Dr. Walter S. Kiefer
Planetary
Geophysics
E-mail: kiefer@lpi.usra.edu
My research
focuses on the internal structure and evolution of Mars and Venus. One
major area of interest is the physics of mantle convection, which is the
process of fluid flow that transports heat from a planet's interior to
its surface. Mantle convection is one of the major processes the produces
topography, tectonic deformation, and volcanism on a planet. My computer
simulations of mantle convection are tested by comparison with observations
of gravity, topography, and surface imagery obtained by NASA planetary
probes. Geochemical observations of the martian meteorites are also being
used to constrain models of convection on Mars.
The second
main emphasis of my research is using gravity and topography observations
to study the structure of the crust and lithosphere of the terrestrial
planets. These models constrain the distribution of subsurface structures
such as magma chambers and dikes that are associated with large volcanos
and rift zones. In addition, constraints on the thickness of the crust
and elastic lithosphere place constraints on the volcanic history and
thermal evolution of the planets.
Dr.
Kiefer's Planetary Geophysics Page
Last
updated
February 15, 2007
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