biosphere, 33, 117-127 Smirnov, A. & Chovan, M., 2003: Heavy minerals in alluvial sediments of the Boca River (Nízke Tatry Mts.), Slovak Geological Magazine, 9, 4, 269-281 Bahna, B., Smirnov, A., Chovan M. & Bakos, F., 2002: River transport-induced changes in the chemical composition of alluvial gold (documented on localities of the Western Carpathians), Geologica Carpathica, 53, 105-107 Xirouchakis, D., Smirnov, A., Woody, K., Lindsley, D. H. & Andersen, D. J., 2002: Thermodynamics and Stability of Pseudobrookite-Type MgTi2O5, American Mineralogist, 87, 658-667 Abstracts: Gordon, A., Smirnov, A., Schoonen, M.A. & Strongin, D.S., 2010: Nitrogen Reduction on Metal Sulfide Surfaces Under Hydrothermal Conditions, Astrobiology Science Conference 2010, League City, TX Smirnov, A., DeCesare, M. and Schoonen, M.A., 2010: The Role of Mo, V, (Fe, S) Substrates in Abiotic Nitrogen Fixation, Astrobiology Science Conference 2010, League City, TX McCubbin, F.M., Glamoclija, M., Steele, A. and Smirnov, A., 2010: Activre Igneous and Hydrothermal Activity During the Early-Middle Amazonian: Inferences from Chassignite and Nakhlite Meteorites and Implications for Astrobiology, Astrobiology Science Conference 2010, League City, TX Smirnov, A., Hausner, D., Laffers, R., McCubbin, F.M., Strongin, D.R. & Schoonen, M.A.A., 2008: Abiotic Nitrogen reduction in Hadean hydrothermal systems, Astrobiology Science Conference 2008, Astrobiology, 8, 2, 360 McCubbin, M., Tosca, N. J., Smirnov, A., Nekvasil, H., Fries, M. and Steele, A., 2008: Jarosite in a clinopyroxene-hosted melt inclusion from Martian meteorite MIL03346: Evidence for hydrothermal formation by sulfide oxidation, 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Nekvasil, H., McCubbin, F. M., Tosca, N. J. & Smirnov, A., 2008: Hydrothermal activity on Mars: Can magmatic waters play a viable role?, 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Fokin, M., McCubbin, F.M., Lindsley, D.H., Smirnov, A. & Schoonen, M.A.A., 2007: A Route to Synthetic Crocidolite, Abstracts from the MSA Short Course on Amphiboles, Rome, Italy Tosca, N. J., Smirnov, A. & McLennan, S. M., 2007: Application of the Pitzer ion interaction model to the Fe3(SO4)3-H2SO4-H2O System, Goldschmidt 2007 Conference (Cologne, Germany), Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 71, 15, Supplement 1, A1033 Smirnov, A., Hausner, D., Laffers, R., McCubbin, F.M., Strongin, D.R. & Schoonen, M.A.A., 2007: Abiotic Nitrogen reduction in Hadean hydrothermal systems, Goldschmidt 2007  Conference (Cologne, Germany), Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 71, 15, Supplement 1, A949 McCubbin, F.M., Nekvasil, H., Smirnov, A. & Lindsley, D.H., 2007: Kaersutite in the Chassigny martian meteorite: How much water?, Goldschmidt 2007 Conference (Cologne, Germany), Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 71, 15, Supplement 1, A645 Smirnov, A., Hausner, D., Strongin, D.R. & Schoonen, M.A.A., 2006: Abiotic formation of ammonium in Hadean hydrothermal systems, Astrobiology Science Conference, Washington, DC, Astrobiology, 6, 1, 122 Smirnov, A., Schoonen, M.A.A., Tosca, N.J., Chidambaram, D., Halada, G. & Luptak, B., 2005: Abiotic formation and fate of ammonium in the Hadean Ocean, NASA Astrobiology Institute General Meeting, Astrobiology, 5, 2, 277 Schoonen, M.A.A. & Smirnov, A., 2005: Water-rock interaction on the Hadean Earth: A modeling study, NASA Astrobiology Institute General Meeting, Astrobiology, 5, 2, 199 Laffers, R., Cohn, C., Smirnov, A., Schoonen, M.A.A. and Strongin, D., 2005: Effect of grinding on the reactivity of selected minerals towards RNA, Proceedings of the 229th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, San Diego, CA Smirnov, A., Tosca, N.J., Chidambaram, D., Halada, G. & Schoonen, M. A. A., 2004: Autocatalytic nickel reduction during forsterite-fayalite dissolution at hydrothermal conditions: Importance for prebiotic synthesis, Proceedings from the 228th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Philadelphia, PA Schoonen, M.A.A., Strongin, D.R., Cohn, C.A., Smirnov, A., Laffers, R., Hurowitz, J.,Michel, F.M., Mueller, S., Wimmer, E., Leifer, N.D. & Grey, C.P., 2004: Reactivity of defects on mineral surfaces: A multidisciplinary approach, Proceedings from the 228th  National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Philadelphia, PA Schoonen, M.A.A., Smirnov, A. & Cohn, C.A., 2004: Role of minerals in prebiotic synthesis: A perspective, Proceedings from the 228th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Philadelphia, PA Smirnov, A., Tosca, N.J., Chidambaram, D., Halada, G. & Schoonen, M. A. A., 2004: Ni-(Fe) alloy and sulfide formation during forsterite-fayalite dissolution at hydrothermal conditions: Importance for prebiotic synthesis, Astrobiology Science Conference, International Journal of Astrobiology, Supplement, 1, 107 Smirnov, A & Schoonen, M. A. A., 2004: Ammonium immobilization in ocean floor rocks and minerals, Astrobiology Graduate Conference, Tucson, AZ, Astrobiology, 4, 2, 16 Smirnov, A. & Schoonen, M. A. A., 2003: Stability of Formate Ion on Early Earth: Implications for Prebiotic Synthesis, Proceeding from the Northeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Saratoga Springs, NY Smirnov, A. & Schoonen, M. A. A., 2003: Abiotic nitrogen reduction in submarine hydrothermal systems: A modeling study, NASA Astrobiology Institute General Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, Astrobiology, 2, 4, 591 Schoonen, M. A. A. & Smirnov, A., 2002: Reduced nitrogen compounds in hydrothermal vent systems: A critical evaluation, Astrobiology Science Conference, International Journal of Astrobiology, 1, 2, 107 Smirnov, A. & Schoonen, M. A. A., 2002: Evaluating organic contamination in hydrothermal prebiotic synthesis experiments, Astrobiology Science Conference, International Journal of Astrobiology, 1, 2, 155 Smirnov, A. & Schoonen, M. A. A., 2002: Influence of seawater sulfate concentrations on the chemistry of hydrothermal vent solutions: a modeling approach, Astrobiology Science Conference, International Journal of Astrobiology, 1, 2, 155 Bahna, B., Smirnov, A., Chovan, M. & Bakos, F., 2001: Chemical composition changes of alluvial gold during the transport in alluvial sediments as documented on localities in the Western Carpathians (Slovakia), Mineralia Slovaca, 33, 514-515 [in Slovak] Smirnov, A., 2000: Sb-Au mineralization in Nizná Boca, Nízke Tatry Mts., Slovakia, Acta Mineralogica – Petrographica Universitatis Szegediensis, Tomus XLI, p. 100 Janák, M., Chovan, M., Smirnov, A. & Majzlan, J., 2000: Kyanite and Sillimanite in Gneisses of the Dumbier Crystalline Massif (Nizke Tatry Mts.), Proceedings from Mineralogy and Petrology Symposium - Magurka 2000; p. 15 [in Slovak]