Goddard Space Flight Cente r
Astrochemistry Laboratory

Astrochemistry Laboratory


Picture of David Nava

David Nava

Astrochemistry Laboratory
NASA/GSFC, Code 691
Greenbelt, MD 20771

Phone: (301) 286-5483

Email: David Nava

Current Position


    Astrophysicist, Astrochemistry Laboratory

Education


B. S. 1963 Northern Arizona University
Ph.D. 1968 Arizona State University

Professional Experience


  • Chemist, City of Phoenix, Arizona, Department of Water and Sewers - Summers of 1962, 1963 & 1964
  • Analytical Geochemist, Planetology Branch, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center - 1968 to 1977
  • Co-Investigator for Returned Lunar Samples - 1971 to 1974
  • Principal Investigator for Returned Lunar Samples - 1975 to 1977
  • Co-Investigator: "Upper Atmosphere Reaction Rate Measurements" - NASA Upper Atmospheric Research Program - 1978 to 1993
  • Co-Investigator: "Chemical Kinetics of Planetary Molecules" - NASA Planetary Atmospheres Program - 1978 to 1993
  • NASA Selection Committee Member - Graduate Student Research Program Geosciences proposals - 1995 to 1997
  • NASA Management Operations Working Group for Planetary Materials/Cosmochemistry Program, Member 1994 to 1998
  • NASA Headquarters Representative on NSF/NASA/Smithsonian Antarctic Meteorite Steering Group - 1994 to 2001

Major Research Activities


  • Analytical Chemistry/Analytical Geochemistry/Reaction Kinetics (Photochemical and chemical kinetic reaction rate studies of planetary atmospheres, terrestrial stratosphere, and interstellar media; atomic absorption and spectrochemical methods of laboratory analyses.
  • atomic absorption and spectrochemical methods of laboratory analyses
  • classical wet chemical procedures.
  • methods development and applications thereof to chemical analyses of meteorites and lunar samples.
  • scanning electron microscopy study of metallic particles in meteorite chondrules).

Honors


1968 Sigma Xi
1978 NASA Special Achievement Award
1982 NASA Special Achievement Award
1987, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 NASA Exceptional Performance Awards
2001 NASA Special Act Award

Professional Societies


  • American Chemical Society
  • The Meteoritical Society


    • Editoship


  • Member of Editorial Board of International Journal: Chemical Geology 1973-1981


    • Selected Publications


    1995  "Magnetic Properties of Bjurbole Chondrules", P. J. Wasilewski, T. L. Dickinson, D. F. Nava, and M. V. O'Bryan, Lunar Planet. Sci., XXVI, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, pp. 1467-1468.

    1994  "Shape, Size, and Distribution of Magnetic Particles in Bjurbole Chondrules", D. F. Nava, Lunar Planet. Sci., XXV, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, p. 977.

    1994  "Temperature Study of Bromine Atom Reaction Rate with Ethylene: Implication for Modeling Atmospheric Bromine Chemistry", D. F. Nava and W. A. Payne, in preparation.

    1993  "The Reaction of Atomic Hydrogen with Germane: Temperature Dependence of the Rate Constant and Implications for Germane Photochemistry in the Atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn", D. F. Nava, W. A. Payne, G. Marston, and L. J. Stief, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 5531-5537.

    1990  "Rate Constant for the Reaction of Atomic Chlorine with Acetaldehyde from 210 to 343 K", W. A. Payne, D. F. Nava, F. L. Nesbitt, and L. J. Stief, J. Phys. Chem., 94, 7190-7193.

    1990  "Rate Constant for Reaction of Atomic Hydrogen with Germane", D. F. Nava, W. A. Payne, G. Marston, and L. J. Stief, Proc. First Internat. Conf. on Laboratory Research for Planetary Atmospheres, NASA Conf. Publ. 3077, 237-243.

    1989 l "Temperature Dependence of the Reaction of Nitrogen Atoms with Methyl Radicals", G. Marston, F. L. Nesbitt, D. F. Nava, W. A. Payne, and L. J. Stief, J. Phys. Chem., 93, 5769-5774.

    1989  "Temperature Study of O(3P) + PH3 Reaction Rate: Kinetic Measurements and Planetary Atmospheric Implications", D. F. Nava, and L. J. Stief, J. Phys. Chem., 93, 4044-4047.

    1988  "Rate Constant for the Reaction of N (4S) with CH3 at 298 K", L. J. Stief, G. Marston, D. F. Nava., W. A. Payne, and F. L. Nesbitt, Chem. Phys. Letts., 147, 570-574.

    1988  "Kinetics and Thermochemistry of the t-C4H9 Radical: Study of the Equilibrium t-C4H9 + HBr <=> i-C4H10 + Br", J. J. Russell, J. A. Seetula, R. S. Timonen, D. Gutman, and D. F. Nava, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 110, 3084-3091.

    1988  "Planetary Atmospheric Reaction Rate Kinetic Studies via Flash Photolysis - Resonance Fluorescence and Discharge Flow - Mass Spectrometry Methods", D. F. Nava, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Second Annual Eastern Technical and Career Conference. Washington, DC, p. 8.

    1987  "Absolute Rate Constant for the Reaction C1 (2P) with ClNO", F. L. Nesbitt, D. F. Nava, W. A. Payne, and L. J. Stief, J. Phys. Chem., 91, 5337-5340.

    1987  "Rate Constant for the Reaction of Atomic Oxygen with Phosphine at 298 K", L. J. Stief, W. A. Payne, and D. F. Nava, J. Chem. Phys., 87, 2112-2115.

    1986  "Rate Constant for Reaction of O(3P) with Diacetylene from 210-423 K", M. B. Mitchell, D. F. Nava, and L. J. Stief, J. Chem. Phys., 85, 3300-3304.

    1986  "The Reaction H + C4H2: Absolute Rate Constant Measurement and Implication for Atmospheric Modeling of Titan", D. F. Nava, M. B. Mitchell, and L. J. Stief, J. Geophys. Res., 91, 4585-4589.

    1986  "Temperature Dependence of the Absolute Rate Constant for the Reaction of H Atoms with C4H2", D., F. Nava, M. B. Mitchell and L. J. Stief, Proc. XVIIth International Symposium on Free Radicals, NBS SP 716, 526-534.

    1986  "Reaction of Atomic Bromine with Acetylene and Loss Rate of Atmospheric Acetylene Due to Reaction with OH, Cl, O and Br", W. A. Payne, D. F. Nava, J. Brunning, and L. J. Stief, J. Geophys. Res., 91, 4097-4101.

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