Laszlo Kestay, Ph.D.
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
Volcanic activity at Tvashtar Catena, Io
The Zamama-Thor region of Io: Insights from a synthesis of mapping, topography, and Galileo spacecraft data
Pitted cones and domes on Mars: Observations in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae using MOC, THEMIS, and TES data
Icelandic analogs to Martian flood lavas
The emplacement of pahoehoe toes: Field observations and comparison to laboratory simulations
Io after Galileo
A post-Galileo view of Io's interior
The final Galileo SSI observations of Io: Orbits G28-I33
Mapping of the Culann-Tohil region of Io from Galileo imaging data
Ridges and tidal stress on Io
Surface changes on Io during the Galileo mission
Observations and temperatures of Io's Pele Patera from Cassini and Galileo spacecraft images
Science and Products
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- Publications
Filter Total Items: 75
Volcanic activity at Tvashtar Catena, Io
Galileo's Solid State Imager (SSI) observed Tvashtar Catena four times between November 1999 and October 2001, providing a unique look at a distinctive high latitude volcanic complex on Io. The first observation (orbit I25, November 1999) resolved, for the first time, an active extraterrestrial fissure eruption; the brightness temperature was at least 1300 K. The second observation (orbit I27, FebAuthorsMoses P. Milazzo, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Jani Radebaugh, Ashley G. Davies, Elizabeth P. Turtle, Paul E. Geissler, Kenneth P. Klaasen, Julie A. Rathbun, Alfred S. McEwenThe Zamama-Thor region of Io: Insights from a synthesis of mapping, topography, and Galileo spacecraft data
We have studied data from the Galileo spacecraft's three remote sensing instruments (Solid-State Imager (SSI), Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS), and Photopolarimeter-Radiometer (PPR)) covering the Zamama–Thor region of Io's antijovian hemisphere, and produced a geomorphological map of this region. This is the third of three regional maps we are producing from the Galileo spacecraft data.AuthorsDavid A. Williams, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Paul M. Schenk, Moses P. Milazzo, Rosaly M.C. Lopes, Julie A. Rathbun, Ronald GreeleyPitted cones and domes on Mars: Observations in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae using MOC, THEMIS, and TES data
Domes and cones with summit pits located in Acidalia Planitia and Cydonia Mensae were studied using MOC and THEMIS images and a TES‐derived thermal inertia map. North of 40.5°N latitude, the features have a dome‐like morphology, and south of that latitude, the morphology is more cone‐like. Layering is apparent in the summit craters of fresher looking southern cones, and asymmetric aprons were obseAuthorsWilliam H. Farrand, Lisa R. Gaddis, Laszlo P. KeszthelyiIcelandic analogs to Martian flood lavas
We report on new field observations from Icelandic lava flows that have the same surface morphology as many Martian flood lava flows. The Martian flood lavas are characterized by a platy‐ridged surface morphology whose formation is not well understood. The examples on Mars include some of the most pristine lava on the planet and flows >1500 km long. The surfaces of the flows are characterized by (AuthorsLaszlo P. Keszthelyi, Thorvaldur Thordarson, Alfred McEwen, Henning Haack, Marie-Noelle Guilbaud, Stephen Self, Matti J. RossiThe emplacement of pahoehoe toes: Field observations and comparison to laboratory simulations
We observed active pahoehoe lobes erupted on Kilauea during May-June 1996, and found a range of emplacement styles associated with variations in local effusion rate, flow velocity, and strain rate. These emplacement styles were documented and quantified for comparison with earlier laboratory experiments.At the lowest effusion rates, velocities, and strain rates, smooth-surfaced lobes were emplacedAuthorsTracy K. P. Gregg, Laszlo P. KeszthelyiIo after Galileo
No abstract available.AuthorsElizabeth P. Turtle, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, David A. WilliamsA post-Galileo view of Io's interior
We present a self-consistent model for the interior of Io, taking the recent Galileo data into account. In this model, Io has a completely molten core, substantially molten mantle, and a very cold lithosphere. Heat from magmatic activity can mobilize volatile compounds such as SO2 in the lithosphere, and the movement of such cryogenic fluids may be important in the formation of surface features inAuthorsLaszlo P. Keszthelyi, Windy L. Jaeger, Elizabeth P. Turtle, Moses P. Milazzo, Jani RadebaughThe final Galileo SSI observations of Io: Orbits G28-I33
We present the observations of Io acquired by the Solid State Imaging (SSI) experiment during the Galileo Millennium Mission (GMM) and the strategy we used to plan the exploration of Io. Despite Galileo's tight restrictions on data volume and downlink capability and several spacecraft and camera anomalies due to the intense radiation close to Jupiter, there were many successful SSI observations duAuthorsElizabeth P. Turtle, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Alfred S. McEwen, Jani Radebaugh, Moses P. Milazzo, Damon P. Simonelli, Paul E. Geissler, David A. Williams, Jason Perry, Windy L. Jaeger, Kenneth P. Klaasen, H. Herbert Breneman, Tilmann Denk, Cynthia B. PhillipsMapping of the Culann-Tohil region of Io from Galileo imaging data
We have used Galileo spacecraft data to produce a geomorphologic map of the Culann–Tohil region of Io's antijovian hemisphere. This region includes a newly discovered shield volcano, Tsũi Goab Tholus and a neighboring bright flow field, Tsũi Goab Fluctus, the active Culann Patera and the enigmatic Tohil Mons-Radegast Patera–Tohil Patera complex. Analysis of Voyager global color and Galileo Solid-SAuthorsD.A. Williams, Paul M. Schenk, Jeffrey M. Moore, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Elizabeth P. Turtle, Windy L. Jaeger, Jani Radebaugh, Moses P. Milazzo, Rosaly M.C. Lopes, Ronald GreeleyRidges and tidal stress on Io
Sets of ridges of uncertain origin are seen in twenty-nine high-resolution Galileo images, which sample seven locales on Io. These ridges are on the order of a few kilometers in length with a spacing of about a kilometer. Within each locale, the ridges have a consistent orientation, but the orientations vary from place to place. We investigate whether these ridges could be a result of tidal flexinAuthorsGwendolyn D. Bart, Elizabeth P. Turtle, Windy L. Jaeger, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Richard GreenbergSurface changes on Io during the Galileo mission
A careful survey of Galileo SSI global monitoring images revealed more than 80 apparent surface changes that took place on Io during the 5 year period of observation, ranging from giant plume deposits to subtle changes in the color or albedo of Patera surfaces. Explosive volcanic activity was discovered at four previously unrecognized centers: an unnamed patera to the south of Karei that producedAuthorsPaul E. Geissler, Alfred McEwen, Cynthia B. Phillips, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, John SpencerObservations and temperatures of Io's Pele Patera from Cassini and Galileo spacecraft images
Pele has been the most intense high-temperature hotspot on Io to be continuously active during the Galileo monitoring from 1996–2001. A suite of characteristics suggests that Pele is an active lava lake inside a volcanic depression. In 2000–2001, Pele was observed by two spacecraft, Cassini and Galileo. The Cassini observations revealed that Pele is variable in activity over timescales of minutes,AuthorsJani Radebaugh, Alfred S. McEwen, Moses P. Milazzo, Laszlo P. Keszthelyi, Ashley G. Davies, Elizabeth P. Turtle, Douglas D. Dawson - News