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Chris H Okubo, PhD

Deputy Astrogeology Science Center Director and Research Operations Lead.

Chris helps to oversee management of the Astrogeology Science Center. He currently serves as chief for the Research Operations branch of the Astrogeology Science Center and continues research activities as time permits.

Chris has studied thermal characterization of pit craters on Kīlauea volcano, Hawai‘i, high resolution structural mapping in west Candor Chasma, Mars, stability analyses of Martian “gullies” and investigation of formation mechanisms and geotechnical assessments of planetary soils and rock masses. He has also studied fracture-controlled fluid flow on Mars, strain localization in porous rocks and implications for deformation band formation, structural analysis of thrust fault-related folds on Mars and satellite monitoring of active terrestrial volcanoes.

Professional Experience

  • U.S. Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center, Deputy Center Director and Research Operations Lead (2018-Present)

  • U.S. Geological Survey, Astrogeology Science Center, Research Geophysicist (2008 - 2018)

  • Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Postdoctoral Research Associate (2005 - 2008)

  • Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, Research Assistant (2000 - 2005)

  • Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawai‘i, Research Associate (1997 - 2000)

  • HiRISE Co-Investigator and theme lead for tectonic processes

  • Mission operations for the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

  • Science team member on the Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) camera for the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D., Geological Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, 2005

  • B.S., Geology & Geophysics, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, 1997

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • American Geophysical Union

  • Geological Society of America

  • Wilderness Medicine Institute

Honors and Awards

  • NASA Group Achievement award, MSL Relay Operations Team, 2014

  • NASA Group Achievement award, HiRISE Operations Team, 2011

  • NASA Early Career Fellow in Planetary Science, 2006-2010

  • Outstanding Ph.D. student in geoengineering, Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, 2004

  • Overall Outstanding Graduate, Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, 2004

Science and Products

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A photo taken from within Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube), near the summit of Kīlauea

Caves

The USGS Astrogeology Science Center conducts research on caves. In particular, we are interested in the physics of caves, which involves the application of the principles of heat transfer, mass transfer and meteorology to understand how cave climates evolve. We are also interested in caves on other planetary bodies and moons, and how they may be used as resources for future missions.
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Core Science Systems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center
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Caves

The USGS Astrogeology Science Center conducts research on caves. In particular, we are interested in the physics of caves, which involves the application of the principles of heat transfer, mass transfer and meteorology to understand how cave climates evolve. We are also interested in caves on other planetary bodies and moons, and how they may be used as resources for future missions.
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SP Crater Arizona

Terrestrial Analogs for Research and Geologic Exploration Training (TARGET)​

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Science Center (ASC) recently established the Terrestrial Analogs for Research and Geologic Exploration Training (TARGET) program. This service-oriented program is built around the recognition that the Earth is a fundamental training ground for human and robotic planetary exploration, and that ASC is in a unique position in northern Arizona with...
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Core Science Systems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center, Planetary Geologic Mapping
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Terrestrial Analogs for Research and Geologic Exploration Training (TARGET)​

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Science Center (ASC) recently established the Terrestrial Analogs for Research and Geologic Exploration Training (TARGET) program. This service-oriented program is built around the recognition that the Earth is a fundamental training ground for human and robotic planetary exploration, and that ASC is in a unique position in northern Arizona with...
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USGS Database of Mounds in Southwest Utopia Planitia Mars

Dataset contains latitude, longitude and additional attribute information for mounds in the lowlands of Mars. This version of the database contains data for mounds in the southwestern Utopia Planitia region of the martian lowlands.
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Astrogeology Science Center

Geologic map of Kalaupapa Peninsula, Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i, USA

Kalaupapa Peninsula, along the northern coast of East Moloka‘i volcano, is a remarkably well-preserved example of rejuvenated-stage volcanism from a Hawaiian volcano. Mapping of lava flows, vents and other volcanic constructs reveals a diversity of landforms on this small monogenetic basaltic shield. The late-stage lava distributary system of this shield is dominated by a prominent lava channel an
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center
Image: Candor Colles of Mars
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Candor Colles of Mars
Image: Candor Colles of Candor Chasma, Mars
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Candor Colles of Candor Chasma, Mars
Filter Total Items: 27

Analyzing spatial distributions and alignments of pitted cone features in Utopia Planitia on Mars

Martian geomorphology and surface features provide links to understanding past geologic processes such as fluid movement, local and regional tectonics, and feature formation mechanisms. Pitted cones are common features in the northern plains basins of Mars. They have been proposed to have formed from upwelling volatile-rich fluids, such as magma or water-sediment slurries. In this study, we map th
Authors
Mackenzie M. Mills, Alfred S. McEwen, Amanda N. Hughes, Ji-Eun Kim, Chris Okubo
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, National Minerals Information Center, Astrogeology Science Center

A preliminary regional geomorphologic map in Utopia Planitia of the Tianwen-1 Zhurong Landing Region

A geomorphologic map is an important step to understanding the geologic context and history of a site; here, we present an initial geomorphologic map for an area spanning 22°–26°N, 108°–112°E in the Utopia Planitia (UP) region on Mars. This site is of special interest because it contains the May 2021 landing site of the Zhurong rover from Tianwen-1. Utopia Planitia exhibits many lobate features th
Authors
Mackenzie M Mills, Alfred S. McEwen, Chris Okubo
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

Clastic pipes and mud volcanism across Mars: Terrestrial analog evidence of past Martian groundwater and subsurface fluid mobilization

Clastic pipes are cylindrical injection features that vertically crosscut bedding with sharp contacts. Terrestrial pipes have cylindrical morphologies, massive or radially graded interiors, and raised outer rims. Increased grain size and subsequent cementation along the more porous edges makes the rims more resistant to weathering. Pipes have crosscutting relationships with other pipes due to mult
Authors
D. F. Wheatley, M. A. Chan, Chris Okubo
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

The Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) for the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

The Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) is the main imaging system onboard the European Space Agency’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) which was launched on 14 March 2016. CaSSIS is intended to acquire moderately high resolution (4.6 m/pixel) targeted images of Mars at a rate of 10–20 images per day from a roughly circular orbit 400 km above the surface. Each image can be acquired in
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N. Thomas, G. Cremonese, R. Ziethe, M. Gerber, M. Brändli, G. Bruno, M. Erismann, L. Gambicorti, T. Gerber, K. Ghose, M. Gruber, P. Gubler, H. Mischler, J. Jost, D. Piazza, A. Pommerol, M. Rieder, V. Roloff, A. Servonet, W. Trottmann, T. Uthaicharoenpong, C. Zimmermann, D. Vernani, M. Johnson, E. Pelò, T. Weigel, J. Viertl, N. De Roux, P. Lochmatter, G. Sutter, A. Casciello, T. Hausner, I. Ficai Veltroni, V. Da Deppo, P. Orleanski, W. Nowosielski, T. Zawistowski, S. Szalai, B. Sodor, S. Tulyakov, G. Troznai, M. Banaskiewicz, J.C. Bridges, S. Byrne, S. Debei, M. R. El-Maarry, E. Hauber, C.J. Hansen, A. Ivanov, L. Keszthelyil, Randolph L. Kirk, R. Kuzmin, N. Mangold, L. Marinangeli, W. J. Markiewicz, M. Massironi, A. S. McEwen, Chris H. Okubo, L.L. Tornabene, P. Wajer, J.J. Wray
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

Martian cave air-movement via Helmholtz resonance

Infrasonic resonance has previously been measured in terrestrial caves by other researchers, where Helmholtz resonance has been suggested as the plausible mechanism resulting in periodic wind reversals within cave entrances. We extend this reasoning to possible Martian caves, where we examine the characteristics of four atypical pit craters (APCs) on Tharsis, suggested as candidate cave entrance l
Authors
Kaj E. Williams, Timothy N. Titus, Chris Okubo, Glen E. Cushing
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Core Science Systems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

Pleistocene Lake Bonneville as an analog for extraterrestrial lakes and oceans

Geomorphic confirmation for a putative ancient Mars ocean relies on analog comparisons of coastal-like features such as shoreline feature attributes and temporal scales of process formation. Pleistocene Lake Bonneville is one of the few large, geologically young, terrestrial lake systems that exemplify well-preserved shoreline characteristics that formed quickly, on the order of a thousand years o
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M.A. Chan, P. Jewell, T. J. Parker, J. Ormo, Chris Okubo, G. Komatsu
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

The central uplift of Ritchey crater, Mars

Ritchey crater is a ∼79 km diameter complex crater near the boundary between Hesperian ridged plains and Noachian highland terrain on Mars (28.8°S, 309.0°E) that formed after the Noachian. High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images of the central peak reveal fractured massive bedrock and megabreccia with large clasts. Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) spe
Authors
Ning Ding, Veronica J. Bray, Alfred S. McEwen, Sarah S. Mattson, Chris H. Okubo, Matthew Chojnacki, Livio L. Tornabene
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

Atypical pit craters on Mars: new insights from THEMIS, CTX and HiRISE observations

More than 100 pit craters in the Tharsis region of Mars exhibit morphologies, diameters and thermal behaviors that diverge from the much larger bowl-shaped pit craters that occur in most regions across Mars. These Atypical Pit Craters (APCs) generally have sharp and distinct rims, vertical or overhanging walls that extend down to their floors, surface diameters of ~50-350 m, and high depth-to-diam
Authors
Glen Cushing, Chris H. Okubo, Timothy N. Titus
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

Fault populations

No abstract available.
Authors
Richard A. Schultz, Roger Soliva, Chris Okubo, Daniel Mège
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

Utah's geologic and geomorphic analogs to Mars—An overview for planetary exploration

Utah offers spectacular geologic features and valuable analog environments and processes for Mars studies. Horizontal strata of the Colorado Plateau are analogous to Mars because the overprint of plate tectonics is minimal, yet the effects of strong ground motion from earthquakes or impacts are preserved in the sedimentary record. The close proximity of analog environments and lack of vegetative c
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Marjorie A. Chan, Kathleen Nicoll, Jens Ormö, Chris Okubo, Goro Komatsu
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

Constraints on mechanisms for the growth of gully alcoves in Gasa crater, Mars, from two-dimensional stability assessments of rock slopes

The value of slope stability analyses for gaining insight into the geologic conditions that would facilitate the growth of gully alcoves on Mars is demonstrated in Gasa crater. Two-dimensional limit equilibrium methods are used in conjunction with high-resolution topography derived from stereo High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) imagery. These analyses reveal three conditions that
Authors
Chris H. Okubo, Livio L. Tornabene, Nina L. Lanza
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center

The indication of Martian gully formation processes by slope-area analysis

The formation process of recent gullies on Mars is currently under debate. This study aims to discriminate between the proposed formation processes - pure water flow, debris flow and dry mass wasting - through the application of geomorphological indices commonly used in terrestrial geomorphology. High-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of Earth and Mars were used to evaluate the drainage c
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Susan J. Conway, Matthew R. Balme, John B. Murray, Martin C. Towner, Chris Okubo, Peter M. Grindrod
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Astrogeology Science Center
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New USGS Maps of Mars Reveal Ancient Oases

A new set of high-resolution geologic maps reveal complex geologic processes that suggest a dynamic, wet environment once existed on early Mars...

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Science and Products

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government