Laszlo Kestay is a planetary volcanologist at the US Geological Survey's Astrogeology Science Center.
Laszlo Kestay is a planetary volcanologist working for the US Geological Survey's Astrogeology Science Center. His last name was formerly Keszthelyi and this spelling is still used for his publications. He has worked for the USGS since 1991 but was only hired in 2003. He is member of the NASA MRO HiRISE and ESA ExoMars CaSSIS science teams.
Professional Experience
2003-present, Research Geologist, Astrogeology Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey. Studying volcanism across the Solar System with remote sensing, numerical modeling, and field studies. Involved in assessing natural resources across the Solar System and the hazards posed by meteorite impacts.
2012-2018, Science Center Director, Astrogeology Science Center U.S. Geological Survey. Manage the science center as it enables humankind's exploration of the Solar System with support for space missions from conception to beyond the grave.
2011, Associate Science Center Director for Technical Operations, Astrogeology Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey. Overseeing the technical activities (cartography, software development, computer science, data archival, etc.) in the Astrogeology Science Center.
2004-2007, Assistant Team Chief Scientist
1994-1996, NSF Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Hawaii at Manoa and U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Supervisor: Stephen Self
Education and Certifications
B.S., Mathematics, Summa Cum Laude, 1987, The University of Texas at Austin
B.S. with Honors, Geological Sciences (Geophysics Option), Summa Cum Laude, 1988, The University of Texas at Austin
M.S., Planetary Science, 1993, Caltech
Ph.D., Geology, 1994, Caltech. Thesis: On the Thermal Budget of Pahoehoe Lava Flows, Advisor: Bruce C. Murray
Science and Products
Planetary Volcanology
Terrestrial Analogs for Research and Geologic Exploration Training (TARGET)
Sensor Data from Monitoring the Cooling of the 2014-2015 Lava Flow and Hydrothermal System at Holuhraun, Iceland
Sensor Data from Monitoring the Cooling of the 2014-2015 Lava Flow and Hydrothermal System at Holuhraun, Iceland
Geologic map of the Athabasca Valles region, Mars
Geologic map of Io
The composition of Io
Assessment of lunar resource exploration in 2022
The cycles driving Io’s tectonics
hical—The HiRISE radiometric calibration software developed within the ISIS3 planetary image processing suite
A geologic field guide to S P Mountain and its lava flow, San Francisco Volcanic Field, Arizona
A numerical model for the cooling of a lava sill with heat pipe effects
Lava–water interaction and hydrothermal activity within the 2014–2015 Holuhraun Lava Flow Field, Iceland
Compositional layering in Io driven by magmatic segregation and volcanism
The flood lavas of Kasei Valles, Mars
The Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) for the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
The U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center
Feasibility study for the quantitative assessment of mineral resources in asteroids
Science and Products
- Science
Planetary Volcanology
The USGS Astrogeology Science Center conducts research on planetary volcanology. Volcanism is a key part of the chemical and thermal evolution of planetary bodies, and volcanic eruptions are one of the fundamental processes that create and alter the surface of planetary bodies. We often study volcanoes on Earth in order to better understand eruptions across the Solar System, but we also bring...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... - Data
Sensor Data from Monitoring the Cooling of the 2014-2015 Lava Flow and Hydrothermal System at Holuhraun, Iceland
This data release is a companion to Dundas et al., NNNN. Additional description of the methods and rationale for data collection is provided there. The primary data are from several categories of data-logging sensors described in detail below. Sixteen images are also included as part of this data release. These document the sensor locations as described in Dundas et al. (NNNN).Sensor Data from Monitoring the Cooling of the 2014-2015 Lava Flow and Hydrothermal System at Holuhraun, Iceland
This data release is a companion to Dundas et al., NNNN. Additional description of the methods and rationale for data collection is provided there. The primary data are from several categories of data-logging sensors described in detail below. Sixteen images are also included as part of this data release. These document the sensor locations as described in Dundas et al. (NNNN). - Maps
Geologic map of the Athabasca Valles region, Mars
This 1:1,000,000-scale geologic map of the Athabasca Valles region of Mars places the best-preserved lavas on Mars into their geologic context. The map shows vigorous geologic activity in the most recent epoch of the geologic history of Mars, which is extremely unusual for the planet. In these atypically youthful terrains, the interpretations of geologic processes are exceptionally robust for planGeologic map of Io
Io, discovered by Galileo Galilei on January 7–13, 1610, is the innermost of the four Galilean satellites of the planet Jupiter (Galilei, 1610). It is the most volcanically active object in the Solar System, as recognized by observations from six National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) spacecraft: Voyager 1 (March 1979), Voyager 2 (July 1979), Hubble Space Telescope (1990–present), Ga - Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 74
The composition of Io
Io is unlike any other body in the Solar System making questions about its chemical composition especially interesting and challenging. This chapter examines the many different, but frustratingly indirect, constraints we have on the bulk composition of this restless moon. A detailed consideration of Io’s lavas is used to illustrate how decades of research have bounded, but not pinned down, the cheAuthorsLaszlo P. Kestay, Terry-Ann SuerAssessment of lunar resource exploration in 2022
The idea of mining the Moon, once purely science-fiction, is now on the verge of becoming reality. Taking advantage of the resources on the Moon is part of the plans of many nations and some enterprising commercial entities; demonstrating in-situ (in place) resource utilization near the lunar south pole is an explicit goal of the United States’ Artemis program. Economic extraction and sustainableAuthorsLaszlo P. Keszthelyi, Joshua A. Coyan, Kristen A. Bennett, Lillian R. Ostrach, Lisa R. Gaddis, Travis S.J. Gabriel, Justin HagertyThe cycles driving Io’s tectonics
Io is famous for its active volcanoes, but its vigorous tectonics, which are unlike Earth’s plate tectonics, are no less remarkable. The nature of Io’s thick, cold, brittle lithosphere has been revealed through decades of investigations. The dynamics of this system is most easily explained by considering three cycles: magmatic, tectonic, and sulfurous. The magmatic cycle transports heat by a “heatAuthorsLaszlo P. Kestay, Windy L Jaeger, Jani Radebaughhical—The HiRISE radiometric calibration software developed within the ISIS3 planetary image processing suite
IntroductionThis report summarizes the software and algorithms that are used to calibrate images returned by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft. The instrument design and data processing methods are summarized below, followed by a description of relevant calibration data and details of the calibration procedure. IAuthorsKris J. Becker, Moses P. Milazzo, W. Alan Delamere, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Eric M. Eliason, Patrick S. Russell, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Alfred S. McEwenA geologic field guide to S P Mountain and its lava flow, San Francisco Volcanic Field, Arizona
IntroductionWe created this guide to introduce the user to the San Francisco Volcanic Field as a terrestrial analog site for planetary volcanic processes. For decades, the San Francisco Volcanic Field has been used to teach scientists to recognize the products of common types of volcanic eruptions and associated volcanic features. The volcanic processes and products observed in this volcanic fieldAuthorsAmber L. Gullikson, M. Elise Rumpf, Lauren A. Edgar, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, James A. Skinner, Lisa ThompsonA numerical model for the cooling of a lava sill with heat pipe effects
Understanding the cooling process of volcanic intrusions into wet sediments is a difficult but important problem, given the presence of extremely large temperature gradients and potentially complex water-magma interactions. This report presents a numerical model to study such interactions, including the effect of heat pipes on the cooling of volcanic intrusions. Udell (1985) has shown that heat piAuthorsKaj E. Williams, Colin M. Dundas, Laszlo P. KestayLava–water interaction and hydrothermal activity within the 2014–2015 Holuhraun Lava Flow Field, Iceland
Lava that erupted during the 2014–2015 Holuhraun eruption in Iceland flowed into a proglacial river system, resulting in aqueous cooling of the lava and an ephemeral hydrothermal system. We carried out a monitoring study of this system from 2015 to 2018 to document the cooling of the lava over this time, using thermocouple measurements and data-logging sensors. The heat loss rate from advection thAuthorsColin M. Dundas, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Einat Lev, M. Elise Rumpf, Christopher W. Hamilton, Armann Hoskuldsson, Thorvaldur ThordarsonCompositional layering in Io driven by magmatic segregation and volcanism
The compositional evolution of volcanic bodies like Io is not well understood. Magmatic segregation and volcanic eruptions transport tidal heat from Io's interior to its surface. Several observed eruptions appear to be extremely high temperature (≥ 1600 K), suggesting either very high degrees of melting, refractory source regions, or intensive viscous heating on ascent. To address this ambiguity,AuthorsDan C Spencer, Richard F. Katz, Ian J. Hewitt, David A. May, Laszlo P. KestayThe flood lavas of Kasei Valles, Mars
Both the northern and southern arms of Kasei Valles are occupied by platy-ridged flood lavas. We have mapped these flows and examined their morphology to better understand their emplacement. The lavas were emplaced as high-flux, turbulent flows (exceeding 106 m3 s−1). Lava in southern Kasei Valles can be traced back up onto the Tharsis rise, which is also the likely source of lavas in the northernAuthorsColin M. Dundas, Glen E. Cushing, Laszlo P. KestayThe 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 inAuthorsN. 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. WrayThe U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center
In 1960, Eugene Shoemaker and a small team of other scientists founded the field of astrogeology to develop tools and methods for astronauts studying the geology of the Moon and other planetary bodies. Subsequently, in 1962, the U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Astrogeology was established in Menlo Park, California. In 1963, the Branch moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, to be closer to the young lava flAuthorsLaszlo P. Kestay, R. Greg Vaughan, Lisa R. Gaddis, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, Justin HagertyFeasibility study for the quantitative assessment of mineral resources in asteroids
This study was undertaken to determine if the U.S. Geological Survey’s process for conducting mineral resource assessments on Earth can be applied to asteroids. Successful completion of the assessment, using water and iron resources to test the workflow, has resulted in identification of the minimal adjustments required to conduct full resource assessments beyond Earth. We also identify the typesAuthorsLaszlo P. Keszthelyi, Justin Hagerty, Amanda Bowers, Karl J. Ellefsen, Ian Ridley, Trude King, David Trilling, Nicholas Moskovitz, Will Grundy - News