Timothy Titus is a Space Scientist at Astrogeology Science Center.
1999 - Present
Space Scientist - U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff AZ. Research: Spectral analysis of Martian polar regions using data from MGS TES, Mars Odyssey THEMIS, and MRO CRISM. Thermal surface properties of 4 Vesta.
Oct 2010 - Jan 2011
Acting Science Center Director - U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff AZ.
1997 - 1999
Remote Sensing Analyst - Contracted with the U.S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ, and Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, TN. Research: Spectral analysis of Martian polar regions using data from MGS TES.
1996 - 1997
Staff Lecturer - University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY. Research: Multivariate analysis of galaxy spectra.
Education
Civilian Education
- Ph.D.,Astrophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 1996
- M.S., Astrophysics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 1988
- B.A., Physics/Mathematics, Drake University, Des Moines, IA, 1985
Military Education
- Engineer Officer Basic Course (1988)
- Artillery Officer Advance Course (1992)
- Combined Arms Service and Staff School (1995)
- Command General Staff College (2000)
- Quartermaster Officer Advance Course (2003)
Research
- Mars Polar Processes: Specifically - the CO2 cycle and polar energy balance.
- Mars Thermal Inertia Studies: Specifically - the use of 2-layer thermal inertia models to detect sub-surface ice.
- Mars Aeolian Studies: Specially - the global inventory and characterization of Mars dunes.
- Cave Detection using the Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing: Specifically - using ground truth thermal characterization of terrestrial caves to develope techniques and procedures for detecting caves on Earth, the Moon, and Mars.
Missions
- Co-Investigator on Mars Odyssey THermal EMission Imaging System (THEMIS).
- Co-Investigator on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM).
- Selected as a Dawn at Vesta Participating Scientist.
Service
Military Service
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Timothy N. Titus
Last Position prior to Retirement
Chief of Logistics
Camp Navajo
Arizona National Guard
Bellemont, AZ
Civil Service
- Participating Scientist on DAWN at Vesta
- Extensive experience analyzing Mars Odyssey (ODY) THermal Emission IMaging System (THEMIS) data
- Extensive experience extracting and analyzing Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data
- Extensive knowledge of several programming languages, including IDL
- Writes and maintains a GUI software package that enhances the analysis of TES spectral data
- Extensive knowledge of multivariate analysis techniques, especially Principal Components Analysis (PCA)
Bibliography
- Cornwall, C.; Titus, T. N., 2010, A comparison of Martian north and south polar cold spots and the long-term effects of the 2001 global dust storm, J. Geophys. Res., Volume 115, Issue E6, CiteID E06011.
- Cull, S.; Arvidson, R.E.; Mellon, M.; Wiseman, S.; Clark, R.; Titus, T.N.; Morris, R.V.; McGuire, P.2010, Seasonal H2O and CO2 ice cycles at the Mars Phoenix l
Science and Products
Imagery, soil temperature and humidity profiles, and meteorological data from December 2020 to April 2021, Grand Falls Dune Field, Arizona
Grand Falls dune field (GFDF) is located on the Navajo Nation, ~70 km NE of Flagstaff, AZ. This active dune field displays a range of morphologies, including barchans, smaller dunes, and ripples, and is bimodal in composition. The felsic component is likely derived from the Little Colorado River, and the mafic component (basaltic grains) is locally sourced from nearby cinder cones [1]. GFDF is an
Oblique Thermal Imaging of the Pisgah Lava Field, California Acquired March 2010
As part of a NASA-funded study of diurnal thermal imaging at a Mars analog site, we conducted simultaneous oblique thermal imaging and in situ temperature measurements within two regions of interest on the Pisgah lava field, near Ludlow, California. Both regions of interest contained either cave or cave-like alcoves. Data released in this report was collected from 03/23/2010 to 03/25/2010. The exp
Grand Falls, Arizona: Dune Field Sand Transport 2013 - 2016
As part of a NASA-funded study of sediment flux rates at a Mars analog site, we installed a suite of instruments in a small dune field near Grand Falls, Arizona. Data released in this report were collected from 10/28/2013 to 11/04/2016. The Grand Falls (GF) dune field is located on the Navajo Nation. It lies ~70 km NE of Flagstaff, AZ, 2 km east of Grand Falls, and just north of the Little Colorad
Filter Total Items: 78
Planetary Aeolian landforms: An introduction to the Fifth Planetary Dunes Workshop Special Issue
Aeolian landforms are widespread in our solar system. Understanding the exact nature and processes of formation of these features are challenging tasks necessitating a strong collaboration between scientists with different skills and scientific backgrounds. This paper describes the special issue for the 5th International Planetary Dunes Workshop, which includes 15 research papers and three comment
Using near–surface temperature data to vicariously calibrate high-resolution thermal infrared imagery and estimate physical surface properties
Thermal response of the surface to solar insolation is a function of the topography and the thermal physical characteristics of the landscape, which include bulk density, heat capacity, thermal conductivity and surface albedo and emissivity. Thermal imaging is routinely used to constrain thermal physical properties by characterizing or modeling changes in the diurnal temperature profiles. Images n
Planetary dunes tell of otherworldly winds
Dune fields are common on beaches and in deserts—think of the imposing sand hills and sinuous ripples of the Sahara in Africa or the Karakum in Central Asia, for example—as well as underwater on the beds of rivers, lakes, and oceans. The varied shapes, sizes, and orientations of both modern dunes and those preserved in the geologic record tell of the conditions under which they formed, particularl
Past, present, and future of Mars Polar Science: Outcomes and outlook from the 7th International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration
Mars Polar Science is a subfield of Mars science that encompasses all studies of the cryosphere of Mars and its interaction with the Martian environment. Every 4 yr, the community of scientists dedicated to this subfield meets to discuss new findings and debate open issues in the International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration (ICMPSE). This paper summarizes the proceedings of the s
Advancing cave detection using terrain analysis and thermal imagery
Since the initial experiments nearly 50 years ago, techniques for detecting caves using airborne and spacecraft acquired thermal imagery have improved markedly. These advances are largely due to a combination of higher instrument sensitivity, modern computing systems, and processor-intensive analytical techniques. Through applying these advancements, our goals were to: (1) Determine the efficacy o
Aeolian processes and landforms across the Solar System: Science and technology requirements for the next decade
Discussions of planetary atmospheric-surface interactions (including aeolian processes and phenomena and the resulting landforms) are often tied to a specific planetary body. Considering this, a series of workshops were initiated in 2008 to facilitate an interdisciplinary and interplanetary body approach to further our understanding of aeolian processes, phenomena, and landforms (Titus et al., 200
Science and technology requirements to explore caves in our Solar System
We are in the incipient phase of exploring the subterranean realm of our Solar System. Planetary caves research offers interdisciplinary, cross-planetary body investigations spanning geology, climatology, astrobiology, robotics, and human use. Caves are of great importance in advancing our understanding of planetary processes and the search for life beyond Earth.
Given these advances, a diverse
Planetary defense preparedness: Identifying the potential for post-asteroid impact time delayed and geographically displaced hazards
A considerable amount of effort has been done to quantify impact effects from the impact of an asteroid. The effects usually considered are: blast, overpressure shock, thermal radiation, cratering, seismic shaking, ejecta, and tsunami (e.g. Hills & Goda, 1993; Collins et al., 2005, Rumpf et al., 2017). These first-order effects typically are localized in time and diminish with increased distance
Solar-system-wide significance of Mars polar science
1. The North Polar Layered Deposits contain thousands of ice layers that record accumulation and climate history for at least several million years, making the most accessible and most complete climate record aside from the Earth’s – and the only one to record the impact of large obliquity shifts.
2. Mars Polar Science is a diverse and integrated system spanning much of the planet, above and below
Asteroid impacts - downwind and downstream effects
For this abstract, we have selected an impact location, consistent with the PDC2021 initial scenario [1], in the San Juan Mountains, in southwestern Colorado. This is a low-density population area but is part of the watershed system within the Colorado River basin, a major source for water and power for the southwestern United States. Several large cities and major airports are potentially downwin
Summary of the final report from the Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis group (ICE-SAG)
The Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis Group (ICE-SAG) was convened by the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) in fall 2018, with the aims of (1) identifying and prioritizing fundamental science questions related to the recent and ongoing evolution of Mars volatiles and climate, and (2) exploring new mission approaches that could address these high-priority science questions du
A critical gap: In situ measurements of surface-atmosphere interactions from outside earth
This white paper demonstrates five points: (1) The lack of robust measurements of the vertical gradients of natural boundary layers and transport fluxes on other planetary bodies precludes adequate estimation of aeolian and other meteorological processes throughout our Solar System (§1). (2) Thus, there exist critical knowledge gaps within high-priority planetary science questions that motivate th
Science and Products
- Data
Imagery, soil temperature and humidity profiles, and meteorological data from December 2020 to April 2021, Grand Falls Dune Field, Arizona
Grand Falls dune field (GFDF) is located on the Navajo Nation, ~70 km NE of Flagstaff, AZ. This active dune field displays a range of morphologies, including barchans, smaller dunes, and ripples, and is bimodal in composition. The felsic component is likely derived from the Little Colorado River, and the mafic component (basaltic grains) is locally sourced from nearby cinder cones [1]. GFDF is anOblique Thermal Imaging of the Pisgah Lava Field, California Acquired March 2010
As part of a NASA-funded study of diurnal thermal imaging at a Mars analog site, we conducted simultaneous oblique thermal imaging and in situ temperature measurements within two regions of interest on the Pisgah lava field, near Ludlow, California. Both regions of interest contained either cave or cave-like alcoves. Data released in this report was collected from 03/23/2010 to 03/25/2010. The expGrand Falls, Arizona: Dune Field Sand Transport 2013 - 2016
As part of a NASA-funded study of sediment flux rates at a Mars analog site, we installed a suite of instruments in a small dune field near Grand Falls, Arizona. Data released in this report were collected from 10/28/2013 to 11/04/2016. The Grand Falls (GF) dune field is located on the Navajo Nation. It lies ~70 km NE of Flagstaff, AZ, 2 km east of Grand Falls, and just north of the Little Colorad - Publications
Filter Total Items: 78
Planetary Aeolian landforms: An introduction to the Fifth Planetary Dunes Workshop Special Issue
Aeolian landforms are widespread in our solar system. Understanding the exact nature and processes of formation of these features are challenging tasks necessitating a strong collaboration between scientists with different skills and scientific backgrounds. This paper describes the special issue for the 5th International Planetary Dunes Workshop, which includes 15 research papers and three commentUsing near–surface temperature data to vicariously calibrate high-resolution thermal infrared imagery and estimate physical surface properties
Thermal response of the surface to solar insolation is a function of the topography and the thermal physical characteristics of the landscape, which include bulk density, heat capacity, thermal conductivity and surface albedo and emissivity. Thermal imaging is routinely used to constrain thermal physical properties by characterizing or modeling changes in the diurnal temperature profiles. Images nPlanetary dunes tell of otherworldly winds
Dune fields are common on beaches and in deserts—think of the imposing sand hills and sinuous ripples of the Sahara in Africa or the Karakum in Central Asia, for example—as well as underwater on the beds of rivers, lakes, and oceans. The varied shapes, sizes, and orientations of both modern dunes and those preserved in the geologic record tell of the conditions under which they formed, particularlPast, present, and future of Mars Polar Science: Outcomes and outlook from the 7th International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration
Mars Polar Science is a subfield of Mars science that encompasses all studies of the cryosphere of Mars and its interaction with the Martian environment. Every 4 yr, the community of scientists dedicated to this subfield meets to discuss new findings and debate open issues in the International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration (ICMPSE). This paper summarizes the proceedings of the sAdvancing cave detection using terrain analysis and thermal imagery
Since the initial experiments nearly 50 years ago, techniques for detecting caves using airborne and spacecraft acquired thermal imagery have improved markedly. These advances are largely due to a combination of higher instrument sensitivity, modern computing systems, and processor-intensive analytical techniques. Through applying these advancements, our goals were to: (1) Determine the efficacy oAeolian processes and landforms across the Solar System: Science and technology requirements for the next decade
Discussions of planetary atmospheric-surface interactions (including aeolian processes and phenomena and the resulting landforms) are often tied to a specific planetary body. Considering this, a series of workshops were initiated in 2008 to facilitate an interdisciplinary and interplanetary body approach to further our understanding of aeolian processes, phenomena, and landforms (Titus et al., 200Science and technology requirements to explore caves in our Solar System
We are in the incipient phase of exploring the subterranean realm of our Solar System. Planetary caves research offers interdisciplinary, cross-planetary body investigations spanning geology, climatology, astrobiology, robotics, and human use. Caves are of great importance in advancing our understanding of planetary processes and the search for life beyond Earth. Given these advances, a diversePlanetary defense preparedness: Identifying the potential for post-asteroid impact time delayed and geographically displaced hazards
A considerable amount of effort has been done to quantify impact effects from the impact of an asteroid. The effects usually considered are: blast, overpressure shock, thermal radiation, cratering, seismic shaking, ejecta, and tsunami (e.g. Hills & Goda, 1993; Collins et al., 2005, Rumpf et al., 2017). These first-order effects typically are localized in time and diminish with increased distanceSolar-system-wide significance of Mars polar science
1. The North Polar Layered Deposits contain thousands of ice layers that record accumulation and climate history for at least several million years, making the most accessible and most complete climate record aside from the Earth’s – and the only one to record the impact of large obliquity shifts. 2. Mars Polar Science is a diverse and integrated system spanning much of the planet, above and belowAsteroid impacts - downwind and downstream effects
For this abstract, we have selected an impact location, consistent with the PDC2021 initial scenario [1], in the San Juan Mountains, in southwestern Colorado. This is a low-density population area but is part of the watershed system within the Colorado River basin, a major source for water and power for the southwestern United States. Several large cities and major airports are potentially downwinSummary of the final report from the Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis group (ICE-SAG)
The Ice and Climate Evolution Science Analysis Group (ICE-SAG) was convened by the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) in fall 2018, with the aims of (1) identifying and prioritizing fundamental science questions related to the recent and ongoing evolution of Mars volatiles and climate, and (2) exploring new mission approaches that could address these high-priority science questions duA critical gap: In situ measurements of surface-atmosphere interactions from outside earth
This white paper demonstrates five points: (1) The lack of robust measurements of the vertical gradients of natural boundary layers and transport fluxes on other planetary bodies precludes adequate estimation of aeolian and other meteorological processes throughout our Solar System (§1). (2) Thus, there exist critical knowledge gaps within high-priority planetary science questions that motivate th