Sciences and Exploration Directorate

David D Rowlands

((AST,SOLID EARTH GEOPHYSICAL STUDIES))

David D Rowlands's Contact Card & Information.
Email: david.d.rowlands@nasa.gov
Org Code: 61A
Address:
NASA/GSFC
Mail Code 61A
Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer:
NASA

Missions & Projects

Positions/Employment


Geophysicist, Geodesy and Geophysics Laboratory (Code 61A)

NASA/GSFC - Greenbelt, Maryland

1992 - Present

  • Research in:  satellite geodesy, static and time variable gravity recovery from satellite observations, satellite laser and radar altimetry, satellite precision orbit determination, force and measurement modeling for orbit determination and geodetic parameter estimation for Earth and planetary applications.
  • Head of the Space Geodetic Applications Group in the Geodesy and Geophysics Laboratory

Education


  • 1975 - B.S. Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
  • 1979 - M.S. Mathematics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
  • 1982 - M.S. Geodetic Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Professional Service


  • Co-I on GRACE Science Team Investigation : Unique Approaches for Addressing Time Variable Gravity from GRACE (Frank Lemoine PI)
  • Co-I on GRACE Science Team Investigation: Tides for and from GRACE and other data (Richard Ray PI)
  • Member of, GSFC Laser Altimeter Data Product Verification/Validation Team for the ICESat mission.
  • Co-I on ICESat Science Team Investigation : Maximizing ICESat’s Contribution to Understanding Ice Sheet Surface Mass Balance (Scott Luthcke PI)
  • Co-I on NASA EOS/IDS Program Investigation: Understanding Sea Level Variations; Reference Frame, Data Analysis and Modeling (Richard Ray PI)
  • Lead GEODYN Software Development
  • Member of OSIRIS-Rex navigation and Radio Science Teams

Awards


Individual Achievement Awards:

        Robert H. Goddard Exceptional Achievement in Science (2008)

Group Achievement Awards:

       JGM –1 Gravity Team

         TOPEX Precision Orbit Determination Team

         DSPSE (Clementine) Lunar Orbit Ops Support Team

         EGM96 Gravity Development Team 

         NEAR Shoemaker Mission Team

         Meteor 3M / SAGE III Team

         NASA Group Achievement Award for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Laser Ranging Team

         NASA Group Achievement Award for the Goddard Grace Team

Performance Awards:

       1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006,2007


Publications


Refereed

2021. "Internal rubble properties of asteroid (101955) Bennu." Icarus 370 114665 [10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114665] [Journal Article/Letter]

2021. "Mass and shape determination of (101955) Bennu using differenced data from multiple OSIRIS-REx mission phases." The Planetary Science Journal 2 (6): [10.3847/PSJ/ac26c4] [Journal Article/Letter]

2021. "ICESat‐2 Pointing Calibration and Geolocation Performance." Earth and Space Science 8 (3): [10.1029/2020ea001494] [Journal Article/Letter]

2021. "ICESat‐2 Precision Orbit Determination." Earth and Space Science 8 (4): [10.1029/2020ea001496] [Journal Article/Letter]

2021. "Internal rubble composition of asteroid (101955) Bennu." Icarus [Full Text] [Journal Article/Letter]

2020. "Heterogenous mass distribution of the rubble-pile asteroid (101955) Bennu." Science Advances 6 (41): eabc3350 [Full Text] [10.1126/sciadv.abc3350] [Journal Article/Letter]

2019. "The dynamic geophysical environment of (101955) Bennu based on OSIRIS-REx measurements." Nature Astronomy 3 (4): 352-361 [Full Text] [10.1038/s41550-019-0721-3] [Journal Article/Letter]

2017. "Recovery of Bennu's Orientation for the OSIRIS-REx Mission: Implications for the Spin State Accuracy and Geolocation Errors." Journal of Geodesy 91 (10): 1141-1161 [Full Text] [10.1007/s00190-017-1058-2] [Journal Article/Letter]

2017. "The Laser Ranging Experiment of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: Five Years of Operations and Data Analysis." Icarus 283 55-69 [10.1016/j.icarus.2016.07.003] [Journal Article/Letter]

2017. "Summary of the Results from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter after Seven Years in Lunar Orbit." Icarus 283 70-91 [10.1016/j.icarus.2016.06.006] [Journal Article/Letter]

2014. "Gravimetry measurements from space." Remote Sensing of the Cryosphere 231-247 [10.1002/9781118368909.ch10] [Article in Book]

2014. "High-resolution local gravity model of the south pole of the Moon from GRAIL extended mission data." Geophys. Res. Lett. 41 (10): 3367-3374 [Full Text] [10.1002/2014GL060178] [Journal Article/Letter]

2014. "GRGM900C: A degree-900 lunar gravity model from GRAIL primary and extended mission data." Geophys. Res. Lett. 41 (10): 3382-3389 [Full Text] [10.1002/2014GL060027] [Journal Article/Letter]

2013. "High-degree gravity models from GRAIL primary mission data." J. Geophys. Res.-Planets 118 1676-1698 [10.1002/jgre.20118] [Journal Article/Letter]

2013. "The effect of geocenter motion on Jason-2 orbits and the mean sea level." Adv. Space Res. 51 (8): 1323—1334 [10.1016/j.asr.2012.06.004] [Journal Article/Letter]

2012. "Gravity Field and Internal Structure of Mercury from MESSENGER ." Science 336 (6078): 214-217 [Full Text] [10.1126/science.1218809] [Journal Article/Letter]

2012. "Orbit determination of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter." J. Geodesy 86 (3): 193-207 [10.1007/s00190-011-0509-4] [Journal Article/Letter]

2011. "Orbit determination of the SELENE satellites using multi-satellite data types and evaluation of SELENE gravity field models." J. Geodesy 85 487-504 [10.1007/s00190-011-0446-2] [Journal Article/Letter]

2011. "New analysis of Lunar Prospector radio tracking data brings the nearside gravity field of the Moon with an unprecedented resolution." Icarus 215 (2): 455-459 [10.1016/j.icarus.2011.07.020] [Journal Article/Letter]

2011. "Lunar gravity field determination using SELENE same-beam differential VLBI tracking data." J. Geodesy 85 (4): 205-228 [Full Text] [10.1007/s00190-010-0430-2] [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Laser Ranging Investigation." Space Science Reviews 150 (1-4): 63-80 [10.1007/s11214-009-9511-z] [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Improving global mass flux solutions from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) through forward modeling and continuous time correlation." J. Geophys. Res. 115 (B11): B11403 [10.1029/2010JB007533] [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Towards development of a consistent orbit series for TOPEX/Poseidon Jason-1 and Jason-2." Adv. Space Res. 46 1513-1540 [10.1016/j.asr.2010.05.007] [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "An improved lunar gravity field model from SELENE and historical tracking data: Revealing the farside gravity features." J. Geophys. Res.-Planets 115 E06007 [Full Text] [10.1029/2009JE003499] [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Evaluating terrestrial water storage variations from regionally constrained GRACE mascon data and hydrological models over Southern Africa - preliminary results." International Journal of Remote Sensing 31 (14): 3899-3912 [10.1080/01431161.2010.483483] [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "DORIS/SLR POD modeling improvements for Jason-1 and Jason-2." Adv. Space Res. 46 (12): 1541-1558 [Full Text] [10.1016/j.asr.2010.05.008] [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Initial observations from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA)." Geophys. Res. Lett. 37 [Full Text] [10.1029/2010GL043751] [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "The Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter Investigation on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission." Space Science Reviews 150 (1-4): 209-241 [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Global mass flux solutions from GRACE: A comparison of parameter estimation strategies—Mass concentrations versus Stokes coefficients." J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth 115 (B1): [Full Text] [10.1029/2009JB006546] [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Geodetic constraints from multi-beam laser altimeter crossovers." Journal of Geodesy 84 (6): 343-354 [10.1007/s00190-010-0379-1] [Journal Article/Letter]

2009. "Evaluation and validation of mascon recovery using GRACE KBRR data with independent mass flux estimates in the Mississippi Basin." J Geodesy 83 (9): 817-827 [10.1007/s00190-009-0301-x] [Journal Article/Letter]

2009. "A simulation study of multi-beam altimetry for lunar reconnaissance orbiter and other planetary missions ." J. Geodesy Vol 83 (8): 709-721 [Full Text] [10.1007/s00190-008-0285-y] [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Localized analysis of satellite tracking data for studying time-variable Earth's gravity fields." J Geophys Res 113 ( 17): B06401 [10.1029/2007JB005218] [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Recent glacier mass changes in the Gulf of Alaska region from GRACE mascon solutions." Journal of Glaciology 54 (188): 767-777 [10.3189/002214308787779933] [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Recent Greenland Ice Mass Loss by Drainage System from Satellite Gravity Observations." Science 314 (5803): 1286-1289 [10.1126/science.1130776] [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Variations of Mars Gravitational Field Based on the NASA/Aames General CIrculation Model." Journal of Geophysical Research 111 (E6): E06010 [10.1029/2005JE002442] [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Monthly spherical harmonic gravity field solutions determined from GRACE inter-satellite range-rate data alone." Geophys. Res. Lett. 33 (2): [Full Text] [10.1029/2005GL024846] [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Calibration and reduction of ICESat geoloaction errors and the impact on ice sheet elevation change detection,." Geophys Res Lett VOL. 32 L21S05 [10.1029/2005GL023689] [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Resolving mass flux at high spatial and temporal resolution using GRACE intersatellite measurements." Geophys. Res. Lett. Vol. 32 ( 4): L04310 [10.1029/2004GL021908] [Journal Article/Letter]

2003. "Atmospheric rotational effects on Mars based on the NASA Ames general circulation model." J. Geophys. Res. 108 (E5): 5040 [10.1029/2002JE001984] [Journal Article/Letter]

2003. "Tidal models in a new era of satellite gravimetry." Space Science Reviews 108 271-282 [10.1023/A:1026223308107] [Journal Article/Letter]

2003. "The 1-centimeter Orbit: Jason-1 Precision Orbit Determination Using GPS, SLR, DORIS and Altimeter data." Marine Geodesy 26 (3-4): 399-421 [10.1080/01490410390256727] [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Is asteroid 951 Gaspra in a resonant obliquity state with its spin increasing due to YORP?." J Geophys Res 107 5065 [10.1029/2001JE001813] [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Short-arc analysis of intersatellite tracking data in a gravity mapping mission." J. Geodesy 76 307-316 [10.1007/s00190-002-0255-8] [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Enhanced Geolocation of Spaceborne Laser Altimeter Surface Returns: Parameter Calibration from the Simultaneous Reduction of Altimeter Range and Navigation Tracking data." Journal of Geodynamics Vol. 34 (3-4): 447-475 [10.1016/S0264-3707(02)00047-9] [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "An improved solution of the gravity field of Mars (GMM-2B) from Mars Global Surveyor." J. Geophys. Res.-Planets 106 (E10): 23359-23376 [10.1029/2000JE001426] [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: Experiment summary after the first year of global mapping of Mars ." J. Geophysical Research-Planets 106 (E10): 23689-23722 [Full Text] [10.1029/2000JE001364] [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "Improvements in spaceborne laser altimeter data geolocation." Surveys in Geophysics 22 (5/6): 549-559 [10.1023/a:1015636721365] [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "Crossover analysis of Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter data." J. Geophys. Res.-Planets 106 (E10): 23753-23768 [10.1029/2000JE001381] [Journal Article/Letter]

2000. "Internal structure and early thermal evolution of Mars from Mars Global Surveyor topography and gravity." Science 287 1788-1793 [10.1126/science.287.5459.1788] [Journal Article/Letter]

2000. "Satellite laser altimetry: on-orbit calibration techniques for precise geolocation." The Review of Laser Engineering 28 (12): 796-803 [10.2184/lsj.28.796] [Journal Article/Letter]

2000. "Spaceborne Laser Altimeter Pointing Bias Calibration From Range Residual Analysis." Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets Vol. 37 ( 3): 374-384 [10.2514/2.3571] [Journal Article/Letter]

2000. "The Shape of 433 Eros from the NEAR-Shoemaker Laser Rangefinder." Science 289 2097-2101 [Full Text] [10.1126/science.289.5487.2097] [Journal Article/Letter]

1999. "The use of laser altimetry in the orbit and attitude determination of Mars Global Surveyor." Geophys. Res. Lett. 26 (9): 1191-1194 [10.1029/1999GL900223] [Journal Article/Letter]

1998. "Observations of the Earth's topography from the Shuttle Laser Altimeter (SLA): laser-pulse echo-recovery measurements of terrestrial surfaces." Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 23 1053-1068 [Full Text] [10.1016/S0079-1946(98)00145-1] [Journal Article/Letter]

1997. "Space shuttle precision orbit determination in support of SLA-1 using TDRSS and GPS tracking data." The Journal of the Astronautical Science 45 (1): 113-129 [Journal Article/Letter]

1997. "A 70th degree lunar gravity model (GLGM-2) from Clementine and other tracking data." J. Geophys. Res.-Planets 102 (E7): 16339-16359 [10.1029/97JE01418] [Journal Article/Letter]

1995. "Mulit-rate Numerical Integration of Satellite Orbits for Increased Computational Efficiency." The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences 43 (1): 89-100 [Journal Article/Letter]

1988. "A new gravitational model for the Earth from satellite tracking data: GEM-T1." Journal of Geophysical Research 93 (B6): 6169 [10.1029/jb093ib06p06169] [Journal Article/Letter]

Non-Refereed

2019. "OSIRIS-REx gravity field estimates for Bennu using spacecraft and natural particle tracking data ." Proceedings of the workshop on Asteroid Science in the Age of Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx, Tucson, Arizona, Nov. 5-7, 2019 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2019. "OSIRIS-REx Gravity Field Estimates for Bennu Using Spacecraft and Natural Particle Tracking Data." Proceedings of the European Planetary Science Congress / Division for Planetary Sciences Joint Meeting (EPSC-DPS 2019), Geneva, Switzerland, Sept. 15-19, 2019 13 (EPSC-DPS2019-106-2): [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2019. "The CAESAR New Frontiers Mission: 3. Tag site selection and camera suite." Proceedings of the 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.A., March 18-22, 2019, Paper # 2722 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2019. "The gravity and global geophysical environment of (101955) Bennu." Proceedings of the 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 18-22, 2019, The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.A., Paper # 1496 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2019. "Mass and gravity field estimation of (101955) Bennu from OSIRIS-REx observations." Proceedings of the 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 18-22, 2019, The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.A., Paper # 1605 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2018. "The CAESAR New Frontiers Mission: 3. TAG Site Selection and Camera Suite." 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 2018 2083 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2017. "Recovery of Bennu's Orientation for the OSIRIS-REx Mission." Proceedings of the 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 20-24, 2017, The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.A. Paper # 1989 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2016. "A global degree and order 1200 model of the lunar gravity field using GRAIL mission data." Proceedings of the 47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 21-25, 2016, The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.A. Paper # 1484 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2016. "An independent orbit determination simulation for the OSIRIS-REX asteroid sample return mission ." Advances in the Astronautical Sciences, Guidance Navigation and Control, 2016 157 629-642 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2015. "Tunable Superconducting Gravity Gradiometer for Mars Climate, Atmosphere, and Gravity Field Investigation ." Proceedings of the 46th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.A., March 16-20, 2015 Paper # 1735 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2013. "Improved precision orbit determination of lunar orbiters from GRAIL-derived lunar gravity models." Spaceflight Mechanics 2013 (AAS/AIAA Spaceflight Mechanics Meeting, Feb. 10-14, 2013, Kauai, Hawaii), Advances in the Astronautical Sciences 148, Part II 1125-1141 [Proceedings]

2013. "Modeling and precise orbit determination in suport of gravity model development for the GRAIL mission." Spaceflight Mechanics 2013 (AAS/AIAA Spaceflight Mechanics Meeting, Feb. 10-14, 2013, Kauai, Hawaii), Advances in the Astronautical Sciences 148, Part II 1111-1123 [Proceedings]

2010. "VLBI-SLR Combination Solution Using GEODYN." International VLBI Service for Geodesy and Astrometry, 2010 General Meeting Proceedings NASA CP/2010-215864 227-231 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2009. "Geosat Follow-On precision orbit Improvement through drag model update." Space Flight Mechanics 2009, Proceedings of the 19th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, February 8-12 2009, Savannah, Georgia, Advances in the Astronautical Sciences 134 43-62 [Proceedings]

2008. "ICESat, GRACE, and Time Varying Gravity: SLR Contributions and Applications." Proceedings of the 16th International Workshop on Laser Ranging, Poznan, Poland, Oct. 12-17, 2008 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2008. "Sub-centimeter SLR precision with the SLRF2005/LPOD2005 network." Proceedings of the 16th International Workshop on Laser Ranging, Poznan, Poland, Oct. 12-17, 2008 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2007. "The use of mascons to resolve time-variable gravity from GRACE." Dynamic Planet: Monitoring and Understanding a Dynamic Planet with Geodetic and Oceanographic Tools 130 (IAG Symposia): 231-236 [Article in Book]

2006. "13 years of TOPEX/Poseidon precision orbit determination and the 10-fold improvement in expected orbit accuracy." AIAA Paper 2006-6672, AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Conference, 21–24 August 2006, Keystone, Colorado [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2003. "GPS-Based Precision Orbit Determination for a New Era of Altimeter Satellites: Jason-1 and ICESat." Proceedings of the 2003 Flight Mechanics Symposium NASA CP/2003-212246 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2003. "ICESat Laser Altimeter Pointing, Ranging and Timing Calibration from Integrated Residual Analysis: A Summary of Early Mission Results." Proceedings of the 2003 Flight Mechanics Symposium, Oct. 28-30, 2003. NASA CP/2003-212246 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2002. "Filtering Errors in LEO Trajectories Obtained by Kinematic GPS with Floated Ambiguities." Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2002), Portland, OR, September 2002 1863-1871 [Proceedings]

2002. "Spaceborne laser Altimeter Instrument Parameter Calibration from Integrated Residual Analysis ." International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Volume XXXIV-3/W4, Annapolis, Maryland, 22-24 Oct. 2001 81-83 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2001. "Precise orbit determination for GEOSAT Follow-On using Satellite Laser Ranging Data and intermission altimeter crossovers." Proceedings of the 2001 Flight Mechanics Symposium NASA/CP-2001-209986 377-392 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2000. "Precise Orbit Determination for the GEOSAT Follow-On Spacecraft." Proceedings of the 12th International Workshop on Laser Ranging (ILRS), Nov. 13-17, 2000, Matera, Italy [Full Text] [Proceedings]

2000. "Orbit determination for Mars Global Surveyor during mapping." Proceedings of the AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Meeting, Aug. 16-19, 1999, Girdwood, Alaska, Advances in the Astronautical Sciences 103 435-451 [Proceedings]

1999. "Precise orbit determination for the GEOSAT Follow-On Spacecraft." Proceedings of the 1999 Flight Mechanics Symposium NASA/CP-1999-209235 495-508 [Full Text] [Proceedings]

1999. "Precise orbit determination for Mars Global Surveyor during Hiatus and SPO." AAS/AIAA Spaceflight Mechanics Meeting, Feb. 3–7, 1999, Breckinridge, Colorado, Advances in the Astronautical Sciences 102 649-666 [Proceedings]

1998. "The incredible shrinking tropics." Sky & Telescope 95 (6): 36-38 [Journal Article/Letter]

1996. "Results from the Clementine lunar geodesy investigation." Astrodynamics 1995 (AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Meeting, Feb. 14–17, 1995, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) 90 201-223 [Proceedings]

1993. "The night the Titanic went down." Sky & Telescope 86 (4): 79-83 [Journal Article/Letter]