Scot Rafkin, Ph.D.
Planetary and Atmospheric Scientist.
Meteorologist of Earth and Other Worlds.
Director, Department of Space Studies
Solar System Science & Exploration Division
Soutwest Research Institute
Boulder, Colorado, USA
About Me
I am the Director of the Department of Space Studies at Southwest Research Institute and a planetary and atmospheric scientist. My area of expertise is in the development and application of mesoscale and microscale models of planetary atmospheres--especially Earth, Mars, and Titan. I also develop spaceflight instrumentation and lead efforts to measure planetary atmospheres in situ and remotely. I am a science team member on the NASA Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover and the Dragonfly mission to Titan. I have supported atmospheric characterization studies for the entry, descent, and landing for numerous Mars missions.
Projects
Mars Science Laboratory Meteorological Data Analysis
Characterization of Titan's Planetary Boundary Layer Through Large Eddy Simulation.
Development of the Laser Absorption Spectrometer for Volatiles and Evolved Gas (LASVEGAS) for the Earth's Moon and Icy Moons.
Atmospheric Characterization for the Mars Sample Return MIssion.
Mars Planetary Protection: Atmospheric Transport of Contaminants on Mars.