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Steven Levin

Photo of Steven Levin

Address:

4800 Oak Grove Drive
M/S 169-506

Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone:

818.354.1917

Fax:

818.354.8895

Curriculum Vitae:

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Member of:

Origin of the Universe

Biography

Steve Levin has worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory since 1990. During that time, his research interests have included the Cosmic Microwave Background, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), measuring magnetic fields in star-forming regions, looking for near-Earth asteroids, modeling radio emission from Jupiter’s radiation belts, and microwave observations of Jupiter. He has done radio astronomy from large radio telescopes, mountain top research stations, the South Pole, high-altitude balloons, and spacecraft. He is currently the Project Scientist for Juno, Lead Co-I for the Juno Microwave Radiometer, and Lead Scientist for the Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope project (GAVRT). He has co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers. He was also an elected member of the board of education of Culver City Unified School District from 2013-2022, and is a frequent speaker on science topics at schools and public venues.

Education

  • A.B., Physics, University of California at Berkeley (1981)
  • Ph.D., Physics, University of California at Berkeley (1987)

Professional Experience

  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1990-present)
    • Lead Co-I for Microwave Radiometer Experiment on Juno (2018-Present)
    • Lead Scientist for GAVRT (2011-Present)
    • Project Scientist - Juno (2008-Present)
    • Deputy Project Scientist - Juno (2005-2008)
    • Research Scientist, Astrophysics (1994-2007)
    • Member of Technical Staff, E6 (1993-1994)
    • Member of Technical Staff, E5 (1990-1993)
  • University of California at Berkeley (1987-1990)
    • Research Physicist, Step I, (Space Sciences Lab) (1989-1990)
    • Post-Doctoral Researcher (Astrophysics), U.C. Berkeley (1987-1989)
  • Pomona College, Guest Lecturer ; Astro 1 (2000)
  • University of Southern California, Guest Lecturer; Astronomy 100 (1996-1998)
  • Culver City Unified School District, Board of Education (2013-2022)

Research Interests

  • Measurements of the spatial power spectrum, frequency spectrum, and polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.
  • Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) by surveying for narrow-band microwave emission.
  • Measurements of magnetic fields in pre-protostellar cold molecular cloud cores by observation of the Zeeman effect in CCS.
  • Modeling of the inner Jovian radiation belts based on analysis and observations of the associated synchrotron emission.
  • Origin and evolution of Jupiter, its atmosphere, its magnetosphere, and its moons

Selected Awards

  • NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal (2022)
  • JPL Magellan Award (2019)
  • NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal (2012)
  • NASA Group Achievement Award (25+ times)

Selected Publications

  1. R. Giles, V. Hue, T. Greathouse, G. Gladstone, J. Kammer, M. Versteeg, B. Bonfond, D. Grodent, J.-C. Gérard, J. Sinclair, S. Bolton, and S. Levin. “Enhanced Absorption Within Jupiter’s Southern Auroral Oval From Juno UVS Observations”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 128.2 (2023).
  2. D. R. Buccino, M. Parisi, E. Gramigna, L. Gomez-Casajus, P. Tortora, M. Zannoni, A. Caruso, R. S. Park, P. Withers, P. Steffes, A. Hodges, S. Levin, and S. Bolton. “Ganymede’s Ionosphere Observed by a Dual-Frequency Radio Occultation With Juno”. In: Geophysical Research Letters49.23 (Dec. 2022).
  3. K. Matuszewska, T. Velusamy, V. Adumitroaie, J. Arballo, R. Dorcey, S. Han, E. Klopping, N. Kreuser-Jenkins, S. Levin, and D. Santos-Costa. “Variability of Jupiter’s Synchrotron Radiation: Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) Observations -II”. In: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 134.1038 (Aug. 2022), p. 084401.
  4. J. Connerney, S. Timmins, R. Oliversen, J. Espley, J. Joergensen, S. Kotsiaros, P. Joergensen, J. Merayo, M. Herceg, J. Bloxham, K. Moore, A. Mura, A. Moirano, S. Bolton, and S. Levin. “A New Model of Jupiter’s Magnetic Field at the Completion of Juno’s Prime Mission”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 127.2 (2022).
  5. C. Louis, C. Jackman, G. Hospodarsky, A. O’Kane Hackett, E. Devon-Hurley, P. Zarka, W. Kurth, R. Ebert, D. Weigt, A. Fogg, J. Waters, S. Mc Entee, J. Connerney, P. Louarn, S. Levin, and S. Bolton. “Effect of a magnetosphere compression on Jovian radio emissions: in situ case study using Juno data”. In: arXiv (2022).
  6. R. Ebert, S. Fuselier, F. Allegrini, F. Bagenal, S. Bolton, G. Clark, J. Connerney, G. DiBraccio, W. Kurth, S. Levin, D. McComas, J. Montgomery, N. Romanelli, A. Sulaiman, J. Szalay, P. Valek, and R. Wilson. “Evidence for Magnetic Reconnection at Ganymede’s Upstream Magnetopause During the PJ34 Juno Flyby”. In: Geophysical Research Letters 49.23 (2022).
  7. C. Hansen, S. Bolton, A. Sulaiman, S. Duling, F. Bagenal, M. Brennan, J. Connerney, G. Clark, J. Lunine, S. Levin, W. Kurth, A. Mura, C. Paranicas, F. Tosi, and P. Withers. “Juno’s Close Encounter With Ganymede?An Overview”. In: Geophysical Research Letters 49.23 (2022).
  8. P. Gupta, S. Atreya, P. Steffes, L. Fletcher, T. Guillot, M. Allison, S. Bolton, R. Helled, S. Levin, C. Li, J. Lunine, Y. Miguel, G. Orton, J.Waite, and P. Withers. “Jupiter’s Temperature Structure: A Reassessment of the Voyager Radio Occultation Measurements”. In: arXiv (2022).
  9. P. Gupta, S. Atreya, P. Steffes, L. Fletcher, T. Guillot, M. Allison, S. Bolton, R. Helled, S. Levin, C. Li, J. Lunine, Y. Miguel, G. Orton, J.Waite, and P. Withers. “Jupiter’s Temperature Structure: A Reassessment of the Voyager Radio Occultation Measurements”. In: Planetary Science Journal 3.7 (2022).
  10. S. J. Bolton, S. Levin, T. Guillot, C. Li, Y. Kaspi, G. Orton, M. H. Wong, F. Oyafuso, M. Allison, J. Arballo, S. Atreya, H. N. Becker, J. Bloxham, S. Brown, L. N. Fletcher, E. Galanti, S. Gulkis, M. Janssen, A. Ingersoll, J. L. Lunine, S. Misra, P. Steffes, D. Stevenson, J. H. Waite, R. K. Yadav, and Z. Zhang. “Microwave observations reveal the deep extent and structure of Jupiter’s atmospheric vortices”. In: (Oct. 2021). doi: 10.1126/science.abf1015. url: https: //doi.org/10.1126%5C%2Fscience.abf1015.
  11. E. Galanti, Y. Kaspi, K. Duerl, L. Fletcher, A. Ingersolll, C. Li, G. Orton, T. Guillot, S. Levin, and S. Bolton. “Constraints on the latitudinal profile of Jupiter?s deep jets”. In: arXiv (2021).
  12. V. Hue, T. Greathouse, G. Gladstone, B. Bonfond, J.-C. Gérard, M. Vogt, D. Grodent, M. Versteeg, J. Kammer, G. Clark, R. Ebert, R. Giles, M. Davis, K. Haewsantati, S. Bolton, S. Levin, and J. Connerney. “Detection and Characterization of Circular Expanding UV-Emissions Observed in Jupiter’s Polar Auroral Regions”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 126.3 (2021).
  13. R. Giles, T. Greathouse, J. Kammer, G. Gladstone, B. Bonfond, V. Hue, D. Grodent, J.-C. Gérard, M. Versteeg, S. Bolton, J. Connerney, and S. Levin. “Detection of a Bolide in Jupiter’s Atmosphere With Juno UVS”. In: Geophysical Research Letters 48.5 (2021).
  14. R. Giles, T. Greathouse, J. Kammer, G. Gladstone, B. Bonfond, V. Hue, D. Grodent, J.-C. Gérard, M. Versteeg, S. Bolton, J. Connerney, and S. Levin. “Detection of a bolide in Jupiter?s atmosphere with Juno UVS”. In: arXiv (2021).
  15. A. Ingersoll, S. Atreya, S. Bolton, S. Brueshaber, L. Fletcher, S. Levin, C. Li, L. Li, J. Lunine, G. Orton, and H. Waite. “Jupiter’s Overturning Circulation: Breaking Waves Take the Place of Solid Boundaries”. In: Geophysical Research Letters 48.23 (2021).
  16. Y. Aglyamov, J. Lunine, H. Becker, T. Guillot, S. Gibbard, S. Atreya, S. Bolton, S. Levin, S. Brown, and M. Wong. “Lightning generation in moist convective clouds and constraints on the water abundance in Jupiter”. In: arXiv (2021).
  17. T. Greathouse, R. Gladstone, M. Versteeg, V. Hue, J. Kammer, R. Giles, M. Davis, S. Bolton, S. Levin, J. Connerney, J.-C. Gérard, D. Grodent, B. Bonfond, E. Bunce, and M. Vogt. “Local Time Dependence of Jupiter’s Polar Auroral Emissions Observed by Juno UVS”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 126.12 (2021).
  18. R. Giles, T. Greathouse, V. Hue, G. Gladstone, H. Melin, L. Fletcher, P. Irwin, J. Kammer, M. Versteeg, B. Bonfond, D. Grodent, S. Bolton, and S. Levin. “Meridional variations of C<inf>2</inf>H<inf>2</inf>in Jupiter’s stratosphere from Juno UVS observations”. In: arXiv (2021).
  19. R. Ebert, T. Greathouse, G. Clark, V. Hue, F. Allegrini, F. Bagenal, S. Bolton, B. Bonfond, J. Connerney, G. Gladstone, M. Imai, S. Kotsiaros, W. Kurth, S. Levin, P. Louarn, B. Mauk, D. McComas, C. Paranicas, A. Sulaiman, J. Szalay, M. Thomsen, and R. Wilson. “Simultaneous UV Images and High-Latitude Particle and Field Measurements During an Auroral Dawn Storm at Jupiter”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 126.12 (2021).
  20. E. Huscher, F. Bagenal, R. Wilson, F. Allegrini, R. Ebert, P. Valek, J. Szalay, D. McComas, J. Connerney, S. Bolton, and S. Levin. “Survey of Juno Observations in Jupiter’s Plasma Disk: Density”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 126.8 (2021).
  21. G. Orton, F. Tabataba-Vakili, G. Eichstädt, J. Rogers, C. Hansen, T. Momary, A. Ingersoll, S. Brueshaber, M. Wong, A. Simon, L. Fletcher, M. Ravine, M. Caplinger, D. Smith, S. Bolton, S. Levin, J. Sinclair, C. Thepenier, H. Nicholson, and A. Anthony. “A Survey of Small-Scale Waves and Wave-Like Phenomena in Jupiter’s Atmosphere Detected by JunoCam”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125.7 (2020).
  22. F. Oyafuso, S. Levin, G. Orton, S. Brown, V. Adumitroaie, M. Janssen, M. Wong, L. Fletcher, P. Steffes, C. Li, S. Gulkis, S. Atreya, S. Misra, and S. Bolton. “Angular Dependence and Spatial Distribution of Jupiter’s Centimeter-Wave Thermal Emission From Juno’s Microwave Radiometer”. In: Earth and Space Science 7.11 (2020).
  23. B. Mauk, G. Clark, G. Gladstone, S. Kotsiaros, A. Adriani, F. Allegrini, F. Bagenal, S. Bolton, B. Bonfond, J. Connerney, R. Ebert, D. Haggerty, P. Kollmann, W. Kurth, S. Levin, C. Paranicas, and A. Rymer. “Energetic Particles and Acceleration Regions Over Jupiter’s Polar Cap and Main Aurora: A Broad Overview”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 125.3 (2020).
  24. F. Allegrini, B. Mauk, G. Clark, G. Gladstone, V. Hue, W. Kurth, F. Bagenal, S. Bolton, B. Bonfond, J. Connerney, R. Ebert, T. Greathouse, M. Imai, S. Levin, P. Louarn, D. McComas, J. Saur, J. Szalay, P. Valek, and R. Wilson. “Energy Flux and Characteristic Energy of Electrons Over Jupiter’s Main Auroral Emission”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 125.4 (2020).
  25. T. Velusamy, V. Adumitroaie, J. Arballo, S. Levin, P. Ries, R. Dorcey, N. Kreuser-Jenkins, J. Leflang, D. Jauncey, and S. Horiuchi. “Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope Monitoring Flux Density of Jupiter?s Synchrotron Radiation during the Juno Mission”. In: arXiv (2020).
  26. T. Velusamy, T. Kuiper, S. Levin, R. Dorcey, N. Kreuser-Jenkins, and J. Leflang. “Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope Observations of 2012 Solar Eclipse: A Multi-wavelength study of cm-? Gyroresonance Emission from Active Regions”. In: arXiv (2020).
  27. T. Velusamy, V. Adumitroaie, J. Arballo, S. Levin, P. Ries, R. Dorcey, N. Kreuser-Jenkins, J. Leflang, D. Jauncey, and S. Horiuchi. “Goldstone apple valley radio telescope monitoring flux density of jupiter?s synchrotron radiation during the juno mission”. In: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 132.1016 (2020), pp. 1–16.
  28. M. Imai, M. Wong, I. Kolma?ová, S. Brown, O. Santolík, W. Kurth, G. Hospodarsky, S. Bolton, and S. Levin. “High-Spatiotemporal Resolution Observations of Jupiter Lightning-Induced Radio Pulses Associated With Sferics and Thunderstorms”. In: Geophysical Research Letters 47.15 (2020).
  29. L. Fletcher, G. Orton, T. Greathouse, J. Rogers, Z. Zhang, F. Oyafuso, G. Eichstädt, H. Melin, C. Li, S. Levin, S. Bolton, M. Janssen, H.-J. Mettig, D. Grassi, A. Mura, and A. Adriani. “Jupiter’s Equatorial Plumes and Hot Spots: Spectral Mapping from Gemini/TEXES and Juno/MWR”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125.8 (2020).
  30. L. Fletcher, G. Orton, T. Greathouse, J. Rogers, Z. Zhang, F. Oyafuso, G. Eichstädt, H. Melin, C. Li, S. Levin, S. Bolton, M. Janssen, H.-J. Mettig, D. Grassi, A. Mura, and A. Adriani. “Jupiter?s equatorial plumes and hot spots: Spectral mapping from Gemini/TEXES and Juno/MWR”. In: arXiv (2020).
  31. A. Hodges, P. Steffes, A. Bellotti, J. Waite, S. Brown, F. Oyafuso, G. Orton, J. Arballo, G. Gladstone, S. Levin, and S. Bolton. “Observations and Electron Density Retrievals of Jupiter’s Discrete Auroral Arcs Using the Juno Microwave Radiometer”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125.9 (2020).
  32. R. Giles, T. Greathouse, B. Bonfond, G. Gladstone, J. Kammer, V. Hue, D. Grodent, J.-C. Gérard, M. Versteeg, M. Wong, S. Bolton, J. Connerney, and S. Levin. “Possible Transient Luminous Events Observed in Jupiter’s Upper Atmosphere”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125.11 (2020).
  33. J. Szalay, F. Bagenal, F. Allegrini, B. Bonfond, G. Clark, J. Connerney, F. Crary, R. Ebert, R. Ergun, D. Gershman, P. Hinton, M. Imai, S. Janser, D. McComas, C. Paranicas, J. Saur, A. Sulaiman, M. Thomsen, R. Wilson, S. Bolton, and S. Levin. “Proton Acceleration by Io’s Alfvénic Interaction”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 125.1 (2020).
  34. Z. Yao, B. Bonfond, G. Clark, D. Grodent, W. Dunn, M. Vogt, R. Guo, B. Mauk, J. Connerney, S. Levin, and S. Bolton. “Reconnection- and Dipolarization-Driven Auroral Dawn Storms and Injections”. In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 125.8 (2020).
  35. Z. Zhang, V. Adumitroaie, M. Allison, J. Arballo, S. Atreya, G. Bjoraker, S. Bolton, S. Brown, L. Fletcher, T. Guillot, S. Gulkis, A. Hodges, A. Ingersoll, M. Janssen, S. Levin, C. Li, L. Li, J. Lunine, S. Misra, G. Orton, F. Oyafuso, P. Steffes, and M. Wong. “Residual Study: Testing Jupiter Atmosphere Models Against Juno MWR Observations”. In: Earth and Space Science 7.9 (2020).

Projects

ARCADE
GAVRT - Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope
Juno
Planck