Bruce Cantor, Senior Staff Scientist

Bruce Cantor’s research interests include Martian synoptic meteorology and weather forecasting, including Martian dust storm and dust devil and condensate cloud distribution and morphology, the photometric properties and behavior of the Martian surface and polar caps, and the implications of these features to understanding the present-day water and dust cycles of the planet, as well as the present weather/climatic conditions. Previous research interests included the Martian moons and binary stars. Cantor holds a Ph.D. (2000) in Physics from The University of Toledo. He began working at Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) that same year. He is currently the Deputy Principal Investigator for the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Mars Color Imager (MARCI) and a member of the Atmospheric Advisory Groups for all active NASA Mars missions.

Recent Publications:

Harrison, T. N., M. C. Malin, K. S. Edgett, D. E. Shean, M. R. Kennedy, L. J. Lipkaman, B. A. Cantor, and L. V. Posiolova (2010), Impact-induced overland fluid flow and channelized erosion at Lyot Crater, Mars, Geophysical Research Letters 37, L21201, doi:10.1029/2010GL045074.

Gurnett, D. A., D. D. Morgan, L. J. Granroth, B. A. Cantor, W. M. Farrell, and J. R. Espley (2010), Non-detection of impulsive radio signals from lightning in Martian dust storms using the radar receiver on the Mars Express spacecraft, Journal of Geophysical. Research Letters 37, L17802, doi:10.1029/2010GL044368.

Clancy, R. T., M. J. Wolff, B. A. Whitney, B. A. Cantor, M. D. Smith, and T. H. McConnochie (2010), Extension of atmospheric dust loading to high altitudes during the 2001 Mars dust storm: MGS TES limb observations, Icarus 207, 98–109, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.10.011.

Tamppari, Leslie K., Deborah Bass, Bruce Cantor, Ingrid Daubar, Cameron Dickinson, David Fisher, Ken Fujii, Haraldur P. Gunnlauggson, Troy L. Hudson, David Kass, Armin Kleinböhl, Leonce Komguem, Mark T. Lemmon, Mike Mellon, John Moores, Alexey Pankine, Jagruti Pathak, Mindi Searls, Frank Seelos, Michael D. Smith, Sue Smrekar, Peter Taylor, Christina Holstein Rathlou, Wensong Weng, Jim Whiteway, and Mike Wolff (2010), Phoenix and MRO coordinated atmospheric measurements, Journal of Geophysical Research 115, E00E17, doi:10.1029/2009JE003415.

Holstein Rathlou, C., H. P. Gunnlaugsson, J. P. Merrison, K. M. Bean, B. A. Cantor, J. A. Davis, R. Davy, N. B. Drake, M. D. Ellehoj, W. Goetz, S. F. Hviid, C. F. Lange, S. E. Larsen, M. T. Lemmon, M. B. Madsen, M. Malin, J. E. Moores, P. Nørnberg, P. Smith, L. K. Tamppari, and P. A. Taylor (2010), Winds at the Phoenix landing site, Journal of Geophysical Research 115, E00E18, doi:10.1029/2009JE003411.

Ellehoj, M. D., H. P. Gunnlaugsson, P. A. Taylor, H. Kahanpaa, K. M. Bean, B. A. Cantor, B. T. Gheynani, L. Drube, D. Fisher, A. M. Harri, C. Holstein-Rathlou, M. T. Lemmon, M. B. Madsen, M. C. Malin, J. Polkko, P. H. Smith, L. K. Tamppari, W. Weng, and J. Whiteway (2010), Convective vortices and dust devils at the Phoenix Mars mission landing site, Journal of Geophysical Research 115(E8), E00E16, doi:10.1029/2009JE003413.

Cantor, B. A., P. B. James, and W. M. Calvin (2010), MARCI and MOC Observations of the Atmosphere and Surface Cap in the North Polar Region of Mars, Icarus 208, 61–81, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.01.032.

Wolff, M. J., R. T. Clancy, J. D. Gougen, M. C. Malin, and B. A. Cantor (2010), Ultraviolet Dust Aerosol Properties as Observed by MARCI, Icarus 208, 143–155, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.01.010.

Malin, M. C., K. S. Edgett, B. A. Cantor, M. A. Caplinger, G. E. Danielson, E. H. Jensen, M. A. Ravine, J. L. Sandoval, and  K. D. Supulver (2010), An overview of the 1985–2006 Mars Orbiter Camera science investigation, Mars 5, 1–60, doi:10.1555/mars.2010.0001.

Clancy, R. T., M. J. Wolff, B. A. Cantor, M.C. Malin, and T. I. Michaels (2009), Valles Marineris cloud trails, Journal of Geophysical Research 114(E11), E11002, doi:10.1029/2008JE003323.

Byrne, S., C. M. Dundas, M. R. Kennedy, M. T. Mellon, A. S. McEwen, S. C. Cull, I. J. Daubar, D. E. Shean, K. D. Seelos, S. L. Murchie, B.A. Cantor, R. E. Arvidson, K. S. Edgett, A. Reufer, N. Thomas, T. N. Harrison, L. V. Posiolova, and F. P. Seelos (2009), Distribution of Mid-Latitude Ground Ice on Mars from New Impact Craters, Science 325, 1674–1676, doi:10.1126/science.1175307.

Bell III, J. F., M. J. Wolff, M. C. Malin, W. M. Calvin, B. A. Cantor, M. A. Caplinger, K. S. Edgett, L. J. Edwards, J. Fahle, F. Ghaemi, R. M. Haberle, A. Hale, P. B. James, S. W. Lee, T. McConnochie, D. E. Noe, M. A. Ravine, D. Schaffer, K. D. Supulver, and P. C. Thomas (2009), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Color Imager (MARCI): Instrument description, calibration, and performance, Journal of Geophysical Research 114, E08S92, doi:10.1029/2008JE003315.

Ruf, C., N. O., Renno, J. F. Kok, E. Bandelier, M. J. Sander, S. Gross, L. Skjerve, and B. Cantor (2009), Emission of non-thermal microwave radiation by a Martian dust storm, Journal of Geophysical Research Letters 36(13), L13202, doi:10.1029/2009GL038715.

Tampapari, L. K., J. Barnes, E. Boonfiglio, B. Cantor, A. J. Friedson, A. Ghosh, M.R. Grover, D. Kass, T. Z. Martin, M. Mellon, T. Michaels, J. Murphy, S. C. R. Rafkin, M. D. Smith, G. Tsuyuki, D. Tyler, and M. Wolff (2008), Expected atmospheric environment for the Phoenix landing season and location, Journal of Geophysical Research 113(E10), E00A20, doi:10.1029/2007JE003034.

Malin, M. C., W. M. Calvin, B. A. Cantor, R. T. Clancy, R. M. Haberle, P. B. James, P. C. Thomas, M. J. Wolff, J. F. Bell, and S. W. Lee (2008), Climate, weather, and north polar observations from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Color Imager, Icarus 194, 501–512, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2007.10.016.

Bourke, M. C., K. S. Edgett, and B. A. Cantor (2008), Recent Aeolian dune change on Mars, Geomorphology 94, 247–255, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.05.012.

Espley, J. R., W. M. Farell, D. A. Brian, D. D. Morgan, B. Cantor, J. J. Plaut, M. H. Acuna, G. Picardi (2007), Absorption of MARSIS radar signals: Solar energetic particles and the daytime ionosphere, Journal of Geophysical Research Letters 34(9), L09101, doi:10.1029/2006GL028829.

Malin, M.C., J. F. Bell, B. A. Cantor, M. A. Caplinger, W. M. Calvin, R. T. Clancy, K. S. Edgett, L. Edwards, R. M. Haberle, P. B. James (2007), Context Camera Investigation on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Journal of Geophysical Research 112, E05S04, doi:10.1029/2006JE002808.

Clancy, R. T., M. J. Wolff, B. A. Whitney, B. A. Cantor, and M. D. Smith (2007), Mars equatorial mesospheric clouds: Global occurrence and physical properties from Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer and Mars Orbiter Camera limb observations, Journal of Geophysical Research 112(E4), E04004, doi:10.1029/2006JE002805.

Cantor, B. A. (2007), MOC observations of the 2001 Mars planet-encircling dust storm, Icarus 186, 60–96, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2006.08.019.

Cantor, B. A., K. K. Kanak, and K. S. Edgett (2006), Mars Orbiter Camera observations of Martian dust devils and their tracks (September 1997 to January 2006) and evaluation of theoretical vortex models, Journal of Geophysical Research 111, E12002, doi:10.1029/2006JE002700.

Benson, J. L., P. B. James, B. A. Cantor, and R. Remigio (2006), Interannual variability of water ice clouds over major,martian volcanoes observed by MOC, Icarus 184, 365–371, doi:10.016/j.icarus.2006.03.014.

Drake, N. B., L. K. Tamppari, R. D. Baker, B.A. Cantor, and A. S. Hale (2006), Dust devil tracks and wind streaks in the North Polar Region of Mars: A study of the 2007 Phoenix Mars Lander Sites, Journal of Geophysical Research Letters 33(19), L19S02, doi:10.1029/2006GL026270.

Thomas. P. C., M. C. Malin, P.B. James, B. A. Cantor, R. M. E. Williams, and P. Gierasch (2005), South polar residual cap of Mars: Features, stratigraphy, and changes, Icarus 174, 535–559, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2004.07.028.

Benson, J. L., B. P. Bonev, P. B. James, K. J. Shan, B. A. Cantor, and M. C. Caplinger (2003), The seasonal behavior of water ice clouds in the Tharsis and Valles Marineris regions of Mars: Mars Orbiter Camera Observations, Icarus 165, 34–52, doi:10.1016/S0019-1035(03)00175-1.

Edgett, K. S., R. M. E. Williams, M. C. Malin, B. A. Cantor, and P. C. Thomas (2003), Geomorphology 52, 289–297, doi:10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00262-3.

Thomas, P. C., P. Gierasch, R. Sullivan, D.S. Miller, E. Alvarex del Castillo, B. Cantor, and M. T. Mellon (2003), Mesoscale linear streaks on Mars: environments of dust entrainment, Icarus 162, 242–258, doi:10.1016/S0019-1035(03)00028-9.

James, P. B., and B. A. Cantor (2002), Atmospheric monitoring of Mars by the Mars Orbiter Camera on Mars Global Surveyor, Advances in Space Research 29(2), 121–129, doi:10.1016/S0273-1177(01)00561-0.

Cantor, B., M. Malin, and K. S. Edgett (2002), Multiyear Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) observations of repeated martian weather phenomena during the northern summer season, Journal of Geophysical Research 107(E3), 5014,  doi:10.1029/2001JE001588.

James, P. B., and B. A. Cantor (2001), Martian North Polar Cap Recession: 2000 Mars Orbiter Camera Observations, Icarus 154, 131–144, doi:10.1006/icar.2001.6653.

Cantor, B. A., P. B. James, M. Caplinger, and M. J. Wolff (2001), Martian dust storms: 1999 Mars Orbiter Camera 

James, P. B., B. A. Cantor, and S. Davis (2001), Mars Orbiter Camera observations of the Martian south polar cap in 1999–2000, Journal of Geophysical Research 106(E10), 23635–23652, doi:10.1029/2000JE001313.

Cantor, B. A., M. J. Wolff, P. C. Thomas, P. B. James, and G. Jensen (1999), Phobos Disk-Integrated Photometry: 1994–1997 HST observations, Icarus 142, 414–420, doi:10.1006/icar.1999.6222.

Cantor, B. A., M. J. Wolff, P. B. James, and E. Higgs (1998), Recession of Martian North Polar Cap: 1990–1997 Hubble Space Telescope Observations, Icarus 236, 175–191, doi:10.1006/icar.1998.6020.

W. D. Heintz, and B. A. Cantor (1994), An astrometric study of four binary stars, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 106, no. 698, 363–364, doi:10.1086/133386.

W. D. Heintz, and B. Cantor (1992), The unresolved binary Wolf 414, The Observatory 112, 286–286.