A5009079237- Planetary Science and Exploration
- Astro and Planetary Science
- Space Exploration and Technology
- Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies
- Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Scientific Research and Discoveries
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- Spacecraft Design and Technology
- Space exploration and regulation
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Atmospheric Ozone and Climate
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Space Satellite Systems and Control
- Aeolian processes and effects
- Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics
- Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
- Atmospheric aerosols and clouds
- Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
- Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation
- Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma
- Advanced Chemical Sensor Technologies
- Air Quality Monitoring and Forecasting
Ames Research Center
2015-2024
Planetary Systems (United States)
2007-2023
Honeybee Robotics (United States)
2023
NASA Research Park
2011
Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute
2010-2011
Weatherford College
2009
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
2005
National Academy of Sciences
2004
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
2003-2004
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
2003
Watering the Moon About a year ago, spent upper stage of an Atlas rocket was deliberately crashed into crater at south pole Moon, ejecting plume debris, dust, and vapor. The goal this event, Lunar Crater Observation Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) experiment, to search for water other volatiles in soil one coldest places on Moon: permanently shadowed region within Cabeus crater. Using ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared spectroscopy data from accompanying craft, Colaprete et al. (p. 463 ; see...
The martian valley networks formed near the end of period heavy bombardment inner solar system, about 3.5 billion years ago. largest impacts produced global blankets very hot ejecta, ranging in thickness from meters to hundreds meters. Our simulations indicated that ejecta warmed surface, keeping it above freezing point water for periods decades millennia, depending on impactor size, and caused shallow subsurface or polar ice evaporate melt. Large also injected steam into atmosphere craters...
A new Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD 3 ) constructed using Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) infrared (IR) images provides a comprehensive and quantitative view of the geographic distribution moderate‐ to large‐size dune fields (area >1 km 2 that will help researchers understand global climatic sedimentary processes have shaped surface Mars. MGD extends from 65°N 65°S latitude includes ∼550 fields, covering ∼70,000 , with an estimated total volume ∼3,600 . This area, when...
Watering the Moon About a year ago, spent upper stage of an Atlas rocket was deliberately crashed into crater at south pole Moon, ejecting plume debris, dust, and vapor. The goal this event, Lunar Crater Observation Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) experiment, to search for water other volatiles in soil one coldest places on Moon: permanently shadowed region within Cabeus crater. Using ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared spectroscopy data from accompanying craft, Colaprete et al. (p. 463 ; see...
On 9 October 2009, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) sent a kinetic impactor to strike Cabeus crater, on mission search for water ice other volatiles expected be trapped in lunar polar soils. The Lyman Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) ultraviolet spectrograph onboard Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) observed plume generated by LCROSS impact as far-ultraviolet emissions from fluorescence of sunlight molecular hydrogen carbon monoxide, plus resonantly scattered atomic...
We have modeled the effects of moderate‐sized (30–100 km diameter) impacts on Mars using a one‐dimensional radiative‐convective model. The model computes evolution temperature following an impact and includes subsurface to compute ground temperature; hydrological cycle follow evaporation, condensation, precipitation injected surface‐evaporated water; radiative transfer code greenhouse warming by CO 2 , water vapor, clouds; atmospheric thermodynamics module latent heating due cloud...
Despite being trace constituents of the lunar exosphere, sodium and potassium are most readily observed species due to their bright line emission. Measurements these by Ultraviolet Visible Spectrometer (UVS) on Lunar Atmosphere Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) have revealed unambiguous temporal spatial variations indicative a strong role for meteoroid bombardment surface composition in determining local time dependence Moon's exosphere. Observations show distinct day (monthly) cycles both...
We use a time‐dependent, microphysical cloud model to study the formation of carbon dioxide clouds in Martian atmosphere. Laboratory studies by Glandorf et al. [2002] show that high critical supersaturations are required for CO 2 particle nucleation and surface kinetic growth is not limited. These conditions, which similar those cirrus on Earth, lead ice particles with radii greater than 500 μm concentrations less 0.1 cm −3 typical atmospheric conditions. Within current atmosphere, possible...
We describe a mission concept for stand-alone Titan airplane mission: Aerial Vehicle In-situ and Airborne Reconnaissance (AVIATR). With independent delivery direct-to-Earth communications, AVIATR could contribute to science either alone or as part of sustained Exploration Program. As focused mission, we have envisioned it would concentrate on the that an can do best: exploration Titan's global diversity. focus surface geology/hydrology lower-atmospheric structure dynamics. carefully chosen...
Several geologic features suggest the presence of rock glaciers on surface Mars. These include lobate debris aprons, concentric crater fill and lineated valley fill. The lateral extent these can range from 5 km to over 20 km. A simple time‐marching model is developed used here demonstrate ability ice ice‐rock mixtures flow under Martian conditions. For temperatures lower than about 220 K, even pure becomes too rigid a glacier long could not have formed. Results this indicate 40 K higher...
Using a 3‐D, non‐hydrostatic mesoscale Mars atmospheric model with detailed aerosol/cloud microphysics, we show that the formation of discrete afternoon clouds over Olympus Mons volcano is due to symbiosis upslope thermal flow and lee mountain wave circulation, these exhibit complex particle distributions. Furthermore, illustrate this other mountain‐induced circulations transport large quantities dust, water vapor, ice aerosol from lower altitudes into free atmosphere general circulation....
Introduction The Mars Global Digital Dune Database presents data and describes the methodology used in creating database. database provides a comprehensive quantitative view of geographic distribution moderate- to large-size dune fields from 65? N S latitude encompasses ~ 550 fields. will be expanded cover entire planet later versions. Although we have attempted include all between S, some likely been excluded for two reasons: 1) incomplete THEMIS IR (daytime) coverage may caused us exclude...
Martian aeolian dunes preserve a record of atmosphere/surface interaction on variety scales, serving as ground truth for both Global Climate Models (GCMs) and mesoscale climate models, such the Mars Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (MRAMS). We hypothesize that location dune fields, expressed globally by geographic distribution locally centroid azimuth (DCA), may long‐term integration atmospheric activity across broad area, preserving GCM‐scale trends. In contrast, individual morphology,...
Abstract The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) orbited the Moon for approximately 6 months, taking data with Experiment (LDEX), Ultraviolet‐Visible Spectrometer (UVS), Neutral Mass (NMS). Here we compare coincident LDEX measurements of meteoritic influx to exospheric column densities Na K derived by UVS. We report a strong correlation potassium meteoroid ejecta during Geminids shower, exhibiting much stronger response than sodium. With exception Geminids, find weak...