MESSENGER: MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging

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MESSENGER Science Team

MESSENGER's Science Team consists of experts in all fields of planetary science, brought together by their ability to complete the science investigations conducted by MESSENGER. The team is divided into four disciplinary groups: (1) Geochemistry, (2) Geology, (3) Geophysics, and (4) Atmosphere and Magnetosphere, with each team member given responsibility for implementation of a particular part of the mission's science plan.

Sean C. Solomon, Principal Investigator
Carnegie Institution of Washington

Sean Solomon, the Director of the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism at the Carnegie Institution of Washington since 1992, is the MESSENGER Principal Investigator. An investigator on the earlier Magellan and Mars Global Surveyor missions, he is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a past president of the American Geophysical Union. He has overall responsibility for all aspects of the mission and is a member of the Geochemistry, Geology, Geophysics, and Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Groups.

	Mario H. Acuña NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Mario Acuña is an expert in planetary magnetic fields and has been involved in numerous space missions. He contributed to the development of the Magnetometer (MAG) and will share in the analysis of its data. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group.		Daniel N. Baker University of Colorado Daniel Baker is an expert on the interactions among planetary magnetic fields, atmospheres, and the solar wind. He will lead the characterization of magnetospheric processes using Magnetometer (MAG), Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS), and Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer (EPPS) data. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group.

	Mehdi Benna NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Mehdi Benna specializes in plasma physics and planetary magnetosphere dynamics. He will develop models for Mercury’s magnetospheric structure and participate in the analysis of charged particle and magnetic field measurements from the Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer (EPPS) and the Magnetometer (MAG). Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		David T. Blewett The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory David Blewett specializes in remote sensing and geological studies of the Moon and Mercury. He will use the detailed spectral information provided by the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) to define spectral parameters that can be mapped using images collected by the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS). Member of the Geochemistry and Geology Groups. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.

	William V. Boynton University of Arizona William Boynton's background spans many disciplines of planetary science. He is a pioneer in compositional analysis from gamma-ray spectroscopy. He aided in the development of the Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) and X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS), and he will lead the analysis of geochemical remote sensing measurements. He is the chair of the Geochemistry Group.		Clark R. Chapman Southwest Research Institute Clark Chapman is an expert on impact cratering and has been involved in studies of asteroids, Mercury, the Moon, and the satellites of Jupiter. He will lead the analysis of Mercury's crater record and participate in the analysis of Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) and Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) spectral observations. Member of the Geology Group.

	Andrew F. Cheng The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Andrew Cheng studies planetary magnetospheres and how they interact with surfaces and atmospheres. He will lead the analysis of how Mercury's magnetosphere and surface interact, using Magnetometer (MAG), Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer (EPPS), and Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) data. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group.		Deborah L. Domingue The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Deborah Domingue's area of expertise is in the study of planetary surfaces through remote sensing data. She will lead the analysis of Mercury's photometric properties as a geological mapping tool and will participate in the geological and geochemical interpretation of surface images and spectrometry. Member of the Geology and Geochemistry Groups.

	Larry G. Evans Computer Sciences Corporation and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Larry Evans is an expert in gamma-ray and X-ray spectroscopy of planetary surfaces. He will utilize data returned by MESSENGER's Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) to infer the surface elemental composition of Mercury. Member of the Geochemistry Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		William C. Feldman Planetary Science Institute William Feldman is one of the world's leading experts in planetary neutron spectrometry. A veteran of the Lunar Prospector, Mars Observer, and Mars Odyssey missions, he provided the conceptual design for and contributed to the calibration of the neutron spectrometer sensor on the Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) instrument, and he will lead the analysis of data from that sensor. Member of the Geochemistry Group.

	Robert Gaskell Planetary Science Institute Robert Gaskell is an expert in determining high-resolution shape and topography from stereo-photoclinometry data. He will use images acquired by the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) to derive information on the shape, topography, and internal structure of Mercury. Member of the Geology Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		Jeffrey Gillis-Davis University of Hawaii Jeffrey Gillis-Davis specializes in using remote sensing data to study the geological evolution of the terrestrial planets. On the MESSENGER team, he will investigate the origin of Mercury's intercrater and smooth plains deposits through an integration of MESSENGER data sets. Member of the Geology and Geophysics Groups. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.

	George Gloeckler University of Michigan and University of Maryland George Gloeckler is an expert in the solar wind and other space plasmas, and he has been involved in numerous space missions. He helped to develop the Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer (EPPS) and will lead the analysis of its plasma measurements. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group.		Robert E. Gold The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Robert Gold is an expert in space plasmas. He will participate in analysis of charged particle measurements from the Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer (EPPS). Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group.

	Steven A. Hauck, II Case Western Reserve University Steven Hauck's areas of expertise are planetary geophysics and tectonics. He will synthesize MESSENGER data sets to infer the internal structure and evolution of Mercury. Member of the Geophysics Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		James W. Head III Brown University James Head is an expert in planetary morphology, volcanism, and tectonics with a long history in numerous planetary missions, beginning with Apollo. He will lead the analysis of volcanic features and age relations among different rock units. He is the chair of the Geology Group.

	Jörn Helbert Institute for Planetary Research, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt Jörn Helbert investigates planetary surfaces through infrared spectroscopy and thermal and physical modeling. Along with contributing to the study of Mercury's surface, he will work to develop cross-calibration strategies between MESSENGER and the Venus Express and BepiColombo missions of the European Space Agency. Member of the Geochemistry and Geology Groups. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		Kevin Hurley University of California, Berkeley Kevin Hurley's area of expertise is the field of cosmic gamma-ray bursts. On the MESSENGER team, he will fold observations from the Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) into an interplanetary network of cosmic gamma-ray burst detectors. Member of the Geochemistry Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.

	Catherine Johnson University of California, San Diego, and University of British Columbia Catherine Johnson is an expert in planetary magnetic and gravity fields. On the MESSENGER team, she will contribute to an understanding of Mercury's internal magnetic field. Member of the Geophysics Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		Rosemary Killen University of Maryland Rosemary Killen is an expert in the field of planetary atmospheres. She will integrate MESSENGER data to understand Mercury's exosphere, including its composition, variability, and interaction with the solar wind. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.

	Stamatios M. Krimigis The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Stamatios Krimigis is an expert in solar, interplanetary, and magnetospheric plasma physics and has been involved in numerous space missions. He will lead the analysis of Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer (EPPS) data to characterize the interaction of Mercury's magnetosphere with the solar wind. He is the chair of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group.		David J. Lawrence The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory David Lawrence is an expert in gamma-ray and neutron spectroscopy and determining planetary compositions by remote sensing. Utilizing data from the Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS), he will investigate Mercury's composition and geology. Member of the Geochemistry Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.

	Jean-Luc Margot Cornell University Jean-Luc Margot is interested in the dynamics, geophysics, and geodesy of solid planets. He is an expert on high-precision measurements of planetary rotation. His investigation will combine MESSENGER data and ground-based radar data to characterize the interior of Mercury. Member of the Geophysics Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		William McClintock University of Colorado William McClintock is an expert in upper planetary atmospheres and specializes in their measurement using ultraviolet spectroscopy. He led the development of the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) and will lead the analysis of its measurements of atmospheric composition. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group and Geochemistry Group.

	Tim McCoy Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History Tim McCoy is an expert in the study of meteorites, the mineralogy and chemistry of planetary materials, and X-ray and gamma-ray spectroscopy. As a member of the MESSENGER team, he will contribute to mapping and interpreting the mineralogy of Mercury's surface. Member of the Geochemistry Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		Ralph L. McNutt Jr. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Ralph McNutt has been involved in a broad range of space physics research and is a pioneer in solar neutrino research. He will participate in the analysis of Mercury's surface composition using X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) and Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) data. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group and Geochemistry Group.

	Scott L. Murchie The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Scott Murchie studies the surface composition of Mars, asteroids, and the Moon using imaging and spectroscopy. He led development of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) and contributes to the mission imaging strategy, and he will participate in the analysis of MDIS and Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) spectral measurements of Mercury's surface. Member of the Geochemistry Group and deputy chair of the Geology Group.		Larry R. Nittler Carnegie Institution of Washington Larry Nittler studies the compositions of planetary materials both in the laboratory and by planetary remote sensing. He will aid in the analysis and interpretation of geochemical data acquired with the X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) and Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) and will help correlate elemental abundance results with those from other instruments. Member of the Geochemistry Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.

	Jürgen Oberst Institute for Planetary Research, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt Jürgen Oberst is an expert in planetary geodesy. He will contribute to the determination of topography from stereo imaging as well as to geodesy and cartography. Member of the Geology and Geophysics Groups. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		David Paige University of California, Los Angeles David Paige studies the polar regions of terrestrial planets. He will assist in MESSENGER's exploration of the polar regions of Mercury, particularly the identification of permanently shadowed areas that have the possibility for hosting water ice. Member of the Geochemistry, Geology, and Geophysics Groups. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.

	Stanton J. Peale University of California, Santa Barbara Stanton Peale is a leading expert on planetary dynamics. He developed the technique by which MESSENGER will measure the size and state of Mercury's core. He will lead the interpretation of Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) measurements of Mercury's rotation and libration. Member of the Geophysics Group.		Roger J. Phillips Southwest Research Institute Roger Phillips studies planetary tectonics and crustal structure using geophysical techniques. He will lead the analysis of topography, tectonics, and interior dynamics using Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS), Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA), and Radio Science (RS) data. Deputy chair of the Geophysics Group.

	Michael E. Purucker Raytheon at Planetary Geodynamics Lab, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Michael Purucker is an expert in planetary magnetic fields. He will contribute to the co-estimation and interpretation of Mercury's internal and external magnetic fields. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		Mark S. Robinson Arizona State University Mark Robinson is an expert in planetary surface morphology and specializes in image analysis and stereogrammetry. He will lead the development of global image products and the analysis of Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) and Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) spectral measurements of the surface. Member of the Geochemistry and Geology Groups.

	David Schriver University of California, Los Angeles David Schriver is a specialist in the simulation of space plasma physics phenomena. On the MESSENGER team, he will conduct global hybrid simulations of solar wind interaction with Mercury's magnetosphere. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		James A. Slavin NASA Goddard Space Flight Center James Slavin is a leading expert on planetary magnetospheres and how they interact with atmospheres and the solar wind. He shared in the development of the Magnetometer (MAG) and will lead the analysis of the magnetospheric magnetic field measurements. Deputy chair of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group.

	Ann L. Sprague University of Arizona Ann Sprague is an expert in Mercury's exosphere and surface mineralogy. On the MESSENGER team, she will investigate the sources of elements measured in Mercury's exosphere and surface to probe the formation and evolution of the planet. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group and the Geochemistry Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		David E. Smith NASA Goddard Space Flight Center David Smith studies the structure and dynamics of solar system objects and specializes in techniques using gravity and laser ranging measurements. He led the development of the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) and the Radio Science (RS) investigation, and he will lead the integration of the two sets of measurements. Member of the Geophysics Group.

	Richard Starr The Catholic University of America Richard Starr is an expert in X-ray and gamma-ray spectroscopy. He will contribute to the elemental analysis of Mercury’s surface with the MESSENGER geochemistry instrument suite. Member of the Geochemistry Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		Robert G. Strom University of Arizona Robert Strom is one of the founders of modern planetary geology and is an expert in surface morphology, particularly the effects of impact cratering. He has been studying Mercury since Mariner 10. He will lead the analysis of Mercury's geologic history and will participate in the analysis of Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) spectral measurements of the surface. Member of the Geology Group.

	Jacob I. Trombka NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Jacob Trombka is a leading expert on the study of planetary surface composition using X-rays and gamma-rays. He participated in the development of the X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) and Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) and will share in the analysis of their measurements. Member of the Geochemistry Group.		Ronald J. Vervack, Jr. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Ron Vervack specializes in the study of planetary atmospheres using remote sensing data. He will participate in the planning and analysis of the observations of the exosphere as well as the modeling needed to understand Mercury's complex exospheric system. Member of the Atmosphere and Magnetosphere Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.

	Faith Vilas MMT Observatory Faith Vilas is an expert in the study of the surface compositions of airless planetary bodies. She will lead the analysis of MESSENGER data to characterize space weathering on Mercury's surface. Member of the Geochemistry and Geology Groups. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.		Thomas R. Watters Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum Thomas Watters is an expert in the field of planetary tectonics and tectonic landforms. He will contribute to the analysis of Mercury's tectonic features using images obtained from the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) and topographic data obtained from the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA). Member of the Geology Group. Selected as a Participating Scientist in 2007.

	Maria T. Zuber Massachusetts Institute of Technology Maria Zuber studies the structure and tectonics of solid solar system objects and specializes in using gravity and laser altimetry measurements to determine interior structure and evolution. She will lead the analysis of the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) data, and she is the chair of the Geophysics Group.

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