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Physics & Astronomy
David Klassen Associate Professor & Associate Chair 
Biography: Ph.D., University of Wyoming Field: Planetary Astronomy Planetary astronomy is the study of objects in our solar system using Earth-based telescopes. This science complements, expands upon, and even directs NASA's spacecraft explorations. The strengths of Earth-based observing lie in temporal coverage and spectral range and resolution. My research uses near-infrared (wavelengths from 1500-4000 nm) spectral images gathered at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The near-infrared spectral range contains diagnostic features of water and carbon-dioxide ices and certain minerals thought to be on Mars based on in-situ measurements by the Viking landers in 1976. These images are used to make maps of the spectral features to search for these materials which are important to piecing together the climatic history of Mars. The ice features allow the determination of the composition of the Martian clouds, which sets limits on the atmospheric temperatures and also allows the measurement of the total Martian water budget. This work is done in collaboration with scientists at Cornell University and the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
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