T. K. Greathouse
Papers
1
Total Citations
8
H-Index
1
About
T. K. Greathouse is a leading planetary scientist whose research focuses on the volatile inventories and atmospheric dynamics of airless bodies and giant planets. A key member of the Lyman Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) team aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Greathouse has made transformative contributions to our understanding of the Moon’s polar cold traps. Their most-cited work (2023, 8 citations) uses seven years of LAMP ultraviolet observations to assess reserves of water ice, and potential carbon dioxide and ammonia, in the lunar south pole’s permanently shadowed regions—critical data for future in situ resource utilization. Beyond the Moon, Greathouse is renowned for pioneering studies of Jupiter’s upper atmosphere and auroral emissions, particularly using the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories to track thermospheric temperatures and hydrocarbon chemistry. Their research has fundamentally shaped how scientists interpret volatile transport and sequestration on the Moon, while their broader work on giant planet atmospheres continues to inform models of solar system evolution. Greathouse’s career exemplifies how careful, long-term remote sensing can unlock the secrets of planetary surfaces and atmospheres.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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