Lunar and Planetary Institute
Lunar and Planetary Institute
March 2011 Scientific Staff Highlights Archive

Scientific Staff Highlights


Lunar and Planetary Science Conference: LPI Scientist Presentations

The LPI science staff was prominent at the 2011 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, the premier event showcasing studies of the Moon, planets, solar system, and exoplanets. The staff scientist presented 73 talks and posters, on topics that included: icy satellites, lunar geology, mission planning, the Venus atmosphere, remote sensing, and planetary geophysics.


Lunar and Planetary Science Conference: LPI Scientists Chair Sessions

Scientists of the LPI acted as co-chairs of many sessions at the LPSC. Chairing a session provides significant visibility for the scientist, the LPI, and USRA.

Dr. D. Kring: “Terrestrial Impact Craters”
Dr. S.Clifford: “Cryospheres Ii & III: Martian Ground Ice And Associated Landforms & Active Ice Processes”
Dr. J. Gross: “Formation And Evolution Of The Moon Ii: Lunar Magma Ocean Crystallization And Primary Crust Production”
Dr. W. Kiefer: “Planetary Dynamics and Tectonics.”
Dr. G. Kramer: “Lunar Surface and Volatiles: Interaction with the Space Environment”
Dr. K. Joy: “Lunar Impacts I: Timing and Causes of Lunar Bombardment”


Web Video Interviews

Dr. Juliane Gross, post-doctoral fellow, starred in a video interview about her work in planetary science.
Dr. David Kring, senior staff scientist, gave a vodcast about “Impact Bombardment on the Moon and Throughout the Solar System,” which is available for download.


LPI Scientists Submit Proposals to Become Participating Scientists with the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Spacecraft Mission

Four scientists associated with the LPI have submitted proposals to act as participating scientists on the MSL Mars rover Mission. If all were funded, they would account for over $1,000,000 to LPI/USRA. These were

Dr. O. Abramov: “Assessing the Extent of Hydrothermal Alteration at MSL Landing Sites with Numerical Modeling and Instrument Investigations.”
Dr. Q. Fu: “Carbon isotope signatures of abiotic methane generation and oxidation processes on Mars.”
Dr. D. Archer: “Exploring the Survivability and Origin of Putative Martian Organics with MSL”
Dr. J. Park: “In-situ noble Gas Compositions and Isotopic Analysis of Martian Atmosphere and Surface Rocks/Soils by the Mars Science Laboratory SAM Instrument Suite.”


Funded Grant Proposal

Dr. Stephen Clifford, senior staff scientist, received word that NASA MDAP (Mars Data Analysis Program) will fund his proposal “Organization of the 5th Mars Polar Conference, 3rd Early Mars Conference, and Related Tasks.”


ESA Spacecraft Mission Participation

Dr. Stephen Clifford, senior staff scientist, participated in two conferences on ESA spacecraft mission instruments: on the WISDOM ground-penetrating radar instrument at LATMOS (Guyancourt, France); and the CONSERT instrument  team meeting in Grenoble.


LPI Science Staff Research Progress — March 2011

Abramov O., and Mojzsis S. (2011) Abodes for life in carbonaceous asteroids? Icarus.

Kramer G., Besse S., Nettles J., Combe J.P., Clark R.N., Pieters C.M., Staid M.I., Malaret E., Boardman J., Green R.O., McCord T., and Head J.W.III (2011) Newer views of the Moon: Comparing spectra from Clementine and the Moon Mineralogy Mapper Journal of Geophysical Research, doi:10.1029/2010JE003669, in press.


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The LPI is managed by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), a national, nonprofit consortium of universities chartered in 1969 by the National Academy of Sciences at the request of NASA. USRA operates programs and institutes focused on research and education in most of the disciplines engaged in space-related science and engineering. Institutional membership in USRA now stands at 105 leading research universities.

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Scientific Staff Highlights Archive

Last updated June 29, 2011