Sciences and Exploration Directorate

Rosemary Margaret Killen

(RESEARCH AST, PLANETARY STUDIES)

 rosemary.killen@nasa.gov

 301.286.6574

Org Code: 695

NASA/GSFC
Mail Code: 695
Greenbelt, MD 20771

Employer: NASA

Brief Bio


Dr. Killen has published extensively on the exospheres of Mercury and the Moon.

Dr. Killen is PI for the SSERVI Team, LEADER, "Lunar Environment and Dynamics for Exploration Research". LEADER is a consortium of 33 scientists in eight institutions studying the environment of the Moon, the effects of human exploration on the lunar environment and the effects of the lunar environment on humans and their systems on and around the Moon.


She was a Participating Scientist on the MESSENGER Mission to Mercury, Deputy PI on the DREAM and DREAM2 teams of the Solar System Exploration Virtual Institute, and Co-I on STROFIO, a mass spectrometer on Bepi-Colombo. She has observed Mercury, the Moon and the Galilean satellites at many major observatories. She is interested in the physics of space weathering and the interactions of the solar wind plasma with the surfaces of planets and satellites to produce exospheres. She has over 100 papers published in the refereed literature and almost 200 abstracts presented at scientific meetings.
 

Research Interests


Research Scientist

Solar System: Solar System

I study the exospheres of the Moon and Mercury via ground-based spectroscopy, space-based ultraviolet spectroscopy, and mathematical modeling using analytical and Monte Carlo  models.

Current Projects


LEADER TEAM of SSERVI (Solar System Exploration and Research Virtual Institute), PI; DREAM2 TEAM of SSERVI (Solar System Exploration and Research Virtual Institute), Deputy PI; Ground-based coronagraphic observations of the lunar sodium exosphere, PI; Team member on the STROFIO mass spectrometer team for the ESA Bepi-Colombo mission to Mercury; Discovery Data Analysis for MESSENGER MASCS Data

Moons

I study planetary exospheres (tenuous atmospheres) throughout our solar system, concentrating on Mercury and the Moon.

Positions/Employment


Research Scientist

NASA - Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

July 2009 - Present

My roles include research in the exospheres of Mercury and the Moon. I am PI of the SSERVI team, LEADER, that studies the lunar environment and dynamics for exploration research. We have four teams studying radiation, dust, exospheres and plasmas, respectively. We have a laboratory component to test the effect of solar wind on surfaces to simulate the surfaces of the Moon and airless planetary bodies. Another laboratory component involves the production and evolution of dust on surfaces such as that of the Moon.

Education


• Rice University, Space Physics and Astronomy, Ph.D. 1987
• University of Texas at Austin, Astronomy, MS 1975
• Southwestern University, Mathematics and Physics, BS 1971
 

Professional Societies


American Astronomical Society Division for Planetary Science; American Geophysical Society; International Astronomical Union

Full member

1985 - Present


International Astronomical Union

2007 - Present

Awards


Robert H Goddard Group Achievement Award for Science for SSERVI Team DREAM2, 2019

NASA Group Achievement Award for MESSENGER, 2018

Robert H Goddard Exceptional Achievement for Science, 2018

Solar System Division Peer Award, 2014

Publications


Refereed

Cooper, J. F., S. R. Habbal, B. Boe, et al. V. Angelopoulos, D. G. Sibeck, N. Paschalidis, E. C. Sittler, L. K. Jian, and R. M. Killen. 2023. Lunar Solar Occultation Explorer (LunaSOX) Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 10 [10.3389/fspas.2023.1163517]

Morrissey, L. S., M. J. Schaible, O. J. Tucker, et al. P. S. Szabo, G. Bacon, R. M. Killen, and D. W. Savin. 2023. Establishing a Best Practice for SDTrimSP Simulations of Solar Wind Ion Sputtering The Planetary Science Journal 4 (4): 67 [10.3847/psj/acc587]

Kuruppuaratchi, D., R. Oliversen, E. Mierkiewicz, M. Sarantos, and R. Killen. 2023. Latitudinal and radial dependence of the lunar sodium exospheric temperature and linewidths Icarus 115560 [10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115560]

Killen, R. M., R. J. Vervack, and M. H. Burger. 2022. Updated Photon Scattering Coefficients (g_values) for Mercury’s Exospheric Species The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series 263 (2): 37 [10.3847/1538-4365/ac9eab]

Leblanc, F., C. Schmidt, V. Mangano, et al. A. Mura, G. Cremonese, J. M. Raines, J. M. Jasinski, M. Sarantos, A. Milillo, R. M. Killen, S. Massetti, T. Cassidy, R. J. Vervack, S. Kameda, M. T. Capria, M. Horanyi, D. Janches, A. Berezhnoy, A. Christou, T. Hirai, P. Lierle, and J. Morgenthaler. 2022. Comparative Na and K Mercury and Moon Exospheres Space Science Reviews 218 (1): 2 [10.1007/s11214-022-00871-w]

Morrissey, L. S., O. J. Tucker, R. M. Killen, S. Nakhla, and D. W. Savin. 2022. Solar Wind Ion Sputtering of Sodium from Silicates Using Molecular Dynamics Calculations of Surface Binding Energies The Astrophysical Journal Letters 925 (1): L6 [10.3847/2041-8213/ac42d8]

Morrissey, L. S., O. J. Tucker, R. M. Killen, S. Nakhla, and D. W. Savin. 2021. Sputtering of surfaces by ion irradiation: A comparison of molecular dynamics and binary collision approximation models to laboratory measurements Journal of Applied Physics 130 (1): 013302 [10.1063/5.0051073]

Killen, R. M. 2021. Lunar Atmosphere: Source and Loss Processes Encyclopedia of Lunar Science 1000

Grava, C., R. M. Killen, M. Benna, et al. A. A. Berezhnoy, J. S. Halekas, F. Leblanc, M. N. Nishino, C. Plainaki, J. M. Raines, M. Sarantos, B. D. Teolis, O. J. Tucker, R. J. Vervack, and A. Vorburger. 2021. Volatiles and Refractories in Surface-Bounded Exospheres in the Inner Solar System Space Science Reviews 217 (5): 61 [10.1007/s11214-021-00833-8]

Tucker, O., R. Killen, R. Johnson, and P. Saxena. 2021. Lifetime of a transient atmosphere produced by lunar volcanism Icarus 359 114304 [10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114304]

Orsini, S., S. A. Livi, H. Lichtenegger, et al. S. Barabash, A. Milillo, E. De Angelis, M. Phillips, G. Laky, M. Wieser, A. Olivieri, C. Plainaki, G. Ho, R. M. Killen, J. A. Slavin, P. Wurz, J.-J. Berthelier, I. Dandouras, E. Kallio, S. McKenna-Lawlor, S. Szalai, K. Torkar, O. Vaisberg, F. Allegrini, I. A. Daglis, C. Dong, C. P. Escoubet, S. Fatemi, M. Fränz, S. Ivanovski, N. Krupp, H. Lammer, F. Leblanc, V. Mangano, A. Mura, H. Nilsson, J. M. Raines, R. Rispoli, M. Sarantos, H. T. Smith, K. Szego, A. Aronica, F. Camozzi, A. M. Di Lellis, G. Fremuth, F. Giner, R. Gurnee, J. Hayes, H. Jeszenszky, F. Tominetti, B. Trantham, J. Balaz, W. Baumjohann, D. Brienza, U. Bührke, M. D. Bush, M. Cantatore, S. Cibella, L. Colasanti, G. Cremonese, L. Cremonesi, M. D’Alessandro, D. Delcourt, M. Delva, M. Desai, M. Fama, M. Ferris, H. Fischer, A. Gaggero, D. Gamborino, P. Garnier, W. C. Gibson, R. Goldstein, M. Grande, V. Grishin, D. Haggerty, M. Holmström, I. Horvath, K.-C. Hsieh, A. Jacques, R. E. Johnson, A. Kazakov, K. Kecskemety, H. Krüger, C. Kürbisch, F. Lazzarotto, F. Leblanc, M. Leichtfried, R. Leoni, A. Loose, D. Maschietti, S. Massetti, F. Mattioli, G. Miller, D. Moissenko, A. Morbidini, R. Noschese, F. Nuccilli, C. Nunez, N. Paschalidis, S. Persyn, D. Piazza, M. Oja, J. Ryno, W. Schmidt, J. A. Scheer, A. Shestakov, S. Shuvalov, K. Seki, S. Selci, K. Smith, R. Sordini, J. Svensson, L. Szalai, D. Toublanc, C. Urdiales, A. Varsani, N. Vertolli, R. Wallner, P. Wahlstroem, P. Wilson, and S. Zampieri. 2021. SERENA: Particle Instrument Suite for Determining the Sun-Mercury Interaction from BepiColombo Space Science Reviews 217 (1): 11 [10.1007/s11214-020-00787-3]

Milillo, A., M. Fujimoto, G. Murakami, et al. J. Benkhoff, J. Zender, S. Aizawa, M. Dósa, L. Griton, D. Heyner, G. Ho, S. M. Imber, X. Jia, T. Karlsson, R. M. Killen, M. Laurenza, S. T. Lindsay, S. McKenna-Lawlor, A. Mura, J. M. Raines, D. A. Rothery, N. André, W. Baumjohann, A. Berezhnoy, P. A. Bourdin, E. J. Bunce, F. Califano, J. Deca, S. de la Fuente, C. Dong, C. Grava, S. Fatemi, P. Henri, S. L. Ivanovski, B. V. Jackson, M. James, E. Kallio, Y. Kasaba, E. Kilpua, M. Kobayashi, B. Langlais, F. Leblanc, C. Lhotka, V. Mangano, A. Martindale, S. Massetti, A. Masters, M. Morooka, Y. Narita, J. S. Oliveira, D. Odstrcil, S. Orsini, M. G. Pelizzo, C. Plainaki, F. Plaschke, F. Sahraoui, K. Seki, J. A. Slavin, R. Vainio, P. Wurz, S. Barabash, C. M. Carr, D. Delcourt, K.-H. Glassmeier, M. Grande, M. Hirahara, J. Huovelin, O. Korablev, H. Kojima, H. Lichtenegger, S. Livi, A. Matsuoka, R. Moissl, M. Moncuquet, K. Muinonen, E. Quèmerais, Y. Saito, S. Yagitani, I. Yoshikawa, and J.-E. Wahlund. 2020. Investigating Mercury’s Environment with the Two-Spacecraft BepiColombo Mission Space Science Reviews 216 (5): 93 [10.1007/s11214-020-00712-8]

Ryabova, G. O., D. J. Asher, M. D. Campbell-Brown, et al. A. Christou, J. Vaubaillon, P. Withers, R. Hueso, and R. M. Killen. 2019. Meteoroids: Sources of Meteors on Earth and Beyond: Extraterrestrial Meteors

Saxena, P., R. M. Killen, V. Airapetian, et al. N. E. Petro, N. M. Curran, and A. M. Mandell. 2019. Was the Sun a Slow Rotator? Sodium and Potassium Constraints from the Lunar Regolith The Astrophysical Journal 876 (1): L16 [10.3847/2041-8213/ab18fb]

Killen, R. M., D. R. Williams, J. Park, et al. O. J. Tucker, S.-J. Kim, R. M. Killen, and D. R. Williams. 2019. The lunar neon exosphere seen in LACE data Icarus 329 246-250 [10.1016/j.icarus.2019.04.018]

Killen, R. M., T. H. Morgan, A. E. Potter, et al. C. Plymate, R. Tucker, and J. D. Johnson. 2019. Coronagraphic observations of the lunar sodium exosphere January–June, 2017 Icarus [10.1016/j.icarus.2019.02.027]

Tucker, O. J., W. M. Farrell, R. M. Killen, and D. M. Hurley. 2019. Solar Wind Implantation Into the Lunar Regolith: Monte Carlo Simulations of H Retention in a Surface With Defects and the H 2 Exosphere Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 2018JE005805 [10.1029/2018je005805]

Killen, R. M. 2019. Observations of Mercury's Exosphere: Composition and Structure Mercury: The View After MESSENGER 371-406

Killen, R. M., and M. H. Burger. 2019. Understanding Mercury's Exosphere: Models derived from MESSENGER observations Mercury: The View After MESSENGER

Killen, R. M. 2018. Extraterrestrial Meteors Meteoroids: Sources of Meteors on Earth and Beyond

Killen, R. M., M. H. Burger, and W. M. Farrell. 2018. Exospheric escape: A parametrical study Advances in Space Research 62 (8): 2364-2371 [10.1016/j.asr.2017.06.015]

Merkel, A. W., R. J. Vervack, R. M. Killen, et al. T. A. Cassidy, W. E. McClintock, L. R. Nittler, and M. H. Burger. 2018. Evidence Connecting Mercury's Magnesium Exosphere to Its Magnesium-Rich Surface Terrane Geophysical Research Letters [10.1029/2018gl078407]

Farrell, W. M., R. M. Killen, and M. Benna. 2018. The Dust, Atmosphere and Plasma at the Moon New Views of the Moon 2

Hurley, D. M., J. C. Cook, K. D. Retherford, et al. T. Greathouse, G. R. Gladstone, K. Mandt, C. Grava, D. Kaufmann, A. Hendrix, P. D. Feldman, W. Pryor, A. Stickle, R. M. Killen, and S. A. Stern. 2017. Contributions of solar wind and micrometeoroids to molecular hydrogen in the lunar exosphere Icarus 283 31-37 [10.1016/j.icarus.2016.04.019]

Merkel, A. W., T. A. Cassidy, R. J. Vervack, et al. W. E. McClintock, M. Sarantos, M. H. Burger, and R. M. Killen. 2017. Seasonal variations of Mercury's magnesium dayside exosphere from MESSENGER observations Icarus 281 46-54 [10.1016/j.icarus.2016.08.032]

Vervack, R. J., R. M. Killen, W. E. McClintock, et al. A. W. Merkel, M. H. Burger, T. A. Cassidy, and M. Sarantos. 2016. New discoveries from MESSENGER and insights into Mercury's exosphere Geophysical Research Letters 43 (22): 11,545-11,551 [10.1002/2016gl071284]

Cassidy, T. A., W. E. McClintock, R. M. Killen, et al. M. Sarantos, A. W. Merkel, R. J. Vervack, and M. H. Burger. 2016. A cold-pole enhancement in Mercury's sodium exosphere Geophysical Research Letters 43 (21): 11,121-11,128 [10.1002/2016gl071071]

Farrell, W., D. Hurley, M. Poston, et al. M. Zimmerman, T. Orlando, C. Hibbitts, and R. Killen. 2016. The gas-surface interaction of a human-occupied spacecraft with a near-Earth object Advances in Space Research 58 (9): 1648-1653 [10.1016/j.asr.2016.08.031]

Bida, T. A., and R. M. Killen. 2016. Observations of the minor species Al and Fe in Mercury's exosphere Icarus [10.1016/j.icarus.2016.10.019]

Killen, R. M. 2016. Pathways for energization of Ca in Mercury’s exosphere Icarus 268 32-36 [10.1016/j.icarus.2015.12.035]

Christou, A. A., R. M. Killen, and M. H. Burger. 2015. The meteoroid stream of comet Encke at Mercury: Implications for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging observations of the exosphere Geophysical Research Letters 42 (18): 7311-7318 [10.1002/2015gl065361]

Killen, R. M., and J. M. Hahn. 2015. Impact vaporization as a possible source of Mercury’s calcium exosphere Icarus 250 230-237 [10.1016/j.icarus.2014.11.035]

Cassidy, T. A., A. W. Merkel, M. H. Burger, et al. M. Sarantos, R. M. Killen, W. E. McClintock, and R. J. Vervack. 2015. Mercury’s seasonal sodium exosphere: MESSENGER orbital observations Icarus 248 547-559 [10.1016/j.icarus.2014.10.037]

Burger, M. H., R. M. Killen, W. E. McClintock, et al. A. W. Merkel, R. J. Vervack, T. A. Cassidy, and M. Sarantos. 2014. Seasonal variations in Mercury’s dayside calcium exosphere Icarus 238 51-58 [10.1016/j.icarus.2014.04.049]

Domingue, D. L., C. R. Chapman, R. M. Killen, et al. T. H. Zurbuchen, J. A. Gilbert, M. Sarantos, M. Benna, J. A. Slavin, D. Schriver, P. M. Trávníček, T. M. Orlando, A. L. Sprague, D. T. Blewett, J. J. Gillis-Davis, W. C. Feldman, D. J. Lawrence, G. C. Ho, D. S. Ebel, L. R. Nittler, F. Vilas, C. M. Pieters, S. C. Solomon, C. L. Johnson, R. M. Winslow, J. Helbert, P. N. Peplowski, S. Z. Weider, N. Mouawad, N. R. Izenberg, and W. E. McClintock. 2014. Mercury’s Weather-Beaten Surface: Understanding Mercury in the Context of Lunar and Asteroidal Space Weathering Studies Space Sci Rev 181 (1-4): 121-214 [10.1007/s11214-014-0039-5]

Potter, A., R. Killen, K. P. Reardon, and T. Bida. 2013. Observation of neutral sodium above Mercury during the transit of November 8, 2006 Icarus 226 (1): 172-185 [10.1016/j.icarus.2013.05.029]

Farrell, W. M., A. R. Poppe, M. I. Zimmerman, et al. J. S. Halekas, G. T. Delory, and R. M. Killen. 2013. The lunar photoelectron sheath: A change in trapping efficiency during a solar storm Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 118 (5): 1114-1122 [10.1002/jgre.20086]

Burger, M. H., R. M. Killen, W. E. McClintock, et al. R. J. Vervack, A. W. Merkel, A. L. Sprague, and M. Sarantos. 2012. Modeling MESSENGER observations of calcium in Mercury's exosphere Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 117 (E12): [10.1029/2012je004158]

Slavin, J. A., S. M. Imber, S. A. Boardsen, et al. G. A. DiBraccio, T. Sundberg, M. Sarantos, T. Nieves-Chinchilla, A. Szabo, B. J. Anderson, H. Korth, T. H. Zurbuchen, J. M. Raines, C. L. Johnson, R. M. Winslow, R. M. Killen, R. L. McNutt, and S. C. Solomon. 2012. MESSENGER observations of a flux-transfer-event shower at Mercury Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 117 (A12): [10.1029/2012ja017926]

Sarantos, M., R. M. Killen, D. A. Glenar, M. Benna, and T. J. Stubbs. 2012. Metallic species, oxygen and silicon in the lunar exosphere: Upper limits and prospects for LADEE measurements Journal of Geophysical Research 117 (A3): A03103 [10.1029/2011ja017044]

Farrell, W. M., J. S. Halekas, R. M. Killen, et al. G. T. Delory, N. Gross, L. V. Bleacher, D. Krauss-Varben, P. Travnicek, D. Hurley, T. J. Stubbs, M. I. Zimmerman, and T. L. Jackson. 2012. Solar-Storm/Lunar Atmosphere Model (SSLAM): An overview of the effort and description of the driving storm environment Journal of Geophysical Research 117 E00K04 [10.1029/2012je004070]

Killen, R. M., D. M. Hurley, and W. M. Farrell. 2012. The effect on the lunar exosphere of a coronal mass ejection passage Journal of Geophysical Research 117 E00K02 [10.1029/2011je004011]

Sarantos, M., R. E. Hartle, R. M. Killen, et al. Y. Saito, J. A. Slavin, and A. Glocer. 2012. Flux estimates of ions from the lunar exosphere Geophysical Research Letters 39 13101 [10.1029/2012GL052001]

Sarantos, M., R. M. Killen, W. E. McClintock, et al. E. Todd Bradley, R. J. Vervack, M. Benna, and J. A. Slavin. 2011. Limits to Mercury's magnesium exosphere from MESSENGER second flyby observations Planetary and Space Science 59 (15): 1992-2003 [10.1016/j.pss.2011.05.002]

Farrell, W. M., J. Halekas, T. J. Stubbs, et al. G. Delory, R. Killen, R. Hartle, and M. Collier. 2011. Regarding the possible generation of a lunar nightside exo-ionosphere Icarus 216 (1): 169-172 [10.1016/j.icarus.2011.08.013]

Jackson, T. L., W. M. Farrell, R. M. Killen, et al. G. Delory, J. S. Halekas, and T. J. Stubbs. 2011. "Discharging of Roving Objects in the Lunar Polar Regions" Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets 48 (4): 700-704 [10.2514/1.51897]

Mouawad, N., M. H. Burger, R. M. Killen, et al. A. E. Potter, W. E. McClintock, R. J. Vervack, E. T. Bradley, M. Benna, and S. Naidu. 2011. Constraints on Mercury’s Na exosphere: Combined MESSENGER and ground-based data Icarus 211 (1): 21-36 [10.1016/j.icarus.2010.10.019]

Killen, R. M., A. E. Potter, D. M. Hurley, C. Plymate, and S. Naidu. 2010. Observations of the lunar impact plume from the LCROSS event Geophysical Research Letters 37 (23): [10.1029/2010gl045508]

Killen, R. M., A. E. Potter, R. J. Vervack, et al. E. T. Bradley, W. E. McClintock, C. M. Anderson, and M. H. Burger. 2010. Observations of metallic species in Mercury’s exosphere Icarus 209 (1): 75-87 [10.1016/j.icarus.2010.02.018]

Farrell, W. M., T. J. Stubbs, J. S. Halekas, et al. R. M. Killen, G. T. Delory, M. Collier, and R. R. Vondrak. 2010. Anticipated electrical environment within permanently shadowed lunar craters Journal of Geophysical Research 115 (E3): E03004 [10.1029/2009JE003464]

Slavin, J. A., R. P. Lepping, C.-C. Wu, et al. B. J. Anderson, D. N. Baker, M. Benna, S. A. Boardsen, R. M. Killen, H. Korth, S. M. Krimigis, W. E. McClintock, R. L. McNutt, M. Sarantos, D. Schriver, S. C. Solomon, P. Trávníček, and T. H. Zurbuchen. 2010. MESSENGER observations of large flux transfer events at Mercury Geophysical Research Letters 37 (2): [10.1029/2009gl041485]

Benna, M., B. Anderson, D. Baker, et al. S. A. Boardsen, G. Gloeckler, R. Gold, G. Ho, R. M. Killen, H. Korth, S. Krimigis, M. E. Purucker, R. McNutt, J. Raines, W. McClintock, M. Sarantos, J. A. Slavin, S. Solomon, and T. Zurbuchen. 2010. Modeling of the magnetosphere of Mercury at the time of the first MESSENGER flyby Icarus 209 (1): 3-10

Potter, A., T. Morgan, and R. Killen. 2009. Sodium winds on Mercury Icarus 204 (2): 355-367 [10.1016/j.icarus.2009.06.028]

Sarantos, M., J. A. Slavin, M. Benna, et al. S. A. Boardsen, R. M. Killen, D. Schriver, and P. Trávníček. 2009. Sodium-ion pickup observed above the magnetopause during MESSENGER's first Mercury flyby: Constraints on neutral exospheric models Geophysical Research Letters 36 (4): L04106 [10.1029/2008gl036207]

Baker, D. N., D. Odstrcil, B. J. Anderson, et al. C. N. Arge, M. Benna, G. Gloeckler, J. M. Raines, D. Schriver, J. A. Slavin, S. C. Solomon, R. M. Killen, and T. H. Zurbuchen. 2009. Space environment of Mercury at the time of the first MESSENGER flyby: Solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field modeling of upstream conditions Journal of Geophysical Research 114 (A10): A10101 [10.1029/2009ja014287]

Slavin, J. A., B. J. Anderson, D. Baker, et al. S. A. Boardsen, C. L. Johnson, G. Gloeckler, R. E. Gold, R. M. Killen, H. Korth, S. M. Krimigis, W. E. McClintock, R. L. McNutt, M. E. Purucker, M. Sarantos, D. Schriver, S. C. Solomon, A. L. Sprague, R. J. Vervack, T. Zurbuchen, and P. Travnicek. 2009. Mercury’s atmosphere and magnetosphere: MESSENGER third flyby observations (Invited) AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A1-

Anderson, B. J., D. Baker, S. A. Boardsen, et al. R. M. Killen, H. Korth, S. M. Krimigis, M. E. Purucker, R. L. McNutt, J. M. Raines, W. E. McClintock, M. Sarantos, J. A. Slavin, S. C. Solomon, D. Schriver, P. Travnicek, and T. Zurbuchen. 2009. MHD modeling of the interaction of the magnetosphere of Mercury with the solar wind during the MESSENGER flybys AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A8-

Hartle, R. E., M. Sarantos, R. M. Killen, et al. E. C. Sittler, J. S. Halekas, S. Yokota, Y. Saito, and W. Farrell. 2009. Lunar Neutral Exosphere Properties from Pickup Ion Analysis AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 1266-

Cooper, J. F., R. E. Hartle, E. C. Sittler, et al. M. A. McGrath, C. J. Alexander, J. B. Dalton, D. Pascu, C. Paranicas, C. Hibbitts, M. E. Hill, P. D. Cooper, R. E. Johnson, T. A. Cassidy, T. M. Orlando, L. J. Lanzerotti, N. A. Schwadron, K. D. Retherford, R. I. Kaiser, F. Leblanc, S. J. Sturner, and R. M. Killen. 2009. Space Weathering Impact on Solar System Surfaces and Planetary Mission Science AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 1465-

Kallio, E., P. Wurz, R. Killen, et al. S. McKenna-Lawlor, A. Milillo, A. Mura, S. Massetti, S. Orsini, H. Lammer, P. Janhunen, and W.-H. Ip. 2008. On the impact of multiply charged heavy solar wind ions on the surface of Mercury, the Moon and Ceres Planetary and Space Science 56 (11): 1506-1516 [10.1016/j.pss.2008.07.018]

Zurbuchen, T. H., J. M. Raines, G. Gloeckler, et al. S. M. Krimigis, J. A. Slavin, P. L. Koehn, R. M. Killen, A. L. Sprague, R. L. McNutt, and S. C. Solomon. 2008. MESSENGER Observations of the Composition of Mercury's Ionized Exosphere and Plasma Environment Science 321 (5885): 90-92 [10.1126/science.1159314]

Slavin, J. A., M. H. Acuna, B. J. Anderson, et al. D. N. Baker, M. Benna, G. Gloeckler, R. E. Gold, G. C. Ho, R. M. Killen, H. Korth, S. M. Krimigis, R. L. McNutt, L. R. Nittler, J. M. Raines, D. Schriver, S. C. Solomon, R. D. Starr, P. Travnicek, and T. H. Zurbuchen. 2008. Mercury's Magnetosphere After MESSENGER's First Flyby Science 321 (5885): 85-89 [10.1126/science.1159040]

Potter, A., and R. Killen. 2008. Observations of the sodium tail of Mercury Icarus 194 (1): 1-12 [10.1016/j.icarus.2007.09.023]

Sarantos, M., J. A. Slavin, S. A. Boardsen, and R. M. Killen. 2008. Distribution of sodium pickup ions during MESSENGER's first and second Mercury flybys: constraints on exospheric models AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A43-

Killen, R., G. Cremonese, H. Lammer, et al. S. Orsini, A. E. Potter, A. L. Sprague, P. Wurz, M. L. Khodachenko, H. I. Lichtenegger, A. Milillo, and A. Mura. 2007. Processes that Promote and Deplete the Exosphere of Mercury Space Sci Rev 132 (2-4): 433-509 [10.1007/s11214-007-9232-0]

Sarantos, M., R. M. Killen, and D. Kim. 2007. Predicting the long-term solar wind ion-sputtering source at Mercury Planetary and Space Science 55 (11): 1584-1595 [10.1016/j.pss.2006.10.011]

Domingue, D. L., P. L. Koehn, R. M. Killen, et al. A. L. Sprague, M. Sarantos, A. F. Cheng, E. T. Bradley, and W. E. McClintock. 2007. Mercury’s Atmosphere: A Surface-Bounded Exosphere Space Sci Rev 131 (1-4): 161-186 [10.1007/s11214-007-9260-9]

Leblanc, F., E. Chassefière, R. Johnson, et al. D. Hunten, E. Kallio, D. Delcourt, R. Killen, J. Luhmann, A. Potter, A. Jambon, G. Cremonese, M. Mendillo, N. Yan, and A. Sprague. 2007. Mercury's exosphere origins and relations to its magnetosphere and surface Planetary and Space Science 55 (9): 1069-1092 [10.1016/j.pss.2006.11.008]

Killen, R. 2006. Curve‐of‐Growth Model for Sodium D2 Emission at Mercury Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 118 (847): 1344-1350 [10.1086/508070]

Potter, A., R. Killen, and M. Sarantos. 2006. Spatial distribution of sodium on Mercury Icarus 181 (1): 1-12 [10.1016/j.icarus.2005.10.026]

Hartle, R. E., and R. Killen. 2006. Measuring pickup ions to characterize the surfaces and exospheres of planetary bodies: Applications to the Moon Geophysical Research Letters 33 (5): L05201 [10.1029/2005gl024520]

Crider, D., R. Killen, and R. Vondrak. 2006. Ice on the Moon and Mercury Advances in Geosci 3 93-102

Leblanc, F., A. Potter, R. Killen, and R. Johnson. 2005. Origins of Europa Na cloud and torus Icarus 178 (2): 367-385 [10.1016/j.icarus.2005.03.027]

Nittler, L. R., R. D. Starr, L. F. Lim, et al. T. J. McCoy, T. H. Burbine, R. C. Reedy, J. I. Trombka, P. Gorenstein, S. W. Squyres, W. V. Boynton, T. P. McClanahan, J. S. Bhangoo, P. E. Clark, M. E. Murphy, and R. Killen. 2001. X-ray fluorescence measurements of the surface elemental composition of asteroid 433 Eros Meteoritics and Planetary Science 36 1673-1695 [10.1111/j.1945-5100.2001.tb01856.x]

Killen, R., and F. M. Flasar. 1996. Microwave Sounding of the Giant Planets Icarus 119 (1): 67-89 [10.1006/icar.1996.0003]

Non-Refereed

Killen, R. M., and R. J. Vervack. 2019. Mercury's Sodium Exosphere Dawn/Dusk Asymmetry Proceedings of the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting P13C-3527

Tucker, O. J., R. M. Killen, and P. Saxena. 2019. Sputter Loss of an Early Transient Lunar Atmosphere European Planetary Science Conference EPSC-DPS2019-70.

Mangano, V., J. Zender, J. Huovelin, et al. C. Schmidt, R. M. Killen, and S. Kameda. 2019. Sodium exosphere of Mercury: A call for new Earth-based telescopes and observers EPSC/ EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019 13.1967

Killen, R. M., O. J. Tucker, D. R. Williams, J. Park, and S. J. Kim. 2019. The Lunar Neon Exosphere seen in LACE Data NASA Exploration Science Forum (AMES Research Center):

Tucker, O. J., R. E. Johnson, J. M. Bell, et al. M. R. Collier, W. M. Farrell, A. Glocer, R. M. Killen, and P. Saxena. 2019. Limits on X-Ray Luminosity from Pluto's H2 Corona LPI/Pluto System After New Horizons 2133 id.7080

Saxena, P., R. M. Killen, V. Airapetian, et al. N. E. Petro, N. M. Curran, and A. M. Mandell. 2019. The Sun was likely a Slow Rotator: Lunar Geochemical Constraints LPI (50.3050s):

Saxena, P., R. Killen, V. Airapetian, et al. N. Petro, N. Curran, and A. Mandell. 2019. The Sun was likely a Slow Rotator: Lunar Geochemical Constraints Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 50

Farrell, W. M., J. E. Bleacher, T. J. Ames, et al. L. M. Carter, C. Y. Cheung, M. R. Collier, J. F. Cooper, R. L. Hudson, T. L. Jackson, J. W. Keller, R. M. Killen, M. M. Kuznetsova, M. J. Loeffler, R. J. MacDowall, A. M. Parsons, N. E. Petro, A. A. Pulkkinen, Y. Zheng, and M. I. Zimmerman. 2013. 'Where to Hide?': A Tele-Robotic Application for HEOMD's Earth-Moon L2 Mission Lunar and Planetary Institute Science Conference Abstracts 44 2514

Selected Public Outreach


New Views of Mercury's Exosphere from MESSENGER

November 2018 - November Present

Public talk at the Geological Society of Wshington, Given at the COSMOS  Club, Washington, DC

October 24, 2018