Jonathan I. Lunine

David C. Duncan Professor in the Physical Sciences
Director, Center for Radiophysics and Space Research
Jonathan I. Lunine
Specialty Areas

Planetary science, Theoretical Astrophysics, Astrobiology

Research Projects

Planetary system formation, evolution of volatile-rich worlds

Biography

Lunine is interested in how planets form and evolve, what processes maintain and establish habitability, and what kinds of exotic environments (methane lakes, etc.) might host a kind of chemistry sophisticated enough to be called "life".  He pursues these interests through theoretical modeling and participation in spacecraft missions.  He works with the radar and other instruments on Cassini, continues to work on mass spectrometer data from Huygens, and is co-investigator on the Juno mission launched in 2011 to Jupiter.  He is on the science team for the James Webb Space Telescope, focusing on characterization of extrasolar planets and Kuiper Belt objects.  Lunine is currently PI for a JPL-led study to send a probe into Saturn's atmosphere, and has contributed to mission concept studies for space-based astrometry and microlensing missions.  Lunine is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has participated in or chaired a number of advisory and strategic planning committees for the Academy and for NASA.

Selected Publications
  • Castillo-Rogez, J.C., and J.I. Lunine 2010.  Evolution of Titan's rocky core constrained by Cassini observations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L20205, doi:10.1029/2010GL044398.
  • Lunine, J.I. 2010.  Titan and habitable planets around M dwarfs.  Faraday Discussions 147, 405-418.
  • Lunine, J.I., O'Brien, D.P., Raymond, S.N., Morbidelli, A., Quinn, T., Graps, A.L. 2011.  Dynamical models of terrestrial planet formation.  Adv. Sci. Letters 4 325-338.
  • Madhusudhan, N., Mousis, O., Johnson, T.V. and Lunine, J.I. 2011.  Carbon-rich giant planets:  atmospheric composition, thermal inversions, spectra and formation conditions.  Ap.J. 743 191. 
  • Mousis, O. Lunine, J.I., Madhusudhan, N. and Johnson, T.V. 2012. Nebular water depletion as the cause of Jupiter's low oxygen abundance. Ap.J. Letters 751 L7. 

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