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Michael Janssen's Picture
Address:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
M/S 169-506
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109
Phone:
818.354.7247
Fax:
818.354.8895
Email:

Michael Janssen

Michael Janssen has over thirty years of experience in radio astronomy and space research. He is currently a scientific investigator with roles in the Cassini mission to Saturn, ESA's Rosetta mission to the comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the Planck mission to observe the cosmic background, and the New Frontiers Juno mission to investigate the origin and internal structure of Jupiter. He was a member of the Science Working Group for the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) and played a major role in implementing the COBE Differential Microwave Radiometer experiment on COBE that discovered the origin of structure in the universe. In the same period he edited and made significant contributions to a book on the microwave remote sensing of atmospheres that is widely used in the field. He took a partial time-out in recent years to help with the management of the Earth & Space Sciences Division at JPL, where he worked in several areas to improve the climate for research in the Division and at the Laboratory. He is now focusing on his flight involvements as lead for the Cassini RADAR radiometer, now in orbit around Saturn, and as Principal Investigator for the Juno Microwave Radiometer, scheduled for launch in 2011.
Education
  • B.S., Atmospheric and Space Sciences, University of California at Berkeley (1963)
  • Ph.D., Physics, University of California at Berkeley (1972)
Research Interests
  • Microwave remote sensing of the Earth and solar system
  • Observational astrophysics and cosmology
  • Development and application of microwave instrumentation for astrophysics and remote sensing
Projects

Cassini-Huygens Icon Cassini-Huygens
The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft is currently exploring the ringed planet, its mysterious moons, the stunning rings and its complex magnetic environment.

Planck Icon Planck
Planck is the first European mission to study the birth of the Universe. Planck was launched on the 14th of May of 2009.

Rosetta Icon Rosetta
The Rosetta mission is designed to study the origin of comets, the relationship between cometary and interstellar material and its implications with regard to the origin of the Solar System.

Juno Icon Juno
Juno will fly to Jupiter and orbit its polar regions in order to understand the planet's gross size and structural properties, as well as measure Jupiter's atmospheric composition, temperature and deep wind profiles.

MIRO Icon MIRO
MIRO (Microwave Instrument for the Rosetta Orbiter) is a scientific instrument on the ROSETTA Spacecraft.

Professional Experience
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1972-Present)
    • Principal Scientist (2002-Present)
    • Assistant Manager, Earth and Space Sciences Division (1997-2002)
    • Acting Manager, Earth and Space Sciences Division (1999)
    • Discipline Program Manager for Astrophysics (1995-1997)
    • Lead Scientist for Astrophysics (1994-1997)
    • Manager, Space Physics and Astrophysics Section (1991-1993)
    • Group Supervisor, Radio/Submillimeter Astronomy (1989-1991)
    • Member of Technical Staff, Earth and Space Sciences Division (1976-1996)
    • Senior Scientist, Earth and Space Sciences Division (1974-1976)
    • National Research Council Resident Research Associate (1972-1974)
Selected Awards
  • Cosmology Prize of the Peter Gruber Foundation: Co-recipient as COBE team member (2006)
  • NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal for contributions to COBE (1992)
  • Member Phi Beta Kappa
  • National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship (1972-1974)
Selected Publications
  1. Janssen, M.A., R.D. Lorenz, R. West, F. Paganelli, R. M. Lopes, R.L. Kirk, C. Elachi, S.D. Wall, W.T.K. Johnson, Y. Anderson, R.A. Boehmer, P. Callahan, Y. Gim, G.A. Hamilton, K.D. Kelleher, L. Roth, B. Stiles, and the Cassini Radar Team, Titan’s surface at 2.2-cm wavelength imaged by the Cassini RADAR radiometer: calibration and first results, in press, Icarus, 2008.
  2. Lunine, J.I., C. Elachi, S. D. Wall, M. A. Janssen, M. D. Allison,Y. Anderson, R. Boehmer, P. Callahan, P. Encrenaz, E. Flamini, G. Franceschetti, Y. Gim, G., Hamilton, S. Hensley, W. T. K. Johnson, K. Kelleher, R. L. Kirk, R. M. Lopes, R., Lorenz, D. O. Muhleman, R. Orosei, S. J. Ostro, F. Paganelli, P. Paillou, G. Picardi, F. Posa, J. Radebaugh, L. E. Roth, R. Seu, S. Shaffer, L. A. Soderblom, B. Stiles, E.R. Stofan, S. Vetrella, R. West, C. A. Wood, L. Wye, H. Zebker, G. Alberti E. Karkoschka B. Rizk, E. McFarlane, C. See, and B. Kazeminejad. Titan’s diverse landscapes as evidenced by Cassini Radar’s third and fourth looks at Titan, Icarus 195, 415-433, 2008.
  3. Le Mouélic, S., P Paillou, M.A. Janssen, J.W. Barnes, S. Rodriguez, C. Sotin, R.H. Brown, K.H. Baines, B.J. Buratti, R.N. Clark, M. Crapeau , P.J. Encrenaz, R. Jaumann, D. Geudtner, F. Paganelli, L. Soderblom, G. Tobie, S. Wall. Joint analysis of Cassini VIMS and RADAR data: Application to the mapping of Sinlap crater on Titan J. Geophys. Res 113, E04003, doi:10.1029/2007JE002965, 2008.
  4. Zebker, H.A., L.C. Wye, M.A. Janssen, Cassini Radar Team. Titan’s surface from reconciled Cassini microwave reflectivity and emissivity observations, Icarus 194, 704–710, 2008.
  5. Paganelli F., M.A. Janssen, B. Stiles, R. West, R.D. Lorenz, J.I. Lunine, R. M. Lopes, E. Stofan, R.L. Kirk, W.T.K. Johnson, L. Roth, S.D. Wall, C. Elachi, and the Cassini Radar Team, “Titan’s surface from the Cassini Radar SAR and high resolution radiometry data of the first five flybys”, Icarus 191 211-222, 2007.
  6. Elachi, C., S. Wall, M.A. Janssen, E. Stofan, R. Lopes, R. Kirk, R. Lorenz, J. Lunine, F. Paganelli, L. Soderblom, C. Wood, L. Wye, H. Zebker, Y. Anderson, S. Ostro, M. Allison, R. Boehmer, P. Callahan, P. Encrenaz, E. Flameni, G. Francescetti, Y. Gim, G. Hamilton, S. Hensley, W. Johnson, K. Kelleher, D. Muhleman, G. Picardi, F. Posa, L. Roth, R. Seu, S. Shaffer, B. Stiles, S. Vetrella, and R. West, “Titan Radar Mapper Observations from Cassini’s Ta and T3 Fly-bys”, Nature 441, 709-713, 2006.
  7. Elachi, C., S. Wall, M. Allison, Y. Anderson, R. Boehmer, P. Callahan, P. Encrenaz, E. Flamini, G. Franchescetti, Y. Gim, G. Hamilton, S. Hensely, M. Janssen, W. Johnston , K. Kelleher, R. Kirk, R. Lopes, R. Lorenz, J. Lunine, D. Muhleman, S. Ostro, F. Paganelli, G. Picardi, F. Posa, L. Roth, R. Seu, S. Shaffer, L. Soderblom, B. Stiles, E. Stofan, S. Vetrella, R. West, C. Wood, L. Wye, H. Zebker, "Cassini Radar Views the Surface of Titan," Science 308, 970-974, 13 May 2005.
  8. Janssen, M.A., M.D. Hofstadter, S. Gulkis, A.P. Ingersoll, M.Allison, S.J. Bolton, and L.W. Kamp, "Microwave Remote Sensing of Jupiter's Atmosphere from an Orbiting Spacecraft", Icarus, 173, 447-453, 2005.
  9. Lorenz, R.D., G. Builloz, P. Encrenaz, M.A. Janssen, R. D. West, D. O. Muhleman, "Cassini Radar: prospects for Titan surface investigations using the microwave radiometer," Planetary Space Science. 51, 353-364, 2003.
  10. Bolton, S. J., M. Janssen, R. Thorne, S. Levin, M. Klein, S. Gulkis, T. Bastian, R. Sault, C. Elachi, M. Hofstadter, A. Bunker, G. Dulk|, E Gudim, M. Hamilton, W. Johnston, Y. Leblanc|, O. Liepack, R. McLeod, J. Roller, L. Roth, R. West, "Ultra-relativistic Electrons in Jupiter's Radiation Belts," Nature 415, 987-991, 2002.
  11. Janssen, M. A., et al, "Cassini Radar/Radiometer and VLA Observations of Jupiter's Synchrotron Emission," in Planetary Radio Emissions V, (H.O.Rucker, M.L.Kaiser, and Y.Leblanc, Eds.), pp.229-236, Verlag der Osterreichischen Akademie der Wissenshaften, Vienna, 2001.
  12. Boric-Lubecke, O., Denning, R.F., Janssen, M.A., and Frerking, M.A., "Miniature Low-Power Submillimeter-Wave Spectrometer for Remote Sensing in the Solar System," IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory and Techniques 46, 2061-2067, 1998
  13. Ruf, C. S., Keihm, S. J., and Janssen, M. A., "TOPEX/Poseidon Microwave Radiometer (TMR): I. Instrument Description and Antenna Temperature Calibration," IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing 33, 125-137, 1995.
  14. Janssen, M. A., Ruf, C. S., and Keihm, S. J., "TOPEX/Poseidon Microwave Radiometer (TMR): II. Antenna Pattern Correction and Brightness Temperature Algorithm," IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing 33, 138-146, 1995.
  15. Keihm, S. J., Janssen, M. A., and Ruf, C. S., "TOPEX/Poseidon Microwave Radiometer (TMR): III. Wet Troposphere Range Correction Algorithm and Pre-Launch Error Budget," IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sensing 33, 147-161, 1995.
  16. Janssen, M. A., and Lawrence, C. L., "Primordial Structure Investigation (PSI): A Low-Cost Space Mission to Image the Intermediate-Scale Cosmic Microwave Background," Astrophys. Lett. and Comm. 32, 289-296, 1995.
  17. Janssen, M.A., editor, Atmospheric Remote Sensing by Microwave Radiometry, Wiley & Sons, New York (1993).
  18. Janssen, M. A., "An Introduction to the Passive Microwave Remote Sensing of Atmospheres," Chapter 1 in Atmospheric Remote Sensing by Microwave Radiometry, (M. Janssen, ed.), pp. 1-35, Wiley & Sons, New York (1993).
  19. Janssen, M. A. and Gulkis, S., "Mapping the Sky with the COBE Differential Microwave Radiometers", in The Infrared and Submillimeter Sky after COBE, Eds. M. Signore and C. Dupraz, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 391-408 (1992).
  20. Bennett, C. L., Smoot, G. F., Janssen, M. A., Gulkis, S, Kogut, A., Hinshaw, G., Backus, C., Hauser, M. G., Mather, J. C., Rokke, L., Tenorio, L., Wilkinson, D. T., Wright, E. L., Aymon, J., DeAmici, G., Boggess, N. W., Cheng, E. S., Jackson, P. D., Keegstra, P., Kelsall, T., Kummerer, R., Lineweaver, C., Lubin, P. M., Meyer, S. S., Moseley Jr., S. H., Murdock, T. L., Santana, J., Shafer, R. A., Silverberg, R. F., Weiss, R., "COBE Differential Microwave Radiometers (DMR): Calibration Techniques," Ap.J. 391, 466-482 (1992).
  21. Smoot, G. F., Bennett, C. L., Kogut, A., Wright, E. L., Aymon, J., Boggess, N. W., Cheng, E. S., De Amici, G., Gulkis, S., Hauser, M. G., Hinshaw, G., Lineweaver, C., Loewenstein K., Jackson, P. D., Janssen, M. A., Kaita, E., Kelsall, T., Keegstra, P., Lubin, P., Mather, J. C., Meyer, S. S., Moseley Jr., S. H., Murdock, T. L., Rokke, L., Silverberg, R. F., Tenorio, L., Weiss, R., and Wilkinson, D. T., "Structure in the COBE Differential Microwave Radiometer First-Year Maps," Ap.J. 396, L1-L5 (1992).
  22. Smoot, G., Bennett, C., Weber, R., Maruschak, J., Ratliff, R., Janssen, M., Chitwood, J., Hilliard, L., Lecha, M., Mills, R., Patschke, R., Richards, C., Backus, C., Mather, J., Hauser, M., Weiss, R., Wilkinson, D., Gulkis, S., Boggess, N., Cheng, E., Kelsall, T., Lubin, P., Meyer, S., Moseley, H., Murdock, T., Shafer, R., Silverberg, R., and Wright, E., "COBE Differential Microwave Radiometers: Instrument Design and Implementation," Ap. J, 360, 685-695 (1990).

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