Office: CAS 416A
Phone: +1 617 353 1531
Fax: +1 617 353 6463
Email: withers@bu.edu
Research Interests:
My main area of research is the upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Mars,
where I collaborate with Professor Michael Mendillo.
I analyze data and develop theoretical models to discover how solar flux,
a neutral atmosphere, magnetic fields, and an ionosphere interact under
the unique martian conditions. Other aspects of research include the
upper atmosphere and ionosphere of Venus, where many of the important
physical processes are very similar to their martian counterparts, and
the general analysis of accelerometer data from
planetary spacecraft, including aerobraking orbiters and descending
probes/landers.
I defended my PhD dissertation in March 2003. The dissertation is available online, as are a long CV, a 3 page CV, a 2 page CV, a 1 page CV, and a crude version of my lengthy resume. The purpose of the multiple CVs and crude resume is to give me a range of starting points when I need to provide a CV for a specific purpose.
Resources:
Link to publicly-available Mars Express SPICAM data.
Publicly-available software for
analyzing accelerometer data from the atmospheric entries of spacecraft.
Atmospheric profiles (density, pressure, temperature)
derived from accelerometer measurements during the
atmospheric entries of Spirit and Opportunity.
Results and software from Withers and Smith (2006).
Data products and documentation as delivered to the PDS (January 2008).
Rapid data
products from the ODY ACC experiment generated in support of MRO
aerobraking (January 2006).
Preliminary data
products from the ODY ACC experiment (December 2007).
Updated data
products from the ODY ACC experiment.
As delivered to the PDS (December 2008).
Current Projects:
Martian Upper Atmosphere and Ionosphere
Venusian Upper Atmosphere and Ionosphere
Aerobraking at Venus and Mars
Data Archiving
Employment History:
Worked with Professor
Michael Mendillo at Boston University's
Center for Space Physics as a
research associate and senior research associate, 2003 - present
Worked with Professor
Steve Bougher at the University of Arizona's
Lunar and Planetary Laboratory as a
graduate research assistant, 1998 - 2003
Worked with
Professor John Zarnecki and Beagle
2 group at the Open University in
Britain as consultant, summer 2001
Worked with Dr Greg Neumann and MOLA group at
Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics at
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center as
part of GSSP program, summer 2000
Involvement in Scientific Community and Professional
Service:
Received
University of Arizona's
Kuiper Memorial
Award (2002)
Invited presentations at
Imperial College (2001), Boston University (2003, 2004), Tufts University (2004, 2004),
Boston Museum of Science (2004), MIT (2005),
European Planetary Science Congress (2006),
University College London (2007),
University of Cologne (2007), Armagh Observatory (2008), COSPAR (2008),
Europlanet Strategic Workshop on Meteor Studies (2008)
Community Discussion Forum Moderator for
Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey (2001)
Member of Education and
Public Outreach Community Panel for
Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey (2001)2
DPS Nominating Committee (2008 - present)
Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG)
Goals Committee member (2008 - present)
Reviewer for
Advances in Space Research,
Annales Geophysicae,
Icarus,
Geophysical Research Letters,
Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets,
Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics,
Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets,
Mars,
Meteoritics and Planetary Science,
Planetary and Space Science, and
Science.
NASA Planetary Data System
and ESA Planetary Science Archive Reviewer for
Spirit and Opportunity entry datasets,
MGS Radio Science dataset,
MRO Accelerometer dataset,
Huygens Surface Science Package, Descent Trajectory Working Group,
and Housekeeping datasets,
and Rosetta Radio Science dataset.
Review panel member, NASA's Mars Data Analysis Program (twice), NASA's Venus
Express Participating Scientist Program, NASA's Planetary Atmospheres
Program, NASA's Mars Fundamental Research Program,
NASA's Planetary Instrument Definition and Development Program,
NSF's Astronomy and Astrophysics program (twice).
External reviewer for NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Participating
Scientist Program, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Participating
Scientist Program, NASA's Living With a Star Targeted Research and
Technology Program, NASA's Mars Fundamental Research Program (twice),
NASA's Moon and Mars Analogue Mission Activities program.
Convener with Mike Smith of The Martian Atmosphere in Late 2003 to Early
2004: Observations, Predictions, and Analyses, Spring AGU, 2005. Convener
with Michael Mendillo of Comparative Aeronomy
on Earth and Mars workshop, NSF/CEDAR Meeting, 2004.
Member of
American Geophysical Union's
Planetary Sciences Section since 2000
Member of
American Astronomical Society's
Division of Planetary Sciences since 2000
Member of
UK Planetary Forum since 2001
Winner of NASA's Deep Space 2
Mars Microprobes
naming
competition, 1999
Spacecraft involvement:
The
Great Escape (TGE) Radio Science Instrument (Co-I, Phase A Study)
The
Great Escape (TGE) Accelerometer Instrument (Co-I, Phase A Study)
Mars
Odyssey / Accelerometer (Co-I with ACC Participating Scientist)
Huygens
/ Surface Science
Package (Team Member)
Huygens
/ Huygens
Atmospheric Structure Instrument (ACC sub-system Team Member)
Spirit
(Member of MER Atmospheric Advisory Team, primarily involved with
accelerometer)
Opportunity
(Member of MER Atmospheric Advisory Team, primarily involved with
accelerometer)
Beagle
2 (Member of Environmental Sensor Suite Team, primarily involved with
accelerometer)
Mars 2001
Odyssey
(Student of a Member of ODY Atmospheric Advisory Group, primarily involved with
accelerometer)
Mars
Climate Orbiter
(Student of a Member of MCO Atmospheric Advisory Group, primarily involved with
accelerometer - until MCO blew up)
Mars Global
Surveyor
(Student of a Member of MGS Atmospheric Advisory Group,
primarily involved with accelerometer)
Mars Global
Surveyor / Laser
Altimeter (Summer student with MOLA Team)
Students Mentored:
Anthony Lollo,
Boston University undergraduate
research assistant (2008 - present).
Numerical simulations of the martian ionosphere -
Jointly supervised with Professor Michael Mendillo
Jeffrey Russo,
Boston University undergraduate
research assistant (2008 - present).
Comparison of SPICAM and aerobraking accelerometer measurements of the martian
upper atmosphere
Robert Pratt,
Boston University undergraduate
research assistant (2008 - present).
The effects of thermal tides on SPICAM measurements of the
martian atmosphere
Teaching Experience:
Taught AS101 Introduction to the Solar System to
18 Boston University students during Summer Session 1, 2006.
AS101 teaching materials
AS101 student evaluations
Teaching Assistant for
Jonathan Lunine's NATS 102 class, University of Arizona, fall 2000.
Teaching Assistant for John Lewis's NATS 101
class, University of Arizona, fall 1999.
Recent Papers:
Paetzold, Tellmann, Haeusler, Bird, Tyler, Christou and Withers
(2008)
A sporadic layer in the Venus lower ionosphere of meteoric origin,
Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2008GL035875, in press.
Withers, Mendillo, Hinson and Cahoy
(2008)
Physical characteristics and occurrence rates of meteoric plasma
layers detected in the martian ionosphere by the Mars Global Surveyor
Radio Science Experiment,
Journal of Geophysical Research, doi:10.1029/2008JA013636, in press.
Johnson, Amend, Steele, Bougher, Rafkin,
Withers, Plescia, Hamilton, Tripathi and Heldmann
(2008)
Mars Science Goals, Objectives, Investigations, and
Priorities: 2008,
Report from the NASA Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG)
347K
PDF
Withers
(2008)
Theoretical models of ionospheric electrodynamics and plasma
transport,
Journal of Geophysical Research, 113, A07301, doi:10.1029/2007JA012918.
3.0M
PDF
Colombatti, Withers, Ferri,
Aboudan, Ball, Bettanini, Gaborit, Harri, Hathi, Leese, Makinen, Stoppato,
Towner, Zarnecki, Angrilli and Fulchignoni
(2008)
Reconstruction of the trajectory of the Huygens probe using the Huygens
Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI),
Planetary and Space Science, 56, 586-600.
1.3M
PDF
Mendillo and Withers
(2008)
Solar flare effects upon the ionospheres of Earth and Mars,
in "Radio Sounding and Plasma Physics"
(eds. Song, Foster, Mendillo, and Bilitza),
American Institute of Physics Conference Proceedings, 974, 58-70.
2.9M
PDF
Christou, Vaubaillon, and Withers
(2008)
The P/Halley stream: meteor showers on Earth, Venus, and Mars,
Earth, Moon, and Planets, 102, 125-131.
261K
PDF
Crosby, Bothmer, Facius, Griessmeier,
Moussas, Panasyuk, Romanova, and Withers
(2008)
Interplanetary Space Weather and its Planetary Connection,
Space Weather, 6, S01003, doi:10.1029/2007SW000361.
406K
PDF
Recent Presentations:
Withers
(2008)
Mars ionospheric research at Boston University,
VEX/MEX Radio Science Team Meeting, Brussels, 15-16 November 2008
Presentation 117K PDF
Withers, Paetzold and Christou
(2008)
Meteor layers in the martian and venusian ionospheres: Their connection
to meteor showers,
Europlanet N3 4th Strategic Workshop
on Meteor Studies, Cologne, September 2008
Presentation 865K PDF
Paetzold and Withers
(2008)
Plasma layers in the terrestrial, martian and venusian ionosphere: Their
origins and physical characteristics,
Europlanet N3 4th Strategic Workshop on Meteor Studies,
Cologne, September 2008
Presentation 1.3M PDF
Christou, Griffiths, McAuliffe, Koschny, Paetzold, Oberst,
Trigo-Rodriguez, Vaubaillon, Withers, Chappelow and Patel
(2008)
A multi-instrument ExoMars study of meteoroid effects on the martian
environment,
European Planetary Science Congress, Abstract EPSC2008-A-00196
Abstract 275K PDF
Presentation not available, not lead author
Paetzold, Tellmann, Peter, Mendillo, Withers, Haeusler, Hinson
and Tyler
(2008)
The structure of the Mars ionosphere,
European Planetary Science Congress, Abstract EPSC2008-A-00348
Abstract 116K PDF
Presentation not available, not lead author
Paetzold, Tellmann, Peter, Mendillo, Withers, Haeusler, Hinson
and Tyler
(2008)
The structure of the Mars ionosphere,
37th COSPAR meeting, Montreal, Abstract C32-0010-08
Abstract 28K PDF
Presentation not available, not lead author
Withers
(2008)
Variability of the ionosphere of Mars,
37th COSPAR meeting, Montreal, Abstract C32-0011-08
Abstract 27K PDF
Presentation 3.1M PDF
Mendillo, Niehof, Garcia, Prested, McGregor, Viall,
Moore, Withers, Martinis, and Stephan
(2008)
Can Equatorial Spread-F occur on other planets?,
12th International Symposium on Equatorial Aeronomy,
18-24 May 2008, Crete, Greece.
Abstract 43K PDF
Presentation not available, not lead author
Paetzold, Tellmann, Peter, Mendillo, Withers, Hausler, Hinson, and Tyler
(2008)
The structure of the Mars ionosphere,
EGU meeting, Abstract
EGU2008-A-06804
Abstract 7K PDF
Presentation not available, not lead author
Christou, Vaubaillon and Withers
(2008)
Present and future observations of a meteor shower in
the martian atmosphere,
UK National Astronomy Meeting,
Abstract
P15/112
Abstract 2K text
Presentation not available, not lead author
Withers, Mendillo, Hinson, and Cahoy
(2008)
Morphology of meteoric plasma layers in the ionosphere of Mars as observed
by the Mars Global Surveyor Radio Science Experiment,
EGU meeting, Abstract
EGU2008-A-02893
Abstract 7K PDF
Presentation 930K PDF
Withers
(2008)
New data products from the Mars Odyssey Accelerometer: Report on
Scientific Implications, Data Processing, Validation and Archiving,
Third International Workshop on the Mars Atmosphere:
Modeling and Observations, Williamsburg, 10-13 November 2008,
Abstract #9035
Abstract 340K PDF
Presentation 442K PDF
Withers, Bendersky, Keller and Murphy
(2008)
Upper atmospheric density profiles from the Mars Odyssey Accelerometer:
Report on data processing, archiving plans, and scientific analysis,
DPS meeting, Abstract #14.07
Abstract 3K HTML
Presentation 1.0M PDF
Mueller-Wodarg, Bruinsma, Forbes, Yelle, Keating, Withers and Lopez-Valverde
(2008)
The structure of Venus' upper atmosphere and forthcoming measurements
by the Venus Express Atmospheric Drag Experiment,
37th COSPAR meeting, Montreal, Abstract C33-0023-08
Abstract 33K PDF
Presentation not available, not lead author
Keating, Mueller-Wodarg, Forbes, Yelle, Bruinsma, Withers, Lopez-Valverde,
Theriot and Bougher
(2008)
Future drag measurements from Venus Express,
37th COSPAR meeting, Montreal, Abstract C33-0024-08
Abstract 34K PDF
Presentation not available, not lead author
Withers, Barnes, Justus, Justh, Kass, Montabone and Rafkin
(2008)
Comparison of atmospheric observations and predictions for the
atmospheric entries of Spirit and Opportunity,
39th LPSC, Abstract #2175
Abstract 41K PDF
Presentation 936K PDF
Have a look at some more of my papers, projects, presentations,
proposals, and piffle.