Harry Y. McSween
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Harry Y. McSween
My educational background includes degrees from The Citadel (B.S. Chemistry), University of Georgia (M.S. Geology), and Harvard (Ph.D. Geology). I’ve been a member of the UT geology faculty for 36 years and have served as Head of the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences (twice) and Interim Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences (twice). I am involved with a number of professional organizations, including former service as President of the Meteoritical Society, currently President-Elect of the Geological Society of America, and periodically serve as a member of numerous advisory committees for NASA and the National Research Council.
For more than three decades NASA has funded my research on meteorites, and I and the many talented students and postdocs with whom I’ve been privileged to work have published several hundred scientific papers dealing with the petrology and cosmochemistry of meteorites and their implications for understanding how the solar system formed and evolved. We have focused on chondrites, the most common type of meteorites falling to Earth, and on SNC meteorites, which are igneous rocks from Mars. We’ve also been involved in devising computer models of the thermal evolution of asteroids, which provide geologic context for measurable mineralogical and geochemical properties (peak metamorphic temperatures, cooling rates, chronology) in meteorites. Most recently, we have been studying HED (howardite, eucrite, diogenite) meteorites, which are igneous rocks from asteroid 4 Vesta – the target of the Dawn spacecraft mission.
I began participating in NASA spacecraft missions in 1997 as a member of the science team for the Mars Pathfinder rover and later for the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. That interest in mission operations and spacecraft data analysis has continued, and I currently am a co-investigator for the THEMIS instrument on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft mission, which is mapping the Martian surface from orbit. My role in orbiter missions involves interpreting thermal emission spectra and gamma-ray spectra in terms of mineralogy and petrology, so I have a continuing interest in remote sensing. I’m also a co-investigator for the Mars Exploration Rovers that have operated on the Martian surface since early 2004 (one rover is still functioning). I serve as a leader in strategic planning for rover operations and am particularly interested in using rover instrument data to interpret the volcanic rocks and the soils that the rovers have analyzed. I am also a co-investigator for the Dawn spacecraft, which orbited asteroid 4 Vesta in 2011-12, and is now en route to asteroid 1 Ceres. On this mission I serve as lead for the surface composition working group and am especially interested in understanding the differentiation of these asteroids.
I’m particularly interested in communicating the excitement of science to the public, so I do a lot of public speaking and have published three popular books introducing meteorites and planetary science, as well as textbooks in geochemistry and in cosmochemistry. I regularly teach undergraduate and graduate courses in petrology, geochemistry, and planetary geology. The visibility and impact of our research program is indicated by recognition from several organizations, including the Meteoritical Society (Leonard Medal), the National Academy of Sciences (J. Lawrence Smith Medal), the American Geophysical Union (Whipple Award), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Fellow), and the Southeastern Conference Universities 2013 Professor of the Year. I’m also the proud namesake for asteroid 5223 McSween.
Publications
Papers published since 2010
- Lang N. P., H. Y. McSween, L. L. Tornabene, C. J. Hardgrove, and P. R. Christensen (2010) Re-examining the relationship between Apollinaris Patera and basalts of Gusev crater, Mars. J. Geophys. Res.115, E04006, doi:10.1029/2009JE003397.
- Dunn T. L., G. Cressey, H. Y. McSween and T. J. McCoy (2010) Analysis of ordinary chondrites using powder X-ray diffraction: 1. Modal mineral abundances. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 45, 123-134, doi:10/1111/j.1945-5100.2009.01011.x.
- Dunn T. L., H. Y. McSween, T. J. McCoy and G. Cressey (2010) Analysis of ordinary chondrites using powder X-ray diffraction: 2. Applications to ordinary chondrite parent-body processes. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 45, 135-156, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2009.01012.x.
- Dunn T. L., T. J. McCoy, J. M. Sunshine and H. Y. McSween (2010) A coordinated spectral, mineralogical, and compositional study of ordinary chondrites. Icarus 208, 789-797, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2010.02.016.
- Beck A. W. and H. Y. McSween (2010) Diogenites as polymict breccias composed of orthopyroxenite and harzburgite. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 45, 850-872, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01061.x.
- Milam K. A., H. Y. McSween and J. E. Moersch (2010) Distribution and variation of plagioclase compositions on Mars. J. Geophys. Res. 115, E09004, doi:10.1029/2009JE003495.
- Mayne R. G., J. M. Sunshine, H. Y. McSween, T. J. McCoy, C. M. Corrigan and A. Gale (2010) Petrologic insights from the spectra of the unbrecciated eucrites: Implications for Vesta and basaltic asteroids. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 45, 1074-1092, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01090.x.
- Usui T., H. Y. McSween, D. W. Mittlefehldt and T. H. Prettyman (2010) K-Th-Ti systematics and new three-component mixing model of HED meteorites: Prospective study for interpretation of gamma-ray and neutron spectra for the Dawn mission. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 45, 1170-1190, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2010.01071.x.
- Usui T., M. Sanborn, M. Wadhwa and H. Y. McSween (2010) Petrology and trace element geochemistry of RBT 04261 and RBT 04262 meteorites, the first examples of geochemically enriched lherzolitic shergottites. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 74, 7283-7306, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2010.09.010.
- McSween H. Y., I. O. McGlynn and A. D. Rogers (2010) Determining the modal mineralogy of Martian soils. J. Geophys. Res. 115, E00F12, doi:10.1029/2010JE003582.
- Riches A. J. V., Y. Liu, J. M. D. Day, I. S. Puchtel, D. Rumble, H. Y. McSween, R. J. Walker and L. A. Taylor (2011) Petrology and geochemistry of Yamato 984028: A cumulate lherzolitic shergottite with affinities to Y-000027, Y-000047, and Y-000097. J. Polar Sci. 4, 497-514, doi:10.1029/j.polar.2010.04.009.
- Zipfel J., plus 28 coauthors including H. Y. McSween (2011) Bounce Rock – A shergottite-like basalt encountered at Meridiani Planum, Mars. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 46, 1-20, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.01127.x.
- McGlynn I. O., C. M. Fedo and H. Y. McSween (2011) Origin of basaltic soils at Gusev Crater, Mars, by aeolian modification of impact-generated sediment. J. Geophys. Res. 116, E00F22, doi:10.1029/2010JE003712.
- Mayne R. G., J. M. Sunshine, H. Y. McSween, S. B. Bus and T. J. McCoy (2011) The origin of Vesta's crust: Insights from spectroscopy of the Vestoids. Icarus 214, 147-160, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2011.04.013.
- McSween H. Y., R. L. McNutt and T. H. Prettyman (2011) Spacecraft instrument technology and cosmochemistry. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 108 (48), doi/10.1073/pnas.1013476108.
- Crumpler L. S., R. E. Arvidson, S. W. Squyres, D. Blaney, T. McCoy, M., Powell, A. Yingst, K. Lewis, J. F. Bell, N. A. Cabrol, B. Cohen, D. DesMarais, P. deSouza, W. Farrand, J. Farmer, R. Gellert, J. Grant, R. Greeley, E. A. Guinness, K.E. Herkenhoff, J. Hurowitz, J. R. Johnson, G. Klingelhöfer, A. McEwen, H. Y. McSween, D. W. Ming, R. V. Morris, J. W. Rice, Jr., M. Rice, S. Ruff, C. Schröder, A. E. Wang, and A. Yen (2011) Field reconnaissance geologic mapping of the Columbia Hills, Mars: Results from MER Spirit and MRO HiRISE observations. J. Geophys. Res., 116, E00F24, 2010JE003749.
- Beck A. W., D. W. Mittlefehldt, H. Y. McSween, D. Rumble, C-T. Lee, and R. J. Bodnar (2011) MIL 03443, a dunite from asteroid 4 Vesta: Evidence for its classification and cumulate origin. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 46, 1133-1151, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.20111.01219.x.
- McSween H. Y., D. W. Mittlefehldt, A. W. Beck, R. G. Mayne and T. J. McCoy (2011) HED meteorites and their relationship to the geology of Vesta and the Dawn mission. Space Sci. Rev. 163, 141-174, doi:10.1007/s11214-010-9637-z.
- Prettyman T., W. C. Feldman, H. Y. McSween, R. D. Dingler, D. C. Enemark, D. E. Patrick, S. A. Storms, J. S. Henricks, J. P. Morgenthaler, K. M. Pitman and R. C. Reedy (2011) Dawn's Gamma Ray and Neutron Detector. Space Sci. Rev. 163, 371-459, doi:10.1007/s11214-011-9862-0.
- Zuber M. T., H. Y. McSween, R. P. Binzel, L. T. Elkins-Tanton, A. S. Konopliv, C. M. Pieters and D. W. Smith (2011) Origin, internal structure and evolution of 4 Vesta. Space Sci. Rev.163, 77-93, doi:10.1007/s11214-011-9806-8.
- Mittlefehldt D. W., A. W. Beck, C.-T. Lee, H. Y. McSween and P. C. Buchanan (2012) Compositional constraints on the genesis of diogenites. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 47, 72-98, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2011.01314.x.
- McGlynn I. O., C. M. Fedo and H. Y. McSween (2012) Soil mineralogy at the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites: An assessment of the competing roles of physical sorting and chemical weathering. J. Geophys. Res. 117, E01006, doi:10.1029/2011JE003861.
- Beck A. W., K. C. Welten, H. Y. McSween, C. E. Viviano and M. W. Caffee (2012) Petrologic and textural diversity among the PCA 02 howardite group, one of the largest pieces of the Vestan surface. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 47, 947-969, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01360.x.
- Marchi S., H. Y. McSween, D. O'Brien, P. Schenk, M. C. DeSanctis, R. Gaskell, R. Jaumann, S. Mottola, F. Preusker, C. A. Raymond, T. Roatsch and C. T. Russell (2012) The violent collisional history of asteroid 4 Vesta. Science 336, 690-694, soi:10.1126/science.1218757.
- Jaumann R., Williams D. A., Buczkowski D. L., Yingst R. A., Preusker F., Hiesinger H., Schmedemann N., Kneissl T., Vincent J. B., Blewett D. T., Buratti B. J., Carsenty U., Denevi B. W., De Sanctis M. C., Garry W. B., Keller H. U., EKernten E., Krohn K., Li J.-Y., Marchi S., Matz K. D., McCord T. B., McSween H. Y., Mest S. C., Mittlefehldt D. W., Mottola S., Nathues A., Neukum G., O'Brien D. P., Pieters C. M., Prettyman T. H., Raymond C. A., Roatsch T., Russell C. T., Schenk P., Schmidt B. E., Scholten F., Stephan L., Sykes M. V., Tricarico P., Wagner R., Zuber M. T., and Sierks H. (2012) Vesta's shape and morphology. Science 336, 687-694, doi:10.1126/science.1219122.
- De Sanctis, M. C., Ammannito E., Capria M. T., Tosi F., Capaccioni F., Zambon F., Carraro F., Fonte S., Frigeri A., Jaumann R., Magni G., Marchi S., McCord T. B., McFadden L. A., McSween H. Y., Mittlefehldt D. W., Nathues A., Palomba E., Pieters C. M., Raymond C. A., Russell C. T., Toplis M. J., and Turrini D. (2012) Spectroscopic characterization of mineralogy and its diversity across Vesta. Science 336, 697-700, doi:10.1126/science.1219270.
- Reddy V., Nathues A., Le Corre L., Sierks H., Li J.-Y., Gaskell R., McCoy T., Beck A. W., Schroder S. E., Pieters C. M., Becker K. J., Buratti B. J., Denevi B., Blewett D. T., Christensen U., Gaffey M. J., Gutierrez-Marques P., Hicks M., Keller H. U., Maue T., Mottola S., McFadden L. A., McSween H. Y., Mittlefehldt D., O'Brien D. P., Raymond C., and Russell C. (2012) Color and albedo heterogeneity of Vesta from Dawn. Science 336, 700-704, doi:10.1126/science.1219088.
- Schenk P., O'Brien D. P., Marchi S., Gaskell R., Preusker F., Roatsch T., Jaumann R., Buczkowski D., McCord T., McSween H. Y., Williams D., Yingst A., Raymond C., and Russell C. T. 2012. The geologically recent giant impact basins at Vesta's south pole. Science 336:694-697, doi:10.1126/science.1223272.
- Russell C. T., Raymond C. A., Coradini A., McSween H. Y., Zuber M. T., Nathues A., De Sanctis M. C., Jaumann R., Konopliv A. S., Preusker F., Asmar S. W., Park R. S., Gaskell R., Keller H. U., Mottola S., Roatsch T., Scully J. E. C., Smith D. E., Tricarico P., Toplis M. J., Christensen U. R., Feldman W. C., Lawrence D. J., McCoy T. J., Prettyman T. H., Reedy R. C., Sykes M. E. and Titus T. N. (2012) Dawn at Vesta: Testing the protoplanetary paradigm. Science 336, 684-686, doi:10.1126/science.1219381.
- Viviano C. E., J. E. Moersch and H. Y. McSween (2012) Evidence for the carbonation of serpentine in Nili Fossae, Mars: Implications for hydrothermal processes. J. Geophys. Res. 117, E7, doi:10.1029.2011JE003985.
- Prettyman T. H., D. W. Mittlefehldt, D. J. Lawrence, N. Yamashita, A. W. Beck, W. C. Feldman, T. J. McCoy, H. Y. McSween, M. J. Topis, T. N. Titus, P. Tricarico, R. C. Reedy, J. S. Hendricks, O. Forni, L. Le Corre, J.-Y. Li, H. Mizzon, V. Reddy, C. A. Raymond and C. T. Russell (2012) Elemental mapping by Dawn reveals exogenic H in Vesta's howarditic regolith. Science 338, 242-246, doi:10.1126science.1225354.
- McCord T. B., Li J.-Y., Combe J.-P., McSween H. Y., Jaumann R., Reddy V., Tosi F., Williams D., Blewett D. T., Turrini N. D., Palomba E., Pieters C. M., De Sanctis M. C., Ammannito E., Capria M. T., Le Corre L., Longobardo A., Nathues A., Mittlefehldt D. W., Schroder S. E., Hiesinger H., Beck A. W., Capaccioni F., Carsenty U., Keller H. U., Denevi B. W., Sunshine J. M., Raymond C. A., and Russell C. T. (2012) Dark material on Vesta: Delivering carbonaceous volatile-rich materials to planetary surfaces. Nature 491, 83-86, doi:10.1038/nature11561.
- Reddy V., Le Corre L., O'Brien D. P., Nathues A., Cloutis E. A., Durda D. D., Bottke W. F., Bhatt M. U., Nesvorny D., Buczkowski D., Scully J. E. C., Palmer E. M., Sierks H., Mann P. J., Becker K. J., Beck A. W., Mittlefehldt D., Li J.-Y., Gaskell R., Russell C. T., Gaffey M. J., McSween H. Y., McCord T. B., Combe J.-P., and Blewett D. (2012) Delivery of dark material to Vesta via carbonaceous chondritic impacts. Icarus 221, 544-559.
- Patzer A. and H. Y. McSween (2012) Ordinary (mesostasis) and no-so-ordinary (symplectites) late-stage assemblages in howardites. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 47, 1475-1490, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01408.x.
- Udry A., H. Y. McSween, P. Lecumberri-Sanchez, and R. J. Bodnar (2012) Paired nakhlites MIL 090030, 090032, 090136, and 03346: Insights into the Miller Range parent meteorite. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 47, 1575-1589, doi:10.1111/j.1945-5100.2012.01420.x.
- Baziotis I. P., L. Yang, L. A., P. DeCarli, H. J. Melosh, H. Y. McSween, R. J. Bodnar, and L. A. Taylor (2013) The Tissint Martian meteorite as evidence for the largest impact excavation. Nature Comm., doi:10.1038/ncomms2414.
- Liu Y., J. B. Balta, C. A. Goodrich, H. Y. McSween and L. A. Taylor (2013) New constraints on the formation of shergottite Elephant Moraine 79001 lithology A. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 108, 1-20, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2013.01.008.
- Singerling S. A., A. L. Modi, B. McFerrin, E. A. Worsham, H. Y. McSween, L. A. Taylor, R. Rumble and R. Tanaka (2013) Two new eucrite breccias from Northwest Africa. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 48, E1-E9.
- McSween H. Y., E. Ammanito, V. Reddy, T. H. Prettyman, A. W. Beck, M. C. De Santis, A. Nathues, L. Le Corre, D. P. O'Brien, N. Yamashita, T. J. McCoy, D. W. Mittlefehldt, M. J. Toplis, P. Schenk, E. Palomba, D. Turrini, F. Tosi, F. Zambon, A. Longobardo, F. Capaccioni, C. A. Raymond and C. T. Russell (2013) Composition of the Rheasilvia basin, a window into Vesta's interior. J. Geophys. Res. 188, 335-346, doi:10.1002/jgre.20057.
- He Q., L. Xiao, W. Hsu, J. B. Balta, H. Y. McSween and Y. Liu (2013) The water content and parental magma of the second chassignite NWA 2737: Clues from trapped melt inclusions in olivine. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 48, 474-492, doi:10.1111/maps.12073.
- Marchi S., W. F. Bottke, B. A. Cohen, K. Wunnemann, D. A. Kring, H. Y. McSween, M. C. De Sanctis, D. P. O'Brien, P. Schenk, C. A. Raymond, and C. T. Russell (2013) High velocity collisions from the lunar cataclysm recorded in asteroidal meteorites. Nature Geosci. 6, 303-307, doi:10.1038/NGEO1769.
- Singerling S. A., H. Y. McSween and L. A. Taylor (2013) Glasses in howardites: Impact melts or pyroclasts? Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 48, 715-729, doi:10.1111/maps.12099.
- Beck A. W., H. Y. McSween, and R. J. Bodnar (2013) In situ laser ablation ICP-MS analyses of dimict diogenites: Further evidence for harzburgitic and orthopyroxenitic lithologies. Meteorit. Planet. Sci. 48, 1050-1059, doi:10.1111/maps.12129.
- Russell C. T., C. A. Raymond, R. Jaumann, H. Y. McSween, M. C. DeSanctis, A. Nathues, T. H. Prettyman, E. Ammannito, V. Reddy, F. Preusker, D. P. O'Brien, S. Marchi, B. W. Denevi, D. L. Buczkowski, C. M. Pieters, T. B. McCord, J.-Y. Li, D. W. Mittlefehldt, J.-P. Combe, D. Williams, H. Hiesinger, R. A. Yingst, C. A. Polanskey, and S. P. Joy (2013) Dawn completes its mission at 4 Vesta. Meteor. Planet Sci., in press, doi:10.1111/maps.12091.
- Johnson C., S. McLennan, H. Y. McSween and R. E. Summons (2013) Smaller, better, more: Five decades of advances in geochemistry. Celebrating Advances in Geoscience, Geol. Soc. Amer. 125th anniversary volume, in press.
- McSween H. Y. and S. M. McLennan (2013) Mars. In Treatise in Geochemistry, 2nd edition, A. M. Davis, ed., in press.
- Golombek M. P. and H. Y. McSween (2013) Mars: Landing site geology, mineralogy and geochemistry. In Encyclopedia of the Solar System, 3rd edition, T. Spohn and T. Johnson, eds., in press.
- Balta J. B., M. Sanborn, H. Y. McSween, and M. Wadhwa (2013) Magmatic history and parental melt composition of olivine-phyric shergottite LAR 06319: Importance of magmatic degassing and olivine antecrysts in Martian magmatism. Meteorit. Planet. Sci., in press.
- McSween H. Y., R. P. Harvey and C. M. Corrigan (2013) Meteorites from Mars, via Antarctica. In 35 Seasons of U.S. Antarctic Meteorites (1976-2011): A Pictorial Guide to the Collection, K. Righter, T. McCoy, R. Harvey and C. Corrigan, eds., in press.
- Takir D., J. P. Emery, H. Y. McSween, C. A. Hibbits, R. N. Clark, N. Pearson, and A. Wang (2013) Nature and degree of aqueous alteration in CM and CI carbonaceous chondrites. Meteorit. Planet. Sci., in press, doi:10.1111/maps.12171.
- Ammannito E., M. C. De Sanctis, E. Palomba, A. Longobardo, D. W. Mittlefehldt, H. Y. McSween, S. Marchi, M. T. Capria, F. Capaccioni, A. Frigeri, C. M. Pieters, O. Reusch, F. Tosi, F. Zambon, F. Carraro, S. Fonte, H. Hiesinger, G. Magni, L. A. McFadden, C. A. Raymond, C. T. Russell, and J. Sunshine (2013) Olivine from Vesta mantle exposed on the surface. Nature, submitted.
- McSween H. Y., R. P. Binzel, M. C. DeSanctis, E. Ammannito, T. H. Prettyman, A. W. Beck, V. Reddy, L. Le Corre, M. J. Gaffey, T. B. McCord, C. A. Raymond, and C. T. Russell (2013) Dawn, the Vesta-HED connection, and the geologic context for eucrites, diogenites, and howardites. Meteorit. Planet. Sci., doi:10.1111/maps.12108, in press.
- Prettyman T. H., D. W. Mittlefehldt, N. Yamashita, A. W. Beck, W. C. Feldman, J. S. Hendricks, D. J. Lawrence, T. J. McCoy, H. Y. McSween, P. N. Peplowski, R. C. Reedy, M. J. Toplis, L. Le Corre, H. Mizzon, V. Reddy, T. N. Titus, C. A. Raymond, and C. T. Russell (2013) Neutron absorption constraints on the composition of 4 Vesta. Meteorit. Planet. Sci., in press.
- Toplis M. J., H. Mizzon, M. Monnereau, O. Forni, H. Y. McSween, D. W. Mittlefehldt, T. J. McCoy, T. H. Prettyman, M. C. De Sanctis, C. A. Raymond, and C. T. Russell (2013) Chondritic models of 4-Vesta: Implications for geochemical and geophysical properties. Meteorit. Planet. Sci., in press.
- Ammannito E., M. C. De Sanctis, F. Capaccioni, M. T. Capria, F. Carraro, J-P. Combe, S. Fonte, A. Frigeri, S. P. Joy, A. Longobardo, G. Magni, S. Marchi, T. B. McCord, L. A. McFadden, H. Y. McSween, E. Palomba, C. M. Pieters, C. A. Polanskey, C. A. Raymond, J. M. Sunshine, F. Tosi, F. Zambon, and C. T. Russell (2013) Vestan lithologies maped by the Visual and Infrared Spectrometer on Dawn. Meteorit. Planet. Sci., in press.
- Balta J. B. and H. Y. McSween (2013) Water and the composition of martian magmas. Geology, in press.
Contact
Phone: 865-974-9805
Email: mcsween@utk.edu
Research Interests
Planetary Science, Petrogenesis of Terrestrial Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks
Education
The Citadel (B.S. Chemistry) University of Georgia (M.S. Geology) Harvard (Ph.D. Geology)