Planetary Science

Education:

2014: Ph.D. in Planetary Science with additional specialization in the History and Philosophy of Science, Caltech

2010: M.S. in Planetary Science, Caltech

2007: B.S. in Physics, B.S. in Planetary Science, MIT

Dissertation:

I worked with Oded Aharonson on the topography of cratered terrains, particularly the lunar surface.  My thesis, Interpretation of Lunar Topography: Impact Cratering and Surface Roughness, considers past and present surface conditions on the Moon using two different but complementary approaches:  topographic analysis using high-resolution elevation data from recent spacecraft missions and forward modeling of theimpact cratering process, the dominant agent of lunar surface modification.

Here’s a brief animated introduction I made to impact cratering and relative age dating:

Publications & Conference Proceedings:

Rosenburg, M. A., O. Aharonson, and R. Sari, 2015. Topographic Power Spectra of Cratered Terrains: Theory and Application to the Moon. J. Geophys. Res., doi: 10.1002/2014JE004746.

Rosenburg, M. A., 2014. Interpretation of Lunar Topography: Impact Cratering and Surface Roughness. Doctoral Dissertation, California Institute of Technology..

M. A. Kreslavsky, J. W. Head, G. A. Neumann, M. A. Rosenburg, O. Aharonson, D. E. Smith and M. T. Zuber, 2013. Lunar Topographic Roughness Maps from Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) Data: Scale Dependence and Correlation with Geologic Features and Units. Icarus.

Rosenburg, M. A., O. Aharonson, R. Sari, D. E. Smith, M. T. Zuber, 2012. Topographic power spectra of cratered terrains and the lunar landscape. AGU Fall Meeting.

M. T. Zuber, J. W. Head, D. E. Smith, G. A. Neumann, E. Mazarico, M. H. Torrence, O. Aharonson, A. I. Tye, C. I. Fassett, M. A. Rosenburg, H. J. Melosh, 2012. Constraints on the volatile distribution within Shackleton crater at the lunar south pole. Nature, 486, 378-381, doi:10.1038/nature11216.

Rosenburg, M. A., O. Aharonson, R. Sari, D. E. Smith, M. T. Zuber, 2011. Roughness of lunar terrains: Slope statistics and power spectral density in cratering and diffusive equilibrium. AGU Fall Meeting.

M. A. Rosenburg, O. Aharonson, J. W. Head, M. A. Kreslavsky, E. Mazarico, G. A. Neumann, D. E. Smith, M. H. Torrence, and M. T. Zuber, 2011. Global Surface Slopes and Roughness of the Moon from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter. J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2010JE003716.

J.-P. Williams, J. Ruiz, M. A. Rosenburg, O. Aharonson, and R. J. Phillips, 2011. Insolation driven variations of Mercury’s lithospheric strength. J. Geophys. Res., doi:10.1029/2010JE003655.

M. A. Rosenburg, O. Aharonson, D. E. Smith, M. T. Zuber, G. A. Neumann, M. H. Torrence, E. Mazarico, 2010. Lunar surface roughness and slope statistics from LOLA. LPSC XXXXIIII, #2502.

M. A. Rosenburg, J.-P.Williams, and O. Aharonson, 2008. The effect of heterogeneous lithospheric structure on surface stress and tectonics on Mercury. AGU Fall Meeting, Abstract U21A-0017.

L. S. Jones, M. A. Rosenburg, M. del Mar Figueroa, K. McKee, B. Haravitch, J. Hunter, 2010. Holocene valley-floor deposition and incision in a small drainage basin in western Colorado, USA. Quaternary. Res., 74, 199-206.