Randolph L Kirk, Ph.D.
Randolph Kirk’s research interests span both geoscience and mapping of planetary bodies. He has participated in many missions to the Moon, Venus, Mars, asteroids, comets, and icy satellites. He helped direct planetary mapping at the USGS since the early 1990s, and has developed practical methods for topomapping by shape from shading and by adapting commercial stereo workstations to planetary use.
Recent Accomplishments
- In 2020, NASA's Mars 2020 rover Perseverance landed in Jezero crater at a site mapped by the Astrogeology Science Center. Perseverence was the ninth Mars lander or rover to go to a site we mapped, all of which landed successfully. (Starting in 1962, 10 Mars landings attempted without USGS mapping failed for a variety of reasons. Just days before Perseverence the Chinese landerTianwen-1 became the first such mission to succeed.) Perseverance also carried our maps onboard and used them to guide its final descent, a technological first.
- We are helping to design and caibrate the Europa Imaging System (EIS) cameras for NASA's Europa Clipper mission and to develop software and procedures for making controlled image and topographic maps. As part of this task, we invented and demonstrated a new technique for correcting distortions in frame images that are read out line-by-line so that they can be used for precision mapping.
- We have used stereo images of Mars obtained by different cameras with pixel scales differing up to 50x to assess the resolution and precision of digital topographic models obtained under real-world (Mars) conditions. We are currently using similar techniques with images of Earth’s Moon to quantify how topographic models can be improved by photoclinometry (shape from shading) techniques using one or multiple images.
Education
- Ph.D., Planetary Science, Minor in Physics, California Institute of Technology, January 1987
- M.S., Planetary Science, California Institute of Technology, June 1984
- B.S., Physics, Stanford University, June 1981
Space Mission Participation
- Member, Europa Imaging System Science Team, May 2015–Present
- Member, ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter CaSSIS Science Team, August 2010–Present
- Member, LRO and Chandrayaan-1 Mini-RF Science Teams, July 2006–Present
- Member, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE Science Team, December 2001–Present
- Member, Mars Exploration Rovers Science Team, August 2000–June 2018
- Associate, Deep Space 1 MICAS Science Team, March 2000–December 2002
- Participating Scientist, NEAR MSI/NIS Team, August 1999–July 2001
- Associate, Imager for Mars Pathfinder Science Team, July 1996–August 1998
- Member, Mars Express HRSC Science Team, January 2000–March 2020
- Associate, Mars 96 HRSC/WAOSS Science Team, March 1993–December 1996
- Member, Cassini RADAR Instrument Team, December 1990–September 2018
- Magellan Guest Investigator, October 1990–September 1994
- Associate, Voyager Imaging Science Team, 1989
Working Groups
- Member, IAU Working Group on Cartographic Coords & Rotational Elements, August 2012–present
- Member, NASA Lunar Geodesy/Cartography Working Group, December 2007–present
- Member, NASA Mars Geodesy/Cartography Working Group, June 1998–present
- Member, ISPRS Working Group “Planetary Mapping & Remote Sensing”, November 1996–present
- Chair, November 2000-October 2004, Co-Chair, Nove
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 161
High-resolution topomapping of candidate MER landing sites with Mars Orbiter Camera narrow-angle images
We analyzed narrow‐angle Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC‐NA) images to produce high‐resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) in order to provide topographic and slope information needed to assess the safety of candidate landing sites for the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) and to assess the accuracy of our results by a variety of tests. The mapping techniques developed also support geoscientific studies
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Bonnie L. Redding, Donna M. Galuszka, Trent M. Hare, Brent A. Archinal, Laurence A. Soderblom, Janet M. Barrett
Athena Microscopic Imager investigation
The Athena science payload on the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) includes the Microscopic Imager (MI). The MI is a fixed‐focus camera mounted on the end of an extendable instrument arm, the Instrument Deployment Device (IDD). The MI was designed to acquire images at a spatial resolution of 30 microns/pixel over a broad spectral range (400–700 nm). The MI uses the same electronics design as the othe
Authors
Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, S. W. Squyres, J.F. Bell, J.N. Maki, H.M. Arneson, P. Bertelsen, D.I. Brown, S.A. Collins, A. Dingizian, S.T. Elliott, W. Goetz, E.C. Hagerott, A. G. Hayes, M. J. Johnson, Randolph L. Kirk, S. McLennan, R.V. Morris, L.M. Scherr, M.A. Schwochert, L.R. Shiraishi, G.H. Smith, Laurence A. Soderblom, J. N. Sohl-Dickstein, M.V. Wadsworth
Selection of the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites
The selection of Meridiani Planum and Gusev crater as the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites took over 2 years, involved broad participation of the science community via four open workshops, and narrowed an initial ∼155 potential sites (80–300 × 30 km) to four finalists based on science and safety. Engineering constraints important to the selection included (1) latitude (10°N–15°S) for maximum s
Authors
M.P. Golombek, J. A. Grant, T. J. Parker, D.M. Kass, J.A. Crisp, S. W. Squyres, A. F. C. Haldemann, M. Adler, W.J. Lee, N.T. Bridges, R. E. Arvidson, M. H. Carr, Randolph L. Kirk, P.C. Knocke, R.B. Roncoli, C.M. Weitz, J. T. Schofield, R.W. Zurek, P. R. Christensen, R.L. Fergason, F.S. Anderson, J. W. Rice
Mars Geodesy/Cartography Working Group recommendations on Mars cartographic constants and coordinate systems
NASA's Mars Geodesy/Cartography Working Group (MGCWG), established in 1998 and chaired since 2000 by one of us (TCD), consists of leading researchers in planetary geodesy and cartography at such diverse institutions as JPL, NASA Ames and Goddard Centers, Purdue and Ohio State Universities, Malin Space Science Systems, the German Center for Aerospace Research DLR, and the US Geological Survey, as w
Authors
T. C. Duxbury, Randolph L. Kirk, Brent A. Archinal, G.A. Neumann
USGS high resolution topo-mapping of Mars with Mars Orbiter Camera Narrow-Angle images
We describe our initial experiences producing controlled digital elevation models (DEMs) of Mars with horizontal resolutions of ≤10 m and vertical precisions of ≤2 m. Such models are of intense interest at all phases of Mars exploration and scientific investigation, from the selection of safe landing sites to the quantitative analysis of the morphologic record of surface processes. Topomapping wit
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Laurence A. Soderblom, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Brent A. Archinal
USGS and DLR topographic mapping of Comet Borrelly
In the fall of 2001, NASA's Deep Space 1 (DS1) probe imaged Comet Borrelly during a flyby encounter. Three of the Borrelly images have geometry suitable to photogrammetrically map the nucleus, which form two stereopairs with an expected precision (EP) of ~410 m and ~670 m each. DS1 team members at the USGS and DLR have independently produced digital elevation models (DEMs) of Borrelly. Automatic s
Authors
Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Randolph L. Kirk, Laurence A. Soderblom, Bernd Giese, Jürgen Oberst
Eros: Shape, topography, and slope processes
Stereogrammetric measurement of the shape of Eros using images obtained by NEAR's Multispectral Imager provides a survey of the major topographic features and slope processes on this asteroid. This curved asteroid has radii ranging from 3.1 to 17.7 km and a volume of 2535±20 km3. The center of figure is within 52 m of the center of mass provided by the Navigation team; this minimal difference sugg
Authors
P. C. Thomas, J. Joseph, B. Carcich, J. Veverka, B.E. Clark, J.F. Bell, A.W. Byrd, R. Chomko, M. Robinson, S. Murchie, L. Prockter, A. Cheng, N. Izenberg, M. Malin, C. Chapman, L.A. McFadden, Randolph L. Kirk, M. Gaffey, P. G. Lucey
Observations of comet 19P/Borrelly by the miniature integrated camera and spectrometer aboard deep space 1
The nucleus of the Jupiter-family comet 19P/Borrelly was closely observed by the Miniature Integrated Camera and Spectrometer aboard the Deep Space 1 spacecraft on 22 September 2001. The 8-kilometer-long body is highly variegated on a scale of 200 meters, exhibiting large albedo variations (0.01 to 0.03) and complex geologic relationships. Short-wavelength infrared spectra (1.3 to 2.6 micrometers)
Authors
Laurence A. Soderblom, T.L. Becker, G. Bennett, D. C. Boice, D.T. Britt, R. H. Brown, B. J. Buratti, C. Isbell, B. Giese, T. Hare, M.D. Hicks, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Randolph L. Kirk, M. Lee, R.M. Nelson, J. Oberst, T.C. Owen, M.D. Rayman, B.R. Sandel, S. A. Stern, N. Thomas, R.V. Yelle
Combining lunar photogrammetric topographic data with Clementine LIDAR data
During the Clementine Mission both oblique and vertical multispectral images were collected. The oblique and vertical images from a single spectral band collected during the same orbit form a stereo pair that can be used to derive the topography. These stereo pairs were used to derive the topography of an area surrounding the lunar South Pole (90°S - 64°S latitude) and North Pole (90°N - 64°N lati
Authors
Mark R. Rosiek, Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus
Lunar orbiter digitization and cartographic processing
Digitization and cartographic processing of 5 Lunar Orbiter (LO) IV frames (109H, 110H, 114H, 115H, and 114M) are now complete, and these data are available online at http://wwwflag.wr.usgs.gov/USGSFlag/Space/LunarOrbiter/lunorbWebtop.html. Coverage ofthese data extends from Eratosthenes crater on the west to Mare Serenitatis in the east, and from Aristoteles crater in the north to Rima Hyginus in
Authors
Lisa R. Gaddis, Tammy L. Becker, Tracie L. Sucharski, A. Gitlin, Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus
Validation of the USGS sensor model for topographic mapping of Venus using Magellan radar stereoimagery
The Magellan spacecraft went into Venus orbit in 1990 and by 1992 had made three complete cycles of polar orbits, each cycle covering the full range of longitudes. During this time the spacecraft obtained synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of >96% of the planet at a resolution of 75 m/pixel. Images taken with a decreased look angle from vertical, primarily during Cycle 3, provide stereo coverag
Authors
Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Randolph L. Kirk, Donna M. Galuszka, Trent M. Hare, Bonnie L. Redding
High resolution digital elevation models of Mars from MOC Narrow Angle stereoimages
In this abstract we report on our initial experiences performing stereotopographic mapping of Mars with high-resolution images from the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera Narrow-Angle subsystem (MGS MOC-NA; [1]). Accurate topographic information, and, in particular, high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) are of intense interest at all phases of Mars exploration and scientific invest
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Brent A. Archinal
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 161
High-resolution topomapping of candidate MER landing sites with Mars Orbiter Camera narrow-angle images
We analyzed narrow‐angle Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC‐NA) images to produce high‐resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) in order to provide topographic and slope information needed to assess the safety of candidate landing sites for the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) and to assess the accuracy of our results by a variety of tests. The mapping techniques developed also support geoscientific studies
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Bonnie L. Redding, Donna M. Galuszka, Trent M. Hare, Brent A. Archinal, Laurence A. Soderblom, Janet M. Barrett
Athena Microscopic Imager investigation
The Athena science payload on the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) includes the Microscopic Imager (MI). The MI is a fixed‐focus camera mounted on the end of an extendable instrument arm, the Instrument Deployment Device (IDD). The MI was designed to acquire images at a spatial resolution of 30 microns/pixel over a broad spectral range (400–700 nm). The MI uses the same electronics design as the othe
Authors
Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, S. W. Squyres, J.F. Bell, J.N. Maki, H.M. Arneson, P. Bertelsen, D.I. Brown, S.A. Collins, A. Dingizian, S.T. Elliott, W. Goetz, E.C. Hagerott, A. G. Hayes, M. J. Johnson, Randolph L. Kirk, S. McLennan, R.V. Morris, L.M. Scherr, M.A. Schwochert, L.R. Shiraishi, G.H. Smith, Laurence A. Soderblom, J. N. Sohl-Dickstein, M.V. Wadsworth
Selection of the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites
The selection of Meridiani Planum and Gusev crater as the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites took over 2 years, involved broad participation of the science community via four open workshops, and narrowed an initial ∼155 potential sites (80–300 × 30 km) to four finalists based on science and safety. Engineering constraints important to the selection included (1) latitude (10°N–15°S) for maximum s
Authors
M.P. Golombek, J. A. Grant, T. J. Parker, D.M. Kass, J.A. Crisp, S. W. Squyres, A. F. C. Haldemann, M. Adler, W.J. Lee, N.T. Bridges, R. E. Arvidson, M. H. Carr, Randolph L. Kirk, P.C. Knocke, R.B. Roncoli, C.M. Weitz, J. T. Schofield, R.W. Zurek, P. R. Christensen, R.L. Fergason, F.S. Anderson, J. W. Rice
Mars Geodesy/Cartography Working Group recommendations on Mars cartographic constants and coordinate systems
NASA's Mars Geodesy/Cartography Working Group (MGCWG), established in 1998 and chaired since 2000 by one of us (TCD), consists of leading researchers in planetary geodesy and cartography at such diverse institutions as JPL, NASA Ames and Goddard Centers, Purdue and Ohio State Universities, Malin Space Science Systems, the German Center for Aerospace Research DLR, and the US Geological Survey, as w
Authors
T. C. Duxbury, Randolph L. Kirk, Brent A. Archinal, G.A. Neumann
USGS high resolution topo-mapping of Mars with Mars Orbiter Camera Narrow-Angle images
We describe our initial experiences producing controlled digital elevation models (DEMs) of Mars with horizontal resolutions of ≤10 m and vertical precisions of ≤2 m. Such models are of intense interest at all phases of Mars exploration and scientific investigation, from the selection of safe landing sites to the quantitative analysis of the morphologic record of surface processes. Topomapping wit
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Laurence A. Soderblom, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Brent A. Archinal
USGS and DLR topographic mapping of Comet Borrelly
In the fall of 2001, NASA's Deep Space 1 (DS1) probe imaged Comet Borrelly during a flyby encounter. Three of the Borrelly images have geometry suitable to photogrammetrically map the nucleus, which form two stereopairs with an expected precision (EP) of ~410 m and ~670 m each. DS1 team members at the USGS and DLR have independently produced digital elevation models (DEMs) of Borrelly. Automatic s
Authors
Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Randolph L. Kirk, Laurence A. Soderblom, Bernd Giese, Jürgen Oberst
Eros: Shape, topography, and slope processes
Stereogrammetric measurement of the shape of Eros using images obtained by NEAR's Multispectral Imager provides a survey of the major topographic features and slope processes on this asteroid. This curved asteroid has radii ranging from 3.1 to 17.7 km and a volume of 2535±20 km3. The center of figure is within 52 m of the center of mass provided by the Navigation team; this minimal difference sugg
Authors
P. C. Thomas, J. Joseph, B. Carcich, J. Veverka, B.E. Clark, J.F. Bell, A.W. Byrd, R. Chomko, M. Robinson, S. Murchie, L. Prockter, A. Cheng, N. Izenberg, M. Malin, C. Chapman, L.A. McFadden, Randolph L. Kirk, M. Gaffey, P. G. Lucey
Observations of comet 19P/Borrelly by the miniature integrated camera and spectrometer aboard deep space 1
The nucleus of the Jupiter-family comet 19P/Borrelly was closely observed by the Miniature Integrated Camera and Spectrometer aboard the Deep Space 1 spacecraft on 22 September 2001. The 8-kilometer-long body is highly variegated on a scale of 200 meters, exhibiting large albedo variations (0.01 to 0.03) and complex geologic relationships. Short-wavelength infrared spectra (1.3 to 2.6 micrometers)
Authors
Laurence A. Soderblom, T.L. Becker, G. Bennett, D. C. Boice, D.T. Britt, R. H. Brown, B. J. Buratti, C. Isbell, B. Giese, T. Hare, M.D. Hicks, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Randolph L. Kirk, M. Lee, R.M. Nelson, J. Oberst, T.C. Owen, M.D. Rayman, B.R. Sandel, S. A. Stern, N. Thomas, R.V. Yelle
Combining lunar photogrammetric topographic data with Clementine LIDAR data
During the Clementine Mission both oblique and vertical multispectral images were collected. The oblique and vertical images from a single spectral band collected during the same orbit form a stereo pair that can be used to derive the topography. These stereo pairs were used to derive the topography of an area surrounding the lunar South Pole (90°S - 64°S latitude) and North Pole (90°N - 64°N lati
Authors
Mark R. Rosiek, Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus
Lunar orbiter digitization and cartographic processing
Digitization and cartographic processing of 5 Lunar Orbiter (LO) IV frames (109H, 110H, 114H, 115H, and 114M) are now complete, and these data are available online at http://wwwflag.wr.usgs.gov/USGSFlag/Space/LunarOrbiter/lunorbWebtop.html. Coverage ofthese data extends from Eratosthenes crater on the west to Mare Serenitatis in the east, and from Aristoteles crater in the north to Rima Hyginus in
Authors
Lisa R. Gaddis, Tammy L. Becker, Tracie L. Sucharski, A. Gitlin, Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus
Validation of the USGS sensor model for topographic mapping of Venus using Magellan radar stereoimagery
The Magellan spacecraft went into Venus orbit in 1990 and by 1992 had made three complete cycles of polar orbits, each cycle covering the full range of longitudes. During this time the spacecraft obtained synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of >96% of the planet at a resolution of 75 m/pixel. Images taken with a decreased look angle from vertical, primarily during Cycle 3, provide stereo coverag
Authors
Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Randolph L. Kirk, Donna M. Galuszka, Trent M. Hare, Bonnie L. Redding
High resolution digital elevation models of Mars from MOC Narrow Angle stereoimages
In this abstract we report on our initial experiences performing stereotopographic mapping of Mars with high-resolution images from the Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera Narrow-Angle subsystem (MGS MOC-NA; [1]). Accurate topographic information, and, in particular, high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) are of intense interest at all phases of Mars exploration and scientific invest
Authors
Randolph L. Kirk, Elpitha Howington-Kraus, Brent A. Archinal