Richard G Cosentino

Planetary Atmospheres

Dynamics - Different regions of an atmosphere interact with each other to transport energy and momentum via waves, eddies, and turbulence. Convection is a driver of planetary atmospheric dynamics through the creation of storms that we observe on Earth as hurricanes for example, but how these relate to other systems like the Great Red Spot is still an active area of research. Running sophisticated computer models that include a wide variety of effects over a range of scales is one manner in which we can learn about the similarities and differences of planets in the solar system and beyond.

Observations - Combining optical wavelength studies with radio, submillmeter and infrared wavelengths allows us to explore different regions of a planet. Understanding how the deeper and upper atmospheres of planets affect each other and how they compare to the more familiar clouds seen at optical wavelengths gives us windows into the complex interactions of cause and effect and how planets redistribute energy horizontally and vertically.

Engineering Physics

Instrumentation - The OSIRIS-REx mission's primary goal was to return a sample of the asteroid Bennu to Earth. An optical and infrared wavelength spectrometer aboard the spacecraft called OVIRS was used to characterize the asteroid and potential sample sites. Dr. Cosentino was an OVIRS instrument scientist who was involved with observation planning, instrument health, stability and performance, and contributed to science discoveries such as the hydrated mineralogy of Bennu and the Moon.

Interferometry - The VLA and ALMA represent arrays at longer wavelengths that yield observatories with incredible resolving power. Their scientific value arises from signal processing techniques that allow many smaller individual telescopes to function as a larger more sensitive astronomical facility. Dr. Cosentino utilizes such telescopes in his research of planetary atmospheres in the solar system, but is also interested in their ability to study other astrophysical phenomena such as transient events like gamma-ray bursts, fast radio bursts, compact object collisions, star formation, and galactic evolution.

Episodic Convection in Giant Planets

Atmospheres

The climatological history from observations of Jupiter and Saturn reveal that there are trends in how often and where large-scale storms occur with semi-regularity. Jupiter's low latitude regions periodically erupt with convective activity that change the organization of the clouds and their color on the order of years to decades depending on location. Why such events happen and how they are related to each other is currently a mystery but every so often Jupiter undergoes a "Global Upheaval" where several of these regional convective events all occur simultaneously, dramatically changing the appearance of the planet for several years - one is expected to occur in the recent future. Saturn however has a different record where solitary large convective storms appear to happen every 30 years and is mostly calm at other times. This is in stark contrast with Jupiter.

Turbulence in Outer Planet Atmospheres

Atmospheres

The major science objectives of the Juno mission include studying and characterizing the deep interior of Jupiter. From this, we will learn about the structure of the interior and how it connects Jupiter's upper cloud layers. The Cassini Grand Finale of its mission had similar science questions to answer. Convection is a mechanism that vertically transports energy from depth upwards to create clouds, waves, gyres, and storms that pump energy into driving global weather patterns. We have made progress in understanding some of these complex physical processes on Jupiter and have started to conduct similar analyses for observations of Saturn, and the ice giant planets Uranus and Neptune. How unique are the Jupiter results and how maybe more importantly how different are the other outer planets?

OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer)

Solar System

The OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) is a NASA asteroid study and sample-return mission. The mission's main goal is to obtain a sample of at least 60 grams (2.1 oz) from 101955 Bennu, a carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid, and return the sample to Earth for a detailed analysis. The material returned is expected to enable scientists to learn more about the formation and evolution of the Solar System, its initial stages of planet formation, and the source of organic compounds that led to the formation of life on Earth. If successful, OSIRIS-REx will be the first U.S. spacecraft to return samples from an asteroid. The Lidar instrument used aboard the OSIRIS-REx was built by Lockheed Martin, in conjunction with the Canadian Space Agency.

Postdoctoral Research Associate

University of Maryland Department of Astronomy - CRESST-II - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD

April 2019 - Present

NASA Postdoctoral Program - Fellow

University Space Research Associates (USRA) - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD

April 2017 - April 2017

American Astronomical Society - Division of Planetary Sciences

2014 - Present