Thomas WdowiakThe late Thomas Wdowiak, Ph.D., taught astronomy at UAB for nearly 30 years. Now he is astronomy, thanks to NASA, which has named a prominent ridge on Mars to honor him and his crucial scientific contributions.
Wdowiak, an astrophysicist, was an expert in Mössbauer spectroscopy, a technique to measure the mineral content of rocks with radiation. As a member of NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover team, he operated the Mössbauer spectrometers on board the rovers Spirit and Opportunity that helped discover firm evidence that water once existed on Mars. For years, he also inspired local children to explore science through a newspaper column filled with experiments.
Opportunity spent nearly three months exploring the newly named Wdowiak Ridge (pictured at top), which rises above the western rim of Mars's Endeavour Crater—and which includes its own small crater, Ulysses. Notable rocks on Wdowiak Ridge also received Alabama-inspired monikers—Birmingham, Red Mountain, Bessemer, Hoover, Cullman, Sylacauga, and Talladega, among them. Findings from Opportunity's visit could help reveal the geologic history of the area.
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Wdowiak Ridge photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell Univ./Arizona State Univ.