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Raymond E. Arvidson

URL: http://news-info.wustl.edu/sb/page/normal/335.html

Media Assistance:

Tony Fitzpatrick
Senior Science Editor
tony_fitzpatrick@wustl.edu
(314) 935-5272

James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor

Expertise: Mars, NASA, geology, remote sensing, solar system, venus

Bio:
Raymond Arvidson
Raymond Arvidson
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Arvidson is an interdisciplinary scientist on the Mars Global Surveyor, head of NASA's Planetary Data System Geosciences Node, a director of NASA's Regional Planetary Image Center and a deputy investigator of the Athena Mars Rover for the 2003 mission. He is deputy principal investigator for imaging and spectroscopy experiments on the 2001 Mars lander and rover and the Athena payload for the 2003 Mars rover, and he is in charge of science operations for landers and rovers in both operations. He has more than 100 publications dealing with remote sensing of Earth, Mars and Venus.

WUSTL Contact Information:
Work:(314) 935-5609
Fax:(314) 935-7361
E-mail:arvidson@wunder.wustl.edu
Address:Campus Box 1169
One Brookings Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63130

Education:


News Stories & Tip Sheets:

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"Dig Czar"

Washington University plays key role in Mars mission (http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/11875.html)

June 9, 2008 --
Image courtesy of NASA
The Phoenix Mars Lander on the northern Mars plains, searching for evidence of ice and water.
Among the many Phoenix Mars Mission workers are Raymond E. Arvidson, Ph.D., the WUSTL chair of earth and planetary sciences, a computer specialist and four WUSTL students. Their goal is to infer from images and other data the geological history of the landing site and to imply some theories about current and past climate on Mars. Will they find ice?


How green is their valley?

Phoenix mission to Mars will search for climate clues (http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/11767.html)

May 21, 2008 -- Raymond E. Arvidson, Ph.D., the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor and chair of the earth and planetary sciences department in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, and a number of his student and personnel have major roles in the Phoenix mission to Mars. The space craft lands in the northern plains on May 25, 2008, and Arvidson is a key operations manager during the critical first week of operations. (Video available)


'An amazing individual'

Steve Fossett memorial service at Washington University May 1 (http://news-info.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/11662.html)

April 28, 2008 -- A memorial service for adventurer Steve Fossett, a member of Washington University's Board of Trustees and a 1968 MBA graduate of the university's Olin Business School, will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 1, in Graham Chapel.


Dating moon rocks from the Apollo missions, and more

Earth and planetary sciences, Chinese Academy, sign research agreement (http://news-info.wustl.edu/tips/page/normal/10140.html)

Sept. 24, 2007 --
Raymond E. Arvidson, Ph.D., James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor, and chair of earth and planetary sciences (left), and Dong Shuwen, Ph.D., vice president of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, sign an agreement between Arvdison'
David Kilper/WUSTL Photo
Raymond E. Arvidson, Ph.D., James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor, and chair of earth and planetary sciences (left), and Dong Shuwen, Ph.D., vice president of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, sign an agreement between Arvdison's department and the Academy.
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Arts & Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (CAGS) have signed a research agreement that will involve collaboration on a number of research thrusts, travel between the two institutions, and eventually student exchanges that could lead to some Chinese students attaining doctorates from Washington University in St. Louis. The agreement was signed Sept. 18 at a ceremony and reception held on the third floor of the Earth and Planetary Sciences building.


Mars made accessible

New software enables easy access to huge Mars database (http://news-info.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/9780.html)

Aug. 2, 2007 --
The Mars Reconaissance Orbiter (MRO) taking pictures of Mars. Software developed by WUSTL researchers now allows viewers everywhere access to early images from the most powerful spectral camera ever sent to Mars.
Image courtesy of NASA
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) taking pictures of Mars.
A software program developed by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis is allowing access to planetary data and early images from the most powerful spectral camera ever sent to Mars. The information is now available on NASA's online planetary data archive.



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Clips:

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Phoenix's Water May Be Gumming Up the Works
Science Magazine

Aug. 8, 2008 -- The Phoenix mission's most dramatic achievement so far has been touching martian water ice. Mission investigators are now trying to decode the mysteries of alien dirt. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson, mission robotic arm co-investigator, comments.


Living on Mars time: Scientists suffer perpetual jet lag
USA Today and 1 others

July 29, 2008 -- Mars Lander mission controllers have been living on its schedule, or rather the exact opposite of it. When the spacecraft is sleeping during the Martian night, the scientists are up analyzing data; when the spacecraft rises at the beginning of the day on Mars, they retire and let Phoenix do its work.Mars' day is 40 minutes longer than Earth's, and the start of the Martian day is always changing with respect to Earth time, as a result of their respective orbital motions. Reserachers essentially change three time zones every two days, as a result. Phoenix robotic arm co-investigator and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson comments.


Tasting ice
Science News Web edition

July 21, 2008 -- Phoenix Mars Lander is ready to analyze ice if instruments work properly. "The team is totally focused on getting a rasped-up icy sample to TEGA," says mission specialist and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson. He says collecting the desired icy sample is like trying to sample the sidewalk in front of his house. "The soil is that hard," he says.



Additional Background: Professor Arvidson directs the Earth and Planetary Remote Sensing Laboratory (EPRSL). The EPRSL is involved in many aspects of NASA's planetary exploration program, including developing science objectives and plans for missions, participating in mission operations and data analysis, and archiving and distributing data relevant to characterizing and understanding planetary surfaces and interiors. Laboratory personnel have been or are currently involved in the Viking Lander, Mars Global Surveyor, Odyssey, Mars Exploration Rover, Mars Express, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Missions. Arvidson, staff, and students also participated in the Magellan Mission to Venus. Testing of prototype Mars rovers in Earth's deserts in collaboration with colleagues at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been another major focus over the past several years.

The Laboratory is the location of NASA's Planetary Data System Geosciences Node and one of NASA's Regional Planetary Image Facilities. Laboratory personnelare responsible for creating and distributing science data archives from planetary missions, working closely with the missions to ensure that the archives are complete and well-documented.

Laboratory staff and graduate student research currently focuses primarily on analyses of spaceborne observations of Mars, particularly to understand how the planet has evolved and the extent to which it was habitable. The unraveling of geological processes and defining geochemical cycles of possible biological relevance form the core of the research. Remote sensing from orbital, landed, and rover-based platforms, together with development and use of quantitative approaches for modeling the data and processes are our primary tools.

Students are also actively involved in the Laboratory as a part of innovative undergraduate courses such as the Pathfinder Program in Environmental Sustainability, in which multidisciplinary approaches to environmental problems are stressed with hands-on experience.


Related Information


Related Links:
•Arvidson's Web site (http://epsc.wustl.edu/admin/people/arvidson.html)

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