Christopher P. McKay
Dr. McKay is currently a planetary scientist with the Space Science Division of
NASA Ames Research Center. He received his Ph.D. in AstroGeophysics from the
University of Colorado in 1982 and has been a research scientist with the NASA
Ames since that time. Dr. McKay is one of the world's leading researchers
studying Titan, and has been involved in numerical modeling of planetary
atmospheres for many years. He is currently working on models of Titan's thick
atmosphere in support of the joint NASA/ESA mission to the Saturn system. Dr.
McKay is co-Investigator on the Titan probe atmospheric structure experiment
(HASI). His broader interests focus on understanding the relationship between
the chemical and physical evolution of the solar system and the origin of life.
He has been actively involved in planning for future Mars missions including
human settlements. Dr. Mckay has also been involved with polar research since
1980, traveling to the Antarctic dry valleys and more recently to the Siberian
Arctic to conduct research in these Mars-like environments.
Recent references include:
(Courtin, Wagener, McKay, Caldwell,
Fricke, Raulin, et al., 1991;
McKay, Pollack, & Courtin, 1989;
McKay, Pollack, & Courtin, 1991;
McKay, Pollack, Lunine, & Courtin, 1993;
Toon, McKay, Griffith, & Turco, 1991)
Email: mckay@galileo.arc.nasa.gov