Dr. Loeffler focuses his research on using laboratory experiments to investigate radiation effects in solid materials ranging from condensed gases to terrestrial minerals. His research spans a variety of scientific disciplines, such as physics, chemistry, materials science, and geology. Specifically, he is interested in understanding compositional and structural changes that can be induced in materials by energetic particle irradiation, such as electrons and ions, as well as photons. To probe these samples in a vacuum environment, he utilizes a variety of experimental techniques, such as ultraviolet to infrared spectroscopy, microbalance gravimetry, and mass spectrometry. Finally, many of the samples that he studies also are directly relevant to extraterrestrial environments, such as asteroids, comets, or icy satellites, such those orbiting Saturn and Jupiter.