World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Philip R. Christensen

Philip R. Christensen

Award Badge
Earth Science
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Earth Science

D-Index
114
Citations
41600
World Ranking
61
National Ranking
26

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Earth Science in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Earth Science in United States Leader Award
  • 2004 - Fellow of American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Overview

Philip R. Christensen is affiliated with Arizona State University in the United States. Their research primarily focuses on the fields of Physics and Astronomy, with a strong emphasis on subfields such as Astronomy and Astrophysics, Ecology, Aerospace Engineering, Physiology, and Geophysics.

The scientist's work covers a range of main topics including:

  • Planetary Science and Exploration
  • Astro and Planetary Science
  • Isotope Analysis in Ecology
  • Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
  • Space Exploration and Technology
  • Spaceflight effects on biology
  • Geological and Geochemical Analysis

Philip R. Christensen has published extensively in several key scientific venues, including:

  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) with 12 publications
  • Journal of Geophysical Research Planets with 9 publications
  • Space Science Reviews with 7 publications
  • Geophysical Research Letters with 7 publications
  • The Planetary Science Journal with 5 publications

Frequent collaborators include:

  • V. E. Hamilton (25 co-authored papers)
  • Christopher S. Edwards (17 co-authored papers)
  • H. H. Kaplan (14 co-authored papers)
  • M. D. Smith (12 co-authored papers)
  • T. D. Glotch (11 co-authored papers)

Among notable recent research papers authored or co-authored by Philip R. Christensen are:

  • "Asteroid (101955) Bennu's weak boulders and thermally anomalous equator," 2020, published in Science Advances
  • "Lucy Mission to the Trojan Asteroids: Science Goals," 2021, published in The Planetary Science Journal
  • "Spacecraft sample collection and subsurface excavation of asteroid (101955) Bennu," 2022, published in Science
  • "The Emirates Mars Mission," 2022, published in Space Science Reviews
  • "Science Overview of the Europa Clipper Mission," 2024, published in Space Science Reviews

Philip R. Christensen was awarded the title of Fellow of the American Geophysical Union in 2004.

Best Publications

  • In situ evidence for an ancient aqueous environment at Meridiani Planum, Mars.

    Steven W. Squyres;John P. Grotzinger;Raymond E. Arvidson;James F. Bell

  • Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer experiment: Investigation description and surface science results

    Philip Christensen;J. L. Bandfield;V. E. Hamilton;Steven Ruff

  • The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) for the Mars 2001 Odyssey mission

    Philip R. Christensen;Bruce M. Jakosky;Hugh H. Kieffer;Michael C. Malin

  • A Global View of Martian Surface Compositions from MGS-TES

    Joshua L. Bandfield;Victoria E. Hamilton;Philip R. Christensen

  • Monitoring urban land cover change: An expert system approach to land cover classification of semiarid to arid urban centers

    William L Stefanov;Michael S Ramsey;Philip R Christensen

  • OSIRIS-REx: Sample Return from Asteroid (101955) Bennu

    D. S. Lauretta;S. S. Balram-Knutson;E. Beshore;W. V. Boynton

  • Overview of the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover Mission to Gusev Crater: Landing site to Backstay Rock in the Columbia Hills

    R. E. Arvidson;S. W. Squyres;R. C. Anderson;J. F. Bell

  • The Opportunity Rover's Athena science investigation at Meridiani Planum, Mars.

    S. W. Squyres;R. E. Arvidson;J.F. Bell;J. Brückner

  • Provenance and diagenesis of the evaporite-bearing Burns formation, Meridiani Planum, Mars

    S.M. McLennan;J.F. Bell;W. M. Calvin;P. R. Christensen

  • High-Resolution Thermal Inertia Mapping from the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer

    Michael T Mellon;Bruce M Jakosky;Hugh H Kieffer;Philip R Christensen

  • Detection of crystalline hematite mineralization on Mars by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer: Evidence for near‐surface water

    Philip Christensen;J. L. Bandfield;R. N. Clark;K. S. Edgett

  • An intercomparison of ground-based millimeter, MGS TES, and Viking atmospheric temperature measurements: Seasonal and interannual variability of temperatures and dust loading in the global Mars atmosphere

    R. T. Clancy;B. J. Sandor;M. J. Wolff;Philip Christensen

  • Chloride-Bearing Materials in the Southern Highlands of Mars

    M. M. Osterloo;V. E. Hamilton;J. L. Bandfield;T. D. Glotch

  • A thermal emission spectral library of rock-forming minerals

    Philip R. Christensen;Joshua L. Bandfield;Victoria E. Hamilton;Douglas A. Howard;Douglas A. Howard

  • Mineral abundance determination: Quantitative deconvolution of thermal emission spectra

    Michael S. Ramsey;Philip R. Christensen

  • The Spirit Rover's Athena Science Investigation at Gusev Crater, Mars

    Steven W. Squyres;Raymond E. Arvidson;James F. Bell;J. Bruckner

  • Bright and dark regions on Mars: Particle size and mineralogical characteristics based on thermal emission spectrometer data

    Steven W. Ruff;Philip R. Christensen

  • Mineralogy at Meridiani Planum from the Mini-TES Experiment on the Opportunity Rover.

    Philip Christensen;M. B. Wyatt;T. D. Glotch;A. D. Rogers

  • Formation of recent martian gullies through melting of extensive water-rich snow deposits

    Philip R. Christensen

  • An integrated view of the chemistry and mineralogy of martian soils

    Albert S. Yen;Ralf Gellert;Christian Schröder;Richard V. Morris

  • Chemistry and mineralogy of outcrops at Meridiani Planum

    Benton C. Clark;R. V. Morris;S. M. McLennan;R. Gellert

Frequent Co-Authors

Harry Y. McSween
Harry Y. McSween University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Joshua L. Bandfield
Joshua L. Bandfield Space Science Institute
Victoria E. Hamilton
Victoria E. Hamilton Southwest Research Institute
James F. Bell
James F. Bell Arizona State University
Raymond E. Arvidson
Raymond E. Arvidson Washington University in St. Louis
Steven W. Squyres
Steven W. Squyres Cornell University
Steven W. Ruff
Steven W. Ruff Arizona State University
Jeffrey E. Moersch
Jeffrey E. Moersch University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Jeffrey R. Johnson
Jeffrey R. Johnson Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Ronald Greeley
Ronald Greeley Arizona State University

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