Carol Paty
Biography
I am a planetary and space physicist specializing in studying ice giant magnetospheres, moon-magnetosphere interactions, and icy moon interiors with simulations and spacecraft observations. I am a co-investigator on NASA’s Europa Clipper mission and on ESA's Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE), and have been actively developing new mission strategies to explore Uranus and the Neptune-Triton system. Recently I participated on the Trident team for the Phase A Discovery study and was involved in the Neptune Odyssey planetary mission concept study. I currently sit on the steering committee of the Outer Planets Assessment Group and recently served on a National Academies panel for the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey. In 2024 I completed a 6-year appointment in the Clark Honors College where I worked on the recent curriculum revision and implementation, helped to develop the Calderwood Seminars for Public Writing, and served for 3 years as the Associate Dean for Faculty. My research and teaching home is in the Department of Earth Sciences where I teach and mentor graduate and undergraduate students in planetary and space science.
Prior to arriving at the University of Oregon, I spent 10 years at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences developing a planetary sciences focus and the Center for Space Technology and Research which bridged space research interests between the College of Science and College of Engineering. My postdoc was spent working with the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer team while at the Southwest Research Institute.
Education
B.A. Physics & Astronomy 2001 Bryn Mawr College
Ph.D. Earth & Space Sciences 2006 University of Washington
Publications
Select Recent (*student, †postdoc, ^Europa Clipper Space Science Review Paper Series):
Donaldson, K.,* Olsen, A.J.,* Paty, C.S., & Caggiano, J.* (2024). Characterizing the solar wind‐magnetosphere viscous interaction at Uranus and Neptune. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 129, e2024JA032518, doi:10.1029/2024JA032518K
^Pappalardo, R.T., Buratti, B.J., Korth, H. et al. Science Overview of the Europa Clipper Mission. Space Sci Rev 220, 40 (2024). doi:10.1007/s11214-024-01070-5
^Blankenship, D.D., Moussessian, A., Chapin, E. et al. Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-Surface (REASON). Space Sci Rev 220, 51 (2024). doi:10.1007/s11214-024-01072-3
^Roberts, J.H., McKinnon, W.B., Elder, C.M. et al. Exploring the Interior of Europa with the Europa Clipper. Space Sci Rev 219, 46 (2023). doi:10.1007/s11214-023-00990-y
^Westlake, J.H., McNutt, R.L., Grey, M. et al. The Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS) on the Europa Clipper Mission. Space Sci Rev 219, 62 (2023). doi:10.1007/s11214-023-01002-9
^Meitzler, R., Jun, I., Blase, R. et al. Investigating Europa’s Radiation Environment with the Europa Clipper Radiation Monitor. Space Sci Rev 219, 61 (2023). doi:10.1007/s11214-023-01003-8
Caggiano, J. A.*, & Paty, C. S. (2022). Analysis of E × B drifts in Earth's magnetosphere during geomagnetic reversals: Potential consequences for plasmasphere behavior and stability. J. of Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 127, e2021JA029414, doi:10.1029/2021JA029414
C. J. Cochrane, R. R. Persinger, S. D. Vance, E. L. Midkiff, J. Castillo-Rogez,A. Luspay-Kuti, L. Liuzzo, C. Paty, K. L. Mitchell, L. M. Prockter (2022), Single- and Multi-Pass Magnetometric Subsurface Ocean Detection and Characterization in Icy Worlds Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA): Application to Triton, Earth and Space Science, doi:10.1029/2021EA002034
Liuzzo, L., Paty, C., Cochrane, C., Nordheim, T., Luspay-Kuti, A., Castillo-Rogez, J., et al. (2021). Triton’s variable interaction with Neptune’s magnetospheric plasma. J. of Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 126, e2021JA029740, doi:10.1029/2021JA029740
Rymer, A. M., et al. (2021). Neptune Odyssey: A Flagship Concept for the Exploration of the Neptune–Triton System. Planet. Sci. J., v2, 184. doi:10.3847/PSJ/abf654
Candice J. H., J. Castillo-Rogez , W. Grundy, J. D. Hofgartner, E. S. Martin, K. Mitchell, F. Nimmo, T. A. Nordheim, C. Paty, L. C. Quick, J. H. Roberts, K. Runyon, P. Schenk, A. Stern, and O. Umurhan (2021). Triton: Fascinating Moon, Likely Ocean World, Compelling Destination! Planet. Sci. J., v2, 137. doi:10.3847/PSJ/abffd2
Arridge, C.S. and Paty, C. (2021), “Asymmetrical Magnetospheres: Uranus and Neptune”, Chapter 33, in Magnetospheres in the Solar System, Geophysical Monograph 259, First Edition. Edited by Romain Maggiolo, Nicolas André, Hiroshi Hasegawa, and Daniel T. Welling. doi: 10.1002/9781119815624.ch33
Cao, X., and C. Paty, 2020, Asymmetric Structure of Uranus' Magnetopause Controlled by IMF and Planetary Rotation, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi:10.1029/2020GL091273
Vance, S. D., M. J. Styczinski*, B. G. Bills, C. J. Cochrane, K. M. Soderlund, N. Gomez-Perez, and C. Paty, 2020, Magnetic Induction Responses of Jupiter's Ocean Moons Including Effects from Adiabatic Convection, Submitted, J. Geophys. Res. Planets, doi:10.1029/2020JE006418
Paty, C., C. S. Arridge, I. J. Cohen, G. A. DiBraccio, R. W. Ebert, and A. M. Rymer, 2020, Ice Giant Magnetospheres, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A., doi:10.1098/rsta.2019.0480
Winslow, R. M., † N. Lugaz, C. J. Farrugia, C. L. Johnson, B. J. Anderson, C. S. Paty, N. A. Schwadron, L. Philpott, M. Al Asad, 2020, First observations of an ICME compressing Mercury's dayside magnetosphere, The Astrophysical Journal, 889:184 (10pp), 2020 February 1, doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab6170
Orlando, T. M., B. M. Jones, C. Paty, M. J. Schaible, J. R. Reynolds, P. N. First, S. K., Robinson, V. La Saponara, and E. Beltran, 2018. Catalyst: Radiation effects on volatiles and exploration of asteroids and the lunar surface. Chem 4, 8–12, doi:10.1016/j.chempr.2017.12.004
Molyneux, P. M., Nichols, J. D.,Bannister, N. P., Bunce, E. J., Clarke, J. T.,Cowley, S. W. H., J.-C. Gérard, D. Grodent, S. E. Milan, and C. Paty, 2018. HubbleSpace Telescope observations of variations in Ganymede’s oxygen atmosphere and aurora. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics,123,3777–3793. doi:10.1029/2018JA025243
Cao, X., * and C. Paty, 2017, Diurnal and seasonal variability of Uranus’s magnetosphere, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 122, doi:10.1002/2017JA024063.
Winslow R.M. †, L. Philpott, C. S. Paty, N. Lugaz, N.A. Schwadron, C.L. Johnson, and H. Korth, 2017, Statistical study of ICME effects on Mercury's magnetospheric boundaries and northern cusp region from MESSENGER, J. Geophys. Res., 122, doi:10.1002/2016JA023548.
Hale, J. P. M.*, and C. Paty, 2016, Investigating Charon’s Impact on Pluto’s Interaction with the Solar Wind through Multifluid MHD Simulations. Published online 12/6/2016 Icarus 287 (2017) 131–139
Simon, S., E. Roussos, and C. S. Paty, 2015, The interaction between Saturn’s moons and their plasma environment, Physics Reports, 602 (2015), 1-65, doi:10.1016/j.physrep.2015.09.005
Payan, A. P.*, C. S. Paty, and K. D. Retherford, 2015, Uncovering local magnetospheric processes governing the morphology and variability of Ganymede’s aurora using threedimensional multifluid simulations of Ganymede’s magnetosphere, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 120, doi:10.1002/2014JA020301.
Payan, A.*, A. Rajendar*, C. S. Paty, and F. J. Crary, 2014, Effect of Plasma Torus Density Variations on the Morphology and Brightness of the Io Footprint, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 119, 3641–3649, doi:10.1002/2013JA019299.
Riousset, J., † C. S. Paty, M. Fillingim, R. Lillis, S. England, P. Withers, and J. P. M. Hale*, 2014 Electrodynamics of the Martian dynamo region near magnetic cusps and loops, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, doi:10.1002/2013GL059130.
Winglee, R. M., A. Kidder*, E. Harnett, N. Ifland*, C. Paty, and D. Snowden, 2013, Generation of periodic signatures at Saturn through Titan’s interaction with the centrifugal interchange instability, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 118, doi:10.1002/jgra.50397.
Riousset, J.†, C. S. Paty, M. Fillingim, R. Lillis, S. England, Paul Withers, and J. P. M. Hale*, 2013, Three-dimensional multifluid modeling of atmospheric electrodynamics in Mars’ dynamo region, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 118, doi:10.1002/jgra.50328.
Kidder, A.*, C. S. Paty, R.M. Winglee, E.M. Harnett, 2012, External triggering of plasmoid development at Saturn, J. Geophys. Res., 117, A07206, doi:10.1029/2012JA017625