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Planetary & Space Sciences Research
AOSS is known as a leading center for the study of the Earth, the planets, other objects, and plasma regions within and beyond the solar system. Faculty members are active in space instrumentation, data analysis, computer simulation, laboratory simulation, and theory.
The associated Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL) has developed a strong reputation as one of the select few university centers able to design, construct, test and operate space flight instruments.
AOSS faculty members emphasizing planetary science seek to understand the origin and evolution of the atmospheres of the planets, of their satellites, and of comets. Those faculty emphasizing plasma phenomena in space seek to understand the space environment, including the environment near the Earth where most satellites exist, the heliospheric environment produced by the sun, and some more distant space plasma systems.
Recent research by AOSS faculty members has involved making instruments and/or interpreting data from the Galileo Jupiter mission, the Hubble Space Telescope, the CASSINI mission to Saturn and Titan, the Infrared Space Observatory, and the Voyager missions. The most recent projects involve the use of ever more advanced technologies. These include the Mercury Messenger mission, the development of advanced particle detectors and mass spectrometers, microwave detector systems, the TIMED Doppler Interferometer (TIDI), Space Tethers, and Remote Sensing Research. AOSS provides a rich intellectual environment and a tremendous opportunity for students to learn through frequent interaction with a wide range of expert colleagues.
Planetary and Space Sciences Research
