Ross Beyer
Research Scientist
Affiliation: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute
Division: Space Science and Astrobiology Division (ST)
Branch: Planetary Systems Branch (STT)
Email: Ross.A.Beyer@nasa.gov
Phone: (650)-604-0324
Personal Websites: https://rossbeyer.net/
Professional Biography
Dr. Beyer is a planetary scientist with the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute. He carries out his research in the Space Science and Astrobiology Division (Planetary Systems Branch) at the NASA Ames Research Center. He studies surface geomorphology, surface processes, remote sensing and photogrammetry of the solid bodies in our Solar System–if you can stand on it, he’s interested in what it’s like and how it got that way.
Ross works on ways to quantitatively analyze the meter-scale topography and surface roughness of planetary surfaces via remote sensing. His photoclinometry techniques have been used to help plan landing sites on Mars and the Moon and have been applied to quantitative topographic measurements of Martian dunes and fluvial features as well as features on Europa, Enceladus, and Charon. Ross is also working to gain a better understanding of the stratigraphy and layering in the Valles Marineris on Mars and the tectonics of Pluto’s moon Charon. Dr. Beyer is a Co-I with the HiRISE instrument on the MRO spacecraft and was a Participating Scientist with the LROC instrument on the LRO spacecraft. He is a Co-I with the New Horizons mission to Jupiter, Pluto, and the Kuiper Belt and a Co-I on NASA’s VIPER mission. Dr. Beyer and colleagues in the NASA Ames Intelligent Robotics Group develop the Ames Stereo Pipeline software to create terrain models from planetary images.
Education
B.S. Astronomy, 1998, University of Illinois
B.S. Physics, 1998, University of Illinois
Ph.D. Planetary Sciences, 2004, The University of Arizona
Research Interests
Planetary Topography and Cartography
Quantitative meter-scale roughness
Mars Stratigraphy
Slope streaks and mass movement on Mars
Geology and Tectonics of the Pluto/Charon system
Part of the IRG‘s MapMakers group
Select Publications
Link to Ross Beyer’s ORCID page
Conference Abstracts
* Beyer, Ross A.; Archinal, B.; Li, R.; Mattson, S.; Moratto, Z.; McEwen, A.; Oberst, J.; and Robinson, M. 2009. LROC Stereo Observations. American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #26.05.
* Beyer, R. A.; Archinal, B.; Li, R.; Mattson, S.; McEwen, A.; and Robinson, M. 2009. LROC Stereo Observations. Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Science Targeting Meeting, held June 9-11, 2009 in Tempe, Arizona. LPI Contribution No. 1483, p.15-16.
* Hancher, M. D.; Beyer, R.; Broxton, M.; Gorelick, N.; Kolb, E.; and Weiss-Malik, M. 2009. Visualizing Mars Data and Imagery with Google Earth. 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, (Lunar and Planetary Science XL), held March 23-27, 2009 in The Woodlands, Texas, id.2308.
* Milazzo, M. P.; Keszthelyi, L. P.; Jaeger, W. L.; Rosiek, M.; Mattson, S.; Verba, C. A.; Beyer, R. A.; Geissler, P. E.; McEwen, A. S.; and Hirise Team. 2009. The Distribution of Columnar Lavas on Mars as Seen by HiRISE. 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, (Lunar and Planetary Science XL), held March 23-27, 2009 in The Woodlands, Texas, id.2159.
* Chuang, F. C. and Beyer, R. A. 2009. Modification of Martian Slope Streaks. 40th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, (Lunar and Planetary Science XL), held March 23-27, 2009 in The Woodlands, Texas, id.2104.
* Hancher, M.; Beyer, R.; Broxton, M.; Gorelick, N.; Kolb, E.; and Weiss-Malik, M. 2008. Beyond Earth: Using Google Earth to Visualize Other Planetary Bodies. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #IN41A-1134.
* Beyer, R. A.; Hancher, M. D.; Broxton, M.; Weiss-Malik, M.; Gorelick, N.; and Kolb, E. 2008. Visualizing NASA’s Planetary Data with Google Earth. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P53C-1470.
* Beyer, R. A.; Chuang, F. C.; Thomson, B. J.; Milazzo, M. P.; and Wray, J. 2008. Martian Slope Streak Brightening Mechanisms. 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, (Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX), held March 10-14, 2008 in League City, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1391., p.2538.
* Beyer, R. A. and Hirise Team. 2008. HiRISE Photoclinometry of Proposed MSL Landing Sites. 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, (Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX), held March 10-14, 2008 in League City, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1391., p.2485.
* Hancher, M. D.; Beyer, R. A.; Broxton, M. J.; Kasraie, K.; and Smith, M. F. 2008. New Platforms for Web-based Lunar and Planetary Mapping and GIS. 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, (Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX), held March 10-14, 2008 in League City, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1391., p.2263.
* Bridges, N. T.; Gorbaty, E.; Beyer, R. A.; Byrne, S.; Thomson, B. J.; Wray, J.; and Hirise Team. 2008. Low Thermal Inertia and High Elevation Bedforms as Seen by the HiRISE Camera. 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, (Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX), held March 10-14, 2008 in League City, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1391., p.2108.
* Milazzo, M. P.; Jaeger, W. L.; Keszthelyi, L.; McEwen, A. S.; and Beyer, R. A. 2008. The Discovery of Columnar Jointing on Mars. 39th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, (Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIX), held March 10-14, 2008 in League City, Texas. LPI Contribution No. 1391., p.2062.
Go to http://rossbeyer.net/science/ to obtain abstracts of his publications
NASA Missions:
Galileo SSI
Mars Global Surveyor / Mars Orbiter Camera
Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) (landing site selection)
Phoenix Mars Lander (landing site selection)
Mars Science Laboratory (landing site selection)
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE Co-Investigator)
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbter (LRO) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC participating scientist)
New Horizons (Co-Investigator)
InSight (landing site selection)
Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER Science Co-Investigator)