Professor Hinman's work focuses mainly on biotic and abiotic chemical processes in natural systems that affect solution and mineral composition. She has conducted field work in thermal springs of Yellowstone National Park and the Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka, Russia, as well as cold springs in western Montana. Current projects include photochemical processes; mineral composition, deposition, and diagenesis; and microbial interactions. On these projects, she collaborates with researchers at NASA- Ames Research Center, NASA-Johnson Research Center, and universities from around the U.S. and the world. Such contacts present opportunities for students to visit and use instruments at these facilities. Research in her laboratory has focused on microbial reduction of iron, deposition and dissolution of iron oxides, and photochemistry. Results are modeled with geochemical codes to provide insight into chemical speciation. The following list of publications shows the variety of projects on which Professor Hinman has worked over the last several years.

Publications 1996 to 2012

Richardson, C.D., Hinman, N.W., McHenry, L.J., Kotler, J.M., Knipe, D.L., and Scott, J.R., (in press 2012) Secondary Sulfate Mineralization and Basaltic Chemistry of Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho:  Potential Martian Analog. Planetary and Space Science.
Hinman, N.W. and Esser, J.D. (2010) Chemical Factors Driving Streambed “Armor” in Iron Spring Creek, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. 13th International Conference on Water-Rock Interaction, Guanajuato, Mexico, August, 2010.
Kotler, J.M., Hinman, N.W., Richardson, C.D., Scott, J.R. (2010) Thermal decomposition behavior of potassium and sodium jarosite synthesized in the presence of methylamine and alanine. Journal of Thermal and Analytical Calorimetry, 102, 23–29. DOI 10.1007/s10973-0338-3.
Richardson, C.D., Hinman, N.W., Scott, J.R. (2009) Effect of thenardite on the direct detection of aromatic amino acids: implications for the search for life in the solar system. International Journal of Astrobiology, 8(4), 291-300, DOI 10.1017/s1473550409990231.
Kotler, J.M., Hinman, N.W., Richardson, C.D., Conly, A. G., Scott, J.R. (2009) Laboratory simulations of prebiotic molecule stability in the jarosite mineral group; end member evaluation of detection and decomposition behavior related to Mars sample return. Planetary and Space Science, 57, 1381-1388.
Hinman, N.W., Kotler, J.M., Yan, B., Tenesch, A., Morris, R.V., Tveter, A., Stoner, D.L., Scott, J.R. (2009) Controls on chemistry and diagenesis of naturally occurring iron-oxide phases. Applied Geochemistry, 24, (7), 1185-1197.
Richardson, C.D., Hinman, N.W., McJunkin, T.R. and Scott, J.R. (2008) Exploring biosignatures associated with thenardite by geomatric-assisted laser desorption/ionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry (GALDI-FTMS). Geomicrobiology J. 25, (7, 8), 432-440.
Vitale, M., Gardner, P., and Hinman, N.W. (2008) Surface water - groundwater interaction and chemistry in a mineral-armored hydrothermal outflow channel, Yellowstone National Park, USA, Hydrogeology J. 16, (7), 1381-1393.
Kotler, J.M., Hinman, N.W., Scott, J.R., Yan, B. and Stoner, D.L. (2008) Glycine identification in natural jarosites using laser-desorption Fourier transform mass spectrometry: implications for the search for life on Mars. Astrobiology, 8, (2), 253-266.
Tenesch, A., Hinman, N.W., Stanley, G. D., Jr. & Hou, X. G. (2007) Geochemical and mineralogical insight into the environmental conditions for preservation of the Chengjiang biota  in 12th International Conference on Water-Rock Interaction (eds. Bullen, T. D. & Wang, Y.) (A.A. Balkema Publishers, Rotterdam).
Yan, B., D. L. Stoner, Kotler, J.M., Hinman, N.W., and Scott, J.R. (2007) Detection of biosignatures by geomatrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (GALDI) mass spectrometry,” Geomicrobiol. J. 24(3-4), 379-385.
Hinman, N.W. and Walter, M.R. (2005) Textural preservation in siliceous hot spring deposits during early diagenesis; examples from Yellowstone National Park and Nevada, U.S.A. J. Sed. Res. 75, 200-215.
Wilson, C.L., Hinman, N.W., and Sheridan, R. L. (2000) Hydrogen peroxide formation and decay in iron-rich geothermal waters: their relative roles of abiotic and biotic mechanisms. Photochem. Photobiol. 71, 691-699.
Wilson, C.L., Hinman, N.W., Cooper, W. and Brown, C.F. (2000) Photochemical formation of hydrogen peroxide in geothermal waters of Yellowstone National Park. Env. Sci. Technol., 34, 2655-2662.
Morris, R.V., Golden, D.C., Bell, J.F (III), Shelfer, T.D., Scheinost, A., Hinman, N.W., Furniss, G., Mertzman, S., Bishop, J.L., Ming, D.W., Allen C.C., and Britt, D.T. (2000) Mineralogy, composition, and genesis of Mars Pathfinder rocks and soils: evidence from multispectral, elemental, and magnetic data on terrestrial analogue, SNC meteorite, and Pathfinder samples. J. Geophys. Res. 105, 1757-1818.
Wilson, C.L., Hinman, N.W. and Sheridan, R.L. 2000. Hydrogen peroxide formation and decay in iron-rich geothermal waters: the relative of abiotic and biotic mechanisms. Photochem. Photobiol. V. 71, 691-699.
Wilson, C.L., Hinman, N.W., Cooper, W. and Brown, C.F. 2000 Photochemical formation of hydrogen peroxide in geothermal waters of Yellowstone National park. Environ. Sci. Technol. V. 34, 2655-2662.
Morris, R. V., Golden, D. C., Bell, J. F., III, Shelfer, T. D., Scheinost, A. C., Hinman, N. W., Furniss, G., Mertzman, S. A., Bishop, J. L., Ming, D. W., Allen, C. C., and Britt, D. T. 2000. Mineralogy, composition, and alteration of Mars Pathfinder rocks and soils: Evidence from. J. Geophys. Res., v. 105, p. 1757-1818.
Fredrickson, J.K., J.M Zachara, D.W. Kennedy, H. Dong, T.C. Onstott, N.W. Hinman, and S. Li. 1999. Biogenic iron mineralization accompanying the dissimilatory reduction of hydrous ferric oxide by a groundwater bacterium. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta. in press.
Furniss, G. Hinman, N.W, Doyle, G.A. and Runnells, D.D.  1999. Radiocarbon-dated ferricrete provides record of natural acid rock drainage and paleoclimatic changes, New World Mining District, Montana, U.S.A. Enviro. Geology. in press.
Hinman, N.W. 1998. Chemical factors influencing the rates and sequences of silica phase transitions: effects of inorganic constituents. Marine Geology, 147, 13-24.
Furniss, G. and Hinman, N.W.  1998. Ferricrete provides record of natural acid drainage, New World District, Montana. Proc. 9th Intl. Symp. Water-Rock Interaction, Balkema, Moscow, p. 973-976.
Hinman, N.W. 1998 Sequences of silica phase transitions: effects of Na, Mg, K, Al and Fe ions. Marine Geology., v. 147, 13-24.
Hinman, N.W. 1997. Hydrological processes in microbial preservations. Instruments, Methods, and Missions for the Investigation of Extraterrestrial Microorganisms, Proceedings of SPIE, V. 3111, p. 335-341.
Walter, M.R., D. DesMarais, J.D. Farmer, and N.W. Hinman, 1996. Paleobiology of mid-Proterozoic thermal springs deposits in the Drummond Basin, Queensland, Australia.  Palaeos, Vol. 11, 497-518.
Hinman, N.W. and Lindstrom, R.F. 1996.  Seasonal changes in silica deposition in hot spring systems.  In (Stillings, L., ed.) Chemical and biological controls on Mineral Growth and Dissolution Kinetics. Chem. Geol., Vol. 132, 237-246.
Current Grant Support
Biocomplexity - Incubation Activity, National Science Foundation, Co-Investigator with others at University of Wyoming. Project to develop an interdisciplinary proposal addressing chemical, physical, and biological interactions in thermal drainages of Yellowstone National Park. Supports 1 graduate student.
Hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of active hot springs systems: An analog for fossil Martian systems. NASA-EPSCoR, Co-Investigator with 1 other. Project to investigate the processes by which microbial markers are incorporated into the geological record in mineralizing systems. Supports 1 graduate student and 1 undergraduate student.
Institute for the Study of Biomarkers in Astromaterials, NASA, Co-Investigator with NASA-JSC team. Project to investigate microbial signatures in mineral deposits. Supports 1 undergraduate student.