Michael Bland, Ph.D.
Mike Bland is a research space scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey Astrogeology Science Center. His interests primarily lie in combining numerical models with planetary datasets to understand the thermal and tectonic evolution of ice-rich bodies.
Past and current research areas include:
- The mechanics of rifting in ice lithospheres (e.g., Ganymede and Enceladus)
- The formation of contractional features on icy bodies (e.g., Europa, Enceladus, Titan)
- Crater modification due to viscous relaxation (Enceladus and Ceres)
- Mountain formation on Io
- Differentiation of large icy satellites (Ganymede and Titan)
- Production of Ganymede's magnetic field
Professional Experience
Dawn at Ceres Guest Investigator
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Planetary Science, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ (2008)
BA Physics/Geology, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter MN (2002)
Honors and Awards
First Decade Award, Gustavus Adolphus College (2012)
NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (2007)
Gerard P. Kuiper Award, University of Arizona (2007)
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 37
Morphological indicators of a mascon beneath Ceres' largest crater, Kerwan Morphological indicators of a mascon beneath Ceres' largest crater, Kerwan
Gravity data of Ceres returned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Dawn spacecraft is consistent with a lower density crust of variable thickness overlying a higher density mantle. Crustal thickness variations can affect the long‐term, postimpact modification of impact craters on Ceres. Here we show that the unusual morphology of the 280 km diameter crater Kerwan may...
Authors
Michael Bland, Anton Ermakov, Carol Raymond, David A. Williams, Tim Bowling, F. Preusker, Ryan S. Park, Simone Marchi, Julie Castillo-Rogez, R.R. Fu, Christopher Russell
Evidence for the interior evolution of Ceres from geologic analysis of fractures Evidence for the interior evolution of Ceres from geologic analysis of fractures
Ceres is the largest asteroid belt object, and the Dawn spacecraft observed Ceres since 2015. Dawn observed two morphologically distinct linear features on Ceres's surface: secondary crater chains and pit chains. Pit chains provide unique insights into Ceres's interior evolution. We interpret pit chains called the Samhain Catenae as the surface expression of subsurface fractures. Using...
Authors
Jennifer Scully, Debra Buczkowski, Nico Schmedemann, Carol Raymond, Julie C. Castillo-Rogez, Scott King, Michael Bland, Anton Ermakov, D.P. O’Brien, S. Marchi, A. Longobardo, C.T. Russell, R.R. Fu, M. Neveu
Viscous relaxation as a prerequisite for tectonic resurfacing on Ganymede: Insights from numerical models of lithospheric extension Viscous relaxation as a prerequisite for tectonic resurfacing on Ganymede: Insights from numerical models of lithospheric extension
Ganymede’s bright terrain formed during a near-global resurfacing event (or events) that produced both heavily tectonized and relatively smooth terrains. The mechanism(s) by which resurfacing occurred on Ganymede (e.g., cryovolcanic or tectonic), and the relationship between the older, dark and the younger, bright terrain are fundamental to understanding the geological evolution of the...
Authors
Michael Bland, William McKinnon
The interior structure of Ceres as revealed by surface topography The interior structure of Ceres as revealed by surface topography
Ceres, the largest body in the asteroid belt (940 km diameter), provides a unique opportunity to study the interior structure of a volatile-rich dwarf planet. Variations in a planetary body's subsurface rheology and density affect the rate of topographic relaxation. Preferential attenuation of long wavelength topography (≥150 km) on Ceres suggests that the viscosity of its crust...
Authors
Roger R. Fu, Anton Ermakov, Simone Marchi, Julie C. Castillo-Rogez, Carol Raymond, Bradford Hager, Maria Zuber, Scott D. King, Michael Bland, Maria De Sanctis, Frank Preusker, Ryan S. Park, Christopher Russell
Pitted terrains on (1) Ceres and implications for shallow subsurface volatile distribution Pitted terrains on (1) Ceres and implications for shallow subsurface volatile distribution
Prior to the arrival of the Dawn spacecraft at Ceres, the dwarf planet was anticipated to be ice-rich. Searches for morphological features related to ice have been ongoing during Dawn's mission at Ceres. Here we report the identification of pitted terrains associated with fresh Cerean impact craters. The Cerean pitted terrains exhibit strong morphological similarities to pitted materials
Authors
H.G. Sizemore, Thomas Platz, Norbert Schorghofer, Thomas Prettyman, Maria Christina De Sanctis, David Crown, Nico Schmedemann, Andeas Nessemann, Thomas Kneissl, Simone Marchi, Paul Schenk, Michael Bland, B.E. Schmidt, Kynan Hughson, F. Tosi, F Zambon, S.C. Mest, R.A. Yingst, D.A. Williams, C.T. Russell, C.A. Raymond
Viscous relaxation of Ganymede's impact craters: Constraints on heat flux Viscous relaxation of Ganymede's impact craters: Constraints on heat flux
Measurement of crater depths in Ganymede’s dark terrain have revealed substantial numbers of unusually shallow craters indicative of viscous relaxation [see companion paper: Singer, K.N., Schenk, P. M., Bland, M.T., McKinnon, W.B., (2017). Relaxed impact craters on Ganymede: Regional variations and high heat flow. Icarus, submitted]. These viscously relaxed craters provide insight into...
Authors
Michael Bland, Kelsi Singer, William McKinnon, Paul Schenk
Geomorphological evidence for ground ice on dwarf planet Ceres Geomorphological evidence for ground ice on dwarf planet Ceres
Five decades of observations of Ceres suggest that the dwarf planet has a composition similar to carbonaceous meteorites and may have an ice-rich outer shell protected by a silicate layer. NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has detected ubiquitous clays, carbonates and other products of aqueous alteration across the surface of Ceres, but surprisingly it has directly observed water ice in only a few...
Authors
Britney Schmidt, Kynan Hughson, Heather Chilton, Jennifer Scully, Thomas Platz, Andreas Nathues, Hanna Sizemore, Michael Bland, Shane Byrne, Simone Marchi, David O'Brien, Norbert Schorghofer, Harald Hiesinger, Ralf Jaumann, Jan Hendrick Pasckert, Justin Lawrence, Debra Buzckowski, Julie C. Castillo-Rogez, Mark Sykes, Paul M. Schenk, Maria-Cristina DeSanctis, Giuseppe Mitri, Michelangelo Formisano, Jian-Yang Li, Vishnu Reddy, Lucille Le Corre, Christopher Russell, Carol Raymond
The vanishing cryovolcanoes of Ceres The vanishing cryovolcanoes of Ceres
Ahuna Mons is a 4 km tall mountain on Ceres interpreted as a geologically young cryovolcanic dome. Other possible cryovolcanic features are more ambiguous, implying that cryovolcanism is only a recent phenomenon or that other cryovolcanic structures have been modified beyond easy identification. We test the hypothesis that Cerean cryovolcanic domes viscously relax, precluding ancient...
Authors
Michael Sori, Shane Byrne, Michael Bland, Ali Bramson, Anton Ermakov, Christoper Hamilton, Katharina Otto, Ottaviano Ruesch, Christopher Russell
The missing large impact craters on Ceres The missing large impact craters on Ceres
Asteroids provide fundamental clues to the formation and evolution of planetesimals. Collisional models based on the depletion of the primordial main belt of asteroids predict 10–15 craters >400 km should have formed on Ceres, the largest object between Mars and Jupiter, over the last 4.55 Gyr. Likewise, an extrapolation from the asteroid Vesta would require at least 6–7 such basins...
Authors
S. Marchi, A. Ermakov, C.A. Raymond, R.R. Fu, D.P. O’Brien, Michael Bland, E. Ammannito, De Sanctis, Tim Bowling, P. Schenk, J.E.C. Scully, D.L. Buczkowski, D.A. Williams, H. Hiesinger, C.T. Russell
Composition and structure of the shallow subsurface of Ceres revealed by crater morphology Composition and structure of the shallow subsurface of Ceres revealed by crater morphology
Before NASA’s Dawn mission, the dwarf planet Ceres was widely believed to contain a substantial ice-rich layer below its rocky surface. The existence of such a layer has significant implications for Ceres’s formation, evolution, and astrobiological potential. Ceres is warmer than icy worlds in the outer Solar System and, if its shallow subsurface is ice-rich, large impact craters are...
Authors
Michael Bland, Carol A. Raymond, Paul Schenk, Roger Fu, Thomas Kneisl, Jan Hendrick Pasckert, Harald Hiesinger, Frank Preusker, Ryan Park, Simone Marchi, Scott King, Julie C. Castillo-Rogez, Christopher T. Russell
Mountain building on Io driven by deep faulting Mountain building on Io driven by deep faulting
Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io possesses some of the highest relief in the Solar System: massive, isolated mountain blocks that tower up to 17 km above the surrounding plains. These mountains are likely to result from pervasive compressive stresses induced by subsidence of the surface beneath the near-continual emplacement of volcanic material. The stress state that results from subsidence...
Authors
Michael Bland, William B. McKinnon
Constraining the heat flux between Enceladus’ tiger stripes: numerical modeling of funiscular plains formation Constraining the heat flux between Enceladus’ tiger stripes: numerical modeling of funiscular plains formation
The Cassini spacecraft’s Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) has observed at least 5 GW of thermal emission at Enceladus’ south pole. The vast majority of this emission is localized on the four long, parallel, evenly-spaced fractures dubbed tiger stripes. However, the thermal emission from regions between the tiger stripes has not been determined. These spatially localized regions...
Authors
Michael Bland, William B. McKinnon, Paul M. Schenk
Non-USGS Publications**
Bland, M. T. 2013. Predicted crater morphologies on Ceres: Probing internal structure and evolution. Icarus, 226, 510-521.
Bland, M. T. and McKinnon, W. B., 2013. Does folding accommodate Europa’s contractional strain? The effect of surface temperature on fold formation in ice lithospheres. Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 2534-2538, doi:10.1002/grl.50506.
Bland, M. T., and McKinnon, W. B., 2012. Forming Europa’s folds: Strain requirements for the production of large-amplitude deformation. Icarus,221, 694-709.
Bland, M. T., Singer, K. S., McKinnon, W. B., and Schenk, P. M. 2012. Enceladus’ extreme heat flux as revealed by its relaxed craters. Geo. Res. Lett., 39, L17204, doi:10.1029/2012GL052736.
Bland, M. T., McKinnon, W. B., and Showman, A. P., 2010. The effects of strain localization on the formation of Ganymede’s grooved terrain. Icarus, 210, 396-410.
Bland, M. T., Showman, A. P., and Tobie, G., 2009. The orbital-thermal evolution and global expansion of Ganymede. Icarus, 200, 207-221.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 37
Morphological indicators of a mascon beneath Ceres' largest crater, Kerwan Morphological indicators of a mascon beneath Ceres' largest crater, Kerwan
Gravity data of Ceres returned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Dawn spacecraft is consistent with a lower density crust of variable thickness overlying a higher density mantle. Crustal thickness variations can affect the long‐term, postimpact modification of impact craters on Ceres. Here we show that the unusual morphology of the 280 km diameter crater Kerwan may...
Authors
Michael Bland, Anton Ermakov, Carol Raymond, David A. Williams, Tim Bowling, F. Preusker, Ryan S. Park, Simone Marchi, Julie Castillo-Rogez, R.R. Fu, Christopher Russell
Evidence for the interior evolution of Ceres from geologic analysis of fractures Evidence for the interior evolution of Ceres from geologic analysis of fractures
Ceres is the largest asteroid belt object, and the Dawn spacecraft observed Ceres since 2015. Dawn observed two morphologically distinct linear features on Ceres's surface: secondary crater chains and pit chains. Pit chains provide unique insights into Ceres's interior evolution. We interpret pit chains called the Samhain Catenae as the surface expression of subsurface fractures. Using...
Authors
Jennifer Scully, Debra Buczkowski, Nico Schmedemann, Carol Raymond, Julie C. Castillo-Rogez, Scott King, Michael Bland, Anton Ermakov, D.P. O’Brien, S. Marchi, A. Longobardo, C.T. Russell, R.R. Fu, M. Neveu
Viscous relaxation as a prerequisite for tectonic resurfacing on Ganymede: Insights from numerical models of lithospheric extension Viscous relaxation as a prerequisite for tectonic resurfacing on Ganymede: Insights from numerical models of lithospheric extension
Ganymede’s bright terrain formed during a near-global resurfacing event (or events) that produced both heavily tectonized and relatively smooth terrains. The mechanism(s) by which resurfacing occurred on Ganymede (e.g., cryovolcanic or tectonic), and the relationship between the older, dark and the younger, bright terrain are fundamental to understanding the geological evolution of the...
Authors
Michael Bland, William McKinnon
The interior structure of Ceres as revealed by surface topography The interior structure of Ceres as revealed by surface topography
Ceres, the largest body in the asteroid belt (940 km diameter), provides a unique opportunity to study the interior structure of a volatile-rich dwarf planet. Variations in a planetary body's subsurface rheology and density affect the rate of topographic relaxation. Preferential attenuation of long wavelength topography (≥150 km) on Ceres suggests that the viscosity of its crust...
Authors
Roger R. Fu, Anton Ermakov, Simone Marchi, Julie C. Castillo-Rogez, Carol Raymond, Bradford Hager, Maria Zuber, Scott D. King, Michael Bland, Maria De Sanctis, Frank Preusker, Ryan S. Park, Christopher Russell
Pitted terrains on (1) Ceres and implications for shallow subsurface volatile distribution Pitted terrains on (1) Ceres and implications for shallow subsurface volatile distribution
Prior to the arrival of the Dawn spacecraft at Ceres, the dwarf planet was anticipated to be ice-rich. Searches for morphological features related to ice have been ongoing during Dawn's mission at Ceres. Here we report the identification of pitted terrains associated with fresh Cerean impact craters. The Cerean pitted terrains exhibit strong morphological similarities to pitted materials
Authors
H.G. Sizemore, Thomas Platz, Norbert Schorghofer, Thomas Prettyman, Maria Christina De Sanctis, David Crown, Nico Schmedemann, Andeas Nessemann, Thomas Kneissl, Simone Marchi, Paul Schenk, Michael Bland, B.E. Schmidt, Kynan Hughson, F. Tosi, F Zambon, S.C. Mest, R.A. Yingst, D.A. Williams, C.T. Russell, C.A. Raymond
Viscous relaxation of Ganymede's impact craters: Constraints on heat flux Viscous relaxation of Ganymede's impact craters: Constraints on heat flux
Measurement of crater depths in Ganymede’s dark terrain have revealed substantial numbers of unusually shallow craters indicative of viscous relaxation [see companion paper: Singer, K.N., Schenk, P. M., Bland, M.T., McKinnon, W.B., (2017). Relaxed impact craters on Ganymede: Regional variations and high heat flow. Icarus, submitted]. These viscously relaxed craters provide insight into...
Authors
Michael Bland, Kelsi Singer, William McKinnon, Paul Schenk
Geomorphological evidence for ground ice on dwarf planet Ceres Geomorphological evidence for ground ice on dwarf planet Ceres
Five decades of observations of Ceres suggest that the dwarf planet has a composition similar to carbonaceous meteorites and may have an ice-rich outer shell protected by a silicate layer. NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has detected ubiquitous clays, carbonates and other products of aqueous alteration across the surface of Ceres, but surprisingly it has directly observed water ice in only a few...
Authors
Britney Schmidt, Kynan Hughson, Heather Chilton, Jennifer Scully, Thomas Platz, Andreas Nathues, Hanna Sizemore, Michael Bland, Shane Byrne, Simone Marchi, David O'Brien, Norbert Schorghofer, Harald Hiesinger, Ralf Jaumann, Jan Hendrick Pasckert, Justin Lawrence, Debra Buzckowski, Julie C. Castillo-Rogez, Mark Sykes, Paul M. Schenk, Maria-Cristina DeSanctis, Giuseppe Mitri, Michelangelo Formisano, Jian-Yang Li, Vishnu Reddy, Lucille Le Corre, Christopher Russell, Carol Raymond
The vanishing cryovolcanoes of Ceres The vanishing cryovolcanoes of Ceres
Ahuna Mons is a 4 km tall mountain on Ceres interpreted as a geologically young cryovolcanic dome. Other possible cryovolcanic features are more ambiguous, implying that cryovolcanism is only a recent phenomenon or that other cryovolcanic structures have been modified beyond easy identification. We test the hypothesis that Cerean cryovolcanic domes viscously relax, precluding ancient...
Authors
Michael Sori, Shane Byrne, Michael Bland, Ali Bramson, Anton Ermakov, Christoper Hamilton, Katharina Otto, Ottaviano Ruesch, Christopher Russell
The missing large impact craters on Ceres The missing large impact craters on Ceres
Asteroids provide fundamental clues to the formation and evolution of planetesimals. Collisional models based on the depletion of the primordial main belt of asteroids predict 10–15 craters >400 km should have formed on Ceres, the largest object between Mars and Jupiter, over the last 4.55 Gyr. Likewise, an extrapolation from the asteroid Vesta would require at least 6–7 such basins...
Authors
S. Marchi, A. Ermakov, C.A. Raymond, R.R. Fu, D.P. O’Brien, Michael Bland, E. Ammannito, De Sanctis, Tim Bowling, P. Schenk, J.E.C. Scully, D.L. Buczkowski, D.A. Williams, H. Hiesinger, C.T. Russell
Composition and structure of the shallow subsurface of Ceres revealed by crater morphology Composition and structure of the shallow subsurface of Ceres revealed by crater morphology
Before NASA’s Dawn mission, the dwarf planet Ceres was widely believed to contain a substantial ice-rich layer below its rocky surface. The existence of such a layer has significant implications for Ceres’s formation, evolution, and astrobiological potential. Ceres is warmer than icy worlds in the outer Solar System and, if its shallow subsurface is ice-rich, large impact craters are...
Authors
Michael Bland, Carol A. Raymond, Paul Schenk, Roger Fu, Thomas Kneisl, Jan Hendrick Pasckert, Harald Hiesinger, Frank Preusker, Ryan Park, Simone Marchi, Scott King, Julie C. Castillo-Rogez, Christopher T. Russell
Mountain building on Io driven by deep faulting Mountain building on Io driven by deep faulting
Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io possesses some of the highest relief in the Solar System: massive, isolated mountain blocks that tower up to 17 km above the surrounding plains. These mountains are likely to result from pervasive compressive stresses induced by subsidence of the surface beneath the near-continual emplacement of volcanic material. The stress state that results from subsidence...
Authors
Michael Bland, William B. McKinnon
Constraining the heat flux between Enceladus’ tiger stripes: numerical modeling of funiscular plains formation Constraining the heat flux between Enceladus’ tiger stripes: numerical modeling of funiscular plains formation
The Cassini spacecraft’s Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) has observed at least 5 GW of thermal emission at Enceladus’ south pole. The vast majority of this emission is localized on the four long, parallel, evenly-spaced fractures dubbed tiger stripes. However, the thermal emission from regions between the tiger stripes has not been determined. These spatially localized regions...
Authors
Michael Bland, William B. McKinnon, Paul M. Schenk
Non-USGS Publications**
Bland, M. T. 2013. Predicted crater morphologies on Ceres: Probing internal structure and evolution. Icarus, 226, 510-521.
Bland, M. T. and McKinnon, W. B., 2013. Does folding accommodate Europa’s contractional strain? The effect of surface temperature on fold formation in ice lithospheres. Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 2534-2538, doi:10.1002/grl.50506.
Bland, M. T., and McKinnon, W. B., 2012. Forming Europa’s folds: Strain requirements for the production of large-amplitude deformation. Icarus,221, 694-709.
Bland, M. T., Singer, K. S., McKinnon, W. B., and Schenk, P. M. 2012. Enceladus’ extreme heat flux as revealed by its relaxed craters. Geo. Res. Lett., 39, L17204, doi:10.1029/2012GL052736.
Bland, M. T., McKinnon, W. B., and Showman, A. P., 2010. The effects of strain localization on the formation of Ganymede’s grooved terrain. Icarus, 210, 396-410.
Bland, M. T., Showman, A. P., and Tobie, G., 2009. The orbital-thermal evolution and global expansion of Ganymede. Icarus, 200, 207-221.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.