MIT EAPS Directory

My research has concentrated on planetary scale geodetic and geophysical problems related to the Earth, Moon and planetary bodies of the solar system. In the last few years My research has been on the gravity, topography, and dynamics of Mars, Mercury and the Moon based upon laser altimetry data and microwave tracking of orbital spacecraft. Recently, my research activity has included the development of a laser altimeter concept for Europa and an approach to measure the expansion of the solar system due to the mass loss by the sun from the conversion of hydrogen to helium in its interior. My interests also include laser ranging on lunar and planetary scales, celestial mechanics, and laser altimeter design and development.

David E. Smith Resume: DOWNLOAD HERE

Summary of Projects & Studies: DOWNLOAD HERE

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Park, R.S., W.M. Folkner, A.S. Konopliv, D.E. Smith and M.T. Zuber, Precession of Mercury’s perihelion from ranging to the MESSENGER spacecraft, Astronom. Jour., 153, doi: 10.3847/1538-3881/aa5be2, 2017

Baker, D.M.H., J.W. Head, R.J. Phillips, G.A. Neumann, C.J. Bierson, D.E. Smith and M.T. Zuber, GRAIL gravity observations of the transition from complex crater to peak-ring basin on the Moon: Implications for crustal structure and impact basin formation, Icarus, 292, 54-73, doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2017.03.024, 2017

Fisher, E, A., P.J. Lucey, M. Lemelin, B.T. Greenhagen, M.A. Siegler, E. Mazrico, O. Aharonson, J.-P. Williams, P.O. Hayne, G.A. Neumann, D. Paige, D.E. Smith, and M.T. Zuber, Evidence for surface water ice in the lunar polar regions, using reflectance measurements from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter and temperature measurements from the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment, Icarus, 292, doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2017.03.023, 2017

Ermakov, A.I., R.R. Fu, C.A. Raymond, R.S. Park, F. Preusker, C.T. Russell, D.E. Smith and M.T. Zuber, Constraints on Ceres' internal structure and evolution from its shape and gravity measured by the Dawn spacecraft, submitted to J. Geophys. Res. Planets, 2017

Hand, K.P., et al, Report of the Europa Lander Science Definition Team. Posted February, 2017

List of publications 2001-2017: DOWNLOAD HERE