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Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

People

MOP2015

August 2015: Rob Wilson, Justin Holmes, Andrew Sturner, Drake Ranquist, Bob Ergun, Bill Peterson, Steve Schwartz, Julia Stawarz, David Malespina, James Davey, Logan Dougherty, Adam Woodsong, Rick Wilder, Fran Bagenal, Kaleb Bodisch.

Fran Bagenal

  • Combines data analysis and theory in study of space plasmas of the magnetospheres of the outer planets. Involved in NASA missions to planetary objects including Voyager, Galileo, Deep Space 1, New Horizons and Juno.
  • Professional Research Page

Bob Ergun

  • Studies space plasmas at Earth, Mars and Jupiter, spanning theory to flight hardware. Involved in NASA missions: FAST, THEMIS, STEREO, Juno, MAVEN, MMS and Solar Probe Plus.

David Brain

Frank Crary

  • Theory and Data analysis of Magnetospheres (and their interactions with moons) of the outer planets.

Rob Wilson

  • Does large scale data analysis of thermal plasma data from a variety of space missions and instruments in the magnetospheres of Jupiter and Saturn in order to better understand the global dynamics of outer planetary magnetospheres.
  • Full Publication History

Timothy Cassidy

  • Works on the MASCS instrument, which is studying Mercury’s tenuous atmosphere from the Messenger spacecraft. Also works on modeling neutrals in a variety of magnetospheric environments, especially H2O orbiting Saturn. Has also worked on Jupiter’s moon Europa, the moon and exoplanets.

Vincent Dols

  • Researches the interaction of magnetospheric plasma with the atmosphere of Io and the extensive consequences of this interaction.
  • Full Publication History

Alumni

Past PhD Students

Drake Ranquist (2020)

  • Thesis title: Large Scale Structure of Jupiter’s Magnetosphere and Magnetosheath
  • Investigated the Jovian magnetosheath and oblateness of Jupiter.
  • Now employed at Dynetics

Mariel Meier (2012) (nee Desroche)

  • Thesis title: Conditions at the Magnetopauses of Jupiter and Saturn and Implications for the Solar Wind Interaction
  • Modeled the interaction of the solar wind with Jupiter’s magnetosphere via reconnection and viscous processes.
  • Now on the faculty at Oglethorpe University 

Bobby Fleshman (2012)

  • Thesis title: Hot Electrons and Radial Diffusion in Saturn’s Inner Magetosphere: Modeling the Effects on Ion Chemistry
  • Modeled the evolution of material emitted from Enceladus geysers as it interacts with a co-existing population of plasma to identify the role of the Enceladus geysers and hot electrons within Saturn’s inner magnetosphere.
  • Now running McFleshman’s Brewery

Licia Ray (2010)

  • Thesis title: The Impact of Field-Aligned Potentials on Jupiter’s Auroral Emission.
  • Studied the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling systems at Jupiter and Saturn with emphasis on reconciling auroral observations with in-situ measurements of the magnetospheres.
  • Now on the faculty at Lancaster University, UK

Andrew Steffl (2005)

  • Thesis title: The Io Plasma Torus During the Cassini Encounter with Jupiter: Temporal, Radial and Azimuthal Variations.
  • Studied Cassini UVIS observations of the Io plasma torus, which he compared with a physical chemistry model.

Matt Burger (2003)

  • Thesis title: Io’s Neutral Clouds: From the Atmosphere to the Plasma Torus
  • Studied observations and numerical modeling of sodium and oxygen neutrals in Io’s exosphere and extensive neutral clouds.
  • Now working at Space Telescope Science Institute

David Brain (2002)

  • Thesis title: The Influence of Crustal Magnetic Sources on the Topology of the Martian Magnetic Environment.
  • Now at LASP – see above.

Frank Crary (1998)

  • Thesis title: Io’s Interaction with the Jovian Magnetosphere: Models of Particle Acceleration and Scattering.
  • Now at LASP – see above.

Martin Taylor (1996)

  • Thesis title: Modeling emissions from the Io plasma torus.

Jody Wilson (1996)

Sarah Gibson (1995)

Past MOP Photos

MOP team in SPSC

2014: Members of the MOP group include (front row) Bob Ergun, Fran Bagenal, Laila Andersson, (back row) Katie Goodrich, Andrew Sturner, Tim Cassidy, Emma Bunnell, Scot Siler, Chris Fowler, Karlheinz Trattner, Rob Wilson, Rick Wilder, Justin Holmes.(Courtesy LASP)Fran Bagenal

MOP2012

2012: Members of the MOP group include (front row) Mariel Desroche, Fran Bagenal, Bob Ergun, (back row) Rob Wilson, Vincent Dols, and Peter Delamere.(Courtesy LASP)