George Clark

Space Physicist

240-228-0914

Ph.D., Physics

2014, University of Texas at San Antonio
B.Sc., Physics

2009, University of New Hampshire

George Clark is a research scientist studying the physics of magnetospheric and auroral plasma phenomena in the magnetospheres of the outer solar system. He specializes in the analysis and interpretations of spacecraft data from missions such as Juno, Cassini and Galileo and many more. One of his recent and more notable discoveries is the presence of mega-volt electric potentials over Jupiter’s polar cap region – a phenomena that accelerates ions to very high-energies into Jupiter’s upper atmosphere. George is a science team member of the Juno mission as well as the Jupiter Energetic particle Detector Instrument (JEDI). He is also the instrument scientist of JUipiter ICy moon Explorer’s (JUICE’s) Jovian Energetic Electron (JoEE) sensor and instrument scientist of the high-energy energetic neutral atom imager onboard the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP-Ultra). He was a guest-investigator on JAXA’s Hisaki mission and a part of an International Space Science Institute (ISSI) team studying Jupiter’s magnetosphere. George has also mentored serval high school and undergraduate students as a part of APL’s summer intern program.

Notable Awards and Leadership

Year(s)	Description
2023	NASA's Early Career Achievement Medal
2023	APL's Jedi Award
2023	European Space Agency -- Outstanding contribution made to the JUICE mission
2018	Group Achievement Award – Juno Jupiter Orbit Insertion Team
2018	Group Achievement Award – Juno Mission Re-Design Team
2016	European Space Agency Award – Outstanding contribution to ESA Rosetta Mission
2008, 2009	UNH, Undergraduate Excellence in Research

Scholarly Publications

Characterizing cometary electrons with kappa distributions

Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 2016

T. W. Broiles, G. Livadiotis, J. L. Burch, K. Chae, G. Clark, T. E. Cravens, R. Davidson, A. Eriksson, R. A. Frahm, S. A. Fuselier, J. Goldstein, R. Goldstein, P. Henri, H. Madanian, K. Mandt, P. Mokashi, C. Pollock, A. Rahmati, M. Samara, S. J. Schwartz, (2016), Characterizing cometary electrons with kappa distributions, Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 121, 7407-7422

Modeling the response of a top hat electrostatic analyzer in an external magnetic field: Experimental validation with the Juno JADE-E sensor

Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 2016

G. Clark, F. Allegrini, D. J. McComas, P. Louarn, (2016), Modeling the response of a top hat electrostatic analyzer in an external magnetic field: Experimental validation with the Juno JADE-E sensor, Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 121, 5121-5136

The "Puck" energetic charged particle detector: Design, heritage, and advancements

Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 2016

G. Clark, I. Cohen, J. H. Westlake, G. B. Andrews, P. Brandt, R. E. Gold, M. A. Gkioulidou, R. Hacala, D. Haggerty, M. E. Hill, G. C. Ho, S. E. Jaskulek, P. Kollmann, B. H. Mauk, R. L. McNutt, D. G. Mitchell, K. S. Nelson, C. Paranicas, N. Paschalidis, C. E. Schlemm, (2016), The "Puck" energetic charged particle detector: Design, heritage, and advancements, Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 121, 7900-7913

Charge states of energetic oxygen and sulfur ions in Jupiter's magnetosphere

Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 2016

G. Clark, B. H. Mauk, C. Paranicas, P. Kollmann, H. T. Smith, (2016), Charge states of energetic oxygen and sulfur ions in Jupiter's magnetosphere, Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 121, 2264-2273

The vertical thickness of Jupiter's Europa gas torus from charged particle measurements

Geophysical Research Letters, 2016

P. Kollmann, C. Paranicas, G. Clark, E. Roussos, A. Lagg, N. Krupp, (2016), The vertical thickness of Jupiter's Europa gas torus from charged particle measurements, Geophysical Research Letters, 43, 9425-9433

Currents and associated electron scattering and bouncing near the diffusion region at Earth's magnetopause

Geophysical Research Letters, 2016

B. Lavraud, Y. C. Zhang, Y. Vernisse, D. J. Gershman, J. Dorelli, P. A. Cassak, J. Dargent, C. Pollock, B. Giles, N. Aunai, M. Argall, L. Avanov, A. Barrie, J. Burch, M. Chandler, L. -J. Chen, G. Clark, I. Cohen, V. Coffey, J. P. Eastwood, J. Egedal, S. Eriksson, R. Ergun, C. J. Farrugia, S. A. Fuselier, V. Genot, D. Graham, E. Grigorenko, H. Hasegawa, C. Jacquey, I. Kacem, Y. Khotyaintsev, E. MacDonald, W. Magnes, A. Marchaudon, B. Mauk, T. E. Moore, T. Mukai, R. Nakamura, W. Paterson, E. Penou, T. D. Phan, A. Rager, A. Retino, Z. J. Rong, C. T. Russell, Y. Saito, J. -A. Sauvaud, S. J. Schwartz, C. Shen, S. Smith, R. Strangeway, S. Toledo-Redondo, R. Torbert, D. L. Turner, S. Wang, S. Yokota, (2016), Currents and associated electron scattering and bouncing near the diffusion region at Earth's magnetopause, Geophysical Research Letters, 43, 3042-3050

Suprathermal electrons near the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at 3AU: Model comparisons with Rosetta data

Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 2016

H. Madanian, T. E. Cravens, A. Rahmati, R. Goldstein, J. Burch, A. I. Eriksson, N. J. T. Edberg, P. Henri, K. Mandt, G. Clark, M. Rubin, T. Broiles, N. L. Reedy, (2016), Suprathermal electrons near the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko at 3AU: Model comparisons with Rosetta data, Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 121, 5815-5836

The Low-Energy Neutral Imager (LENI)

Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 2016

J. H. Westlake, D. G. Mitchell, P. C-son Brandt, B. G. Andrews, G. Clark, (2016), The Low-Energy Neutral Imager (LENI), Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics, 121, 8228-8236

Suprathermal electron environment of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko: Observations from the Rosetta Ion and Electron Sensor

2015

G. Clark, T. W. Broiles, J. L. Burch, G. A. Collinson, T. Cravens, (2015), Suprathermal electron environment of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko: Observations from the Rosetta Ion and Electron Sensor, , http://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/pdf/forth/aa26351-15.pdf

The Rosetta Ion and Electron Sensor (IES) measurement of the development of pickup ions from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Geophysical Research Letters, 2015

R. Goldstein, J. L. Burch, P. Mokashi, T. Broiles, K. Mandt, J. Hanley, T. Cravens, A. Rahmati, M. Samara, G. Clark, M. Haessig, J. M. Webster, (2015), The Rosetta Ion and Electron Sensor (IES) measurement of the development of pickup ions from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Geophysical Research Letters, 42, 3093-3099

Observation of charged nanograins at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

2015

T. I. Gombosi G. Clark P. Mokashi R. Goldstein J L Burch, (2015), Observation of charged nanograins at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, , 1-7, http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1002%2F2015GL065177?tracking_referrer=onlinelibrary.wiley.com&parent_url=http%3A%2F%2Fonlinelibrary.wiley.com%2Fdoi%2F10.1002%2F2015GL065177%2Fepdf&preview=1

Observation of charged nanograins at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Geophysical Research Letters, 2015

J. L. Burch, T. I. Gombosi, G. Clark, P. Mokashi, R. Goldstein, (2015), Observation of charged nanograins at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Geophysical Research Letters, 42, 6575-6581

Evolution of electron pitch angle distributions across Saturn's middle magnetospheric region from MIMI/LEMMS

Planetary and Space Science, 2014

G. Clark, C. Paranicas, D. Santos-Costa, S. Livi, N. Krupp, D. G. Mitchell, E. Roussos, W. -L. Tseng, (2014), Evolution of electron pitch angle distributions across Saturn's middle magnetospheric region from MIMI/LEMMS, Planetary and Space Science, 104, 18-28

Response in electrostatic analyzers due to backscattered electrons: Case study analysis with the Juno Jovian Auroral Distribution Experiment-Electron instrument

Review of Scientific Instruments, 2013

G. Clark, F. Allegrini, B. M. Randol, D. J. McComas, P. Louarn, (2013), Response in electrostatic analyzers due to backscattered electrons: Case study analysis with the Juno Jovian Auroral Distribution Experiment-Electron instrument, Review of Scientific Instruments, 84

The Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) on the Juno Mission to Jupiter

Space Science Reviews, 2013

D. J. McComas, N. Alexander, F. Allegrini, F. Bagenal, C. Beebe, G. Clark, F. Crary, M. I. Desai, A. De Los Santos, D. Demkee, J. Dickinson, D. Everett, T. Finley, A. Gribanova, R. Hill, J. Johnson, C. Kofoed, C. Loeffler, P. Louarn, M. Maple, W. Mills, C. Pollock, M. Reno, B. Rodriguez, J. Rouzaud, D. Santos-Costa, P. Valek, S. Weidner, P. Wilson, R. J. Wilson, D. White, (2013), The Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) on the Juno Mission to Jupiter, Space Science Reviews, 1-97, http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-013-9990-9/fulltext.html

PRECISION POINTING OF IBEX-Lo OBSERVATIONS

Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 2012

M. Hlond, M. Bzowski, E. Moebius, H. Kucharek, D. Heirtzler, N. A. Schwadron, M. E. O' Neill, G. Clark, G. B. Crew, S. Fuselier, D. J. McComas, (2012), PRECISION POINTING OF IBEX-Lo OBSERVATIONS, Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 198

The IBEX-Lo Sensor

Space Science Reviews, 2009

S. A. Fuselier, P. Bochsler, D. Chornay, G. Clark, G. B. Crew, G. Dunn, S. Ellis, T. Friedmann, H. O. Funsten, A. G. Ghielmetti, J. Googins, M. S. Granoff, J. W. Hamilton, J. Hanley, D. Heirtzler, E. Hertzberg, D. Isaac, B. King, U. Knauss, H. Kucharek, F. Kudirka, S. Livi, J. Lobell, S. Longworth, K. Mashburn, D. J. McComas, E. Moebius, A. S. Moore, T. E. Moore, R. J. Nemanich, J. Nolin, M. O'Neal, D. Piazza, L. Peterson, S. E. Pope, P. Rosmarynowski, L. A. Saul, J. R. Scherrer, J. A. Scheer, C. Schlemm, N. A. Schwadron, C. Tillier, S. Turco, J. Tyler, M. Vosbury, M. Wieser, P. Wurz, S. Zaffke, (2009), The IBEX-Lo Sensor, Space Science Reviews, 146, 117-147

Diagnosing the Neutral Interstellar Gas Flow at 1 AU with IBEX-Lo

Space Science Reviews, 2009

E. Moebius, H. Kucharek, G. Clark, M. O'Neill, L. Petersen, M. Bzowski, L. Saul, P. Wurz, S. A. Fuselier, V. V. Izmodenov, D. J. McComas, H. R. Mueller, D. B. Alexashov, (2009), Diagnosing the Neutral Interstellar Gas Flow at 1 AU with IBEX-Lo, Space Science Reviews, 146, 149-172