• Physics of the Earth and Planets and exploration of the Solar System
• Planning and conduction of spacecraft deep space observations
• Science and application of remote sensing from ground, air and space
• Processing and analysis of image, spectral and other data bases
• Education and training of graduate students and young scientists

Current Emphases

• Surface composition of the Saturn and icy Galilean satellites utilizing reflectance spectra from the Galileo and Cassini spacecraft
• Stability and behavior of hydrated minerals and organic materials under cold vacuum and irradiation
• Origin and evolution of Ceres and the protoplanet in preparation for the DAWN mission

Dr. McCord is currently conducting basic research into the nature of the Solar System and its objects and physical and chemical processes. He is a Co-Investigator or Team Member on each of the following NASA missions, involved with imaging spectrometers and multispectral imaging systems.

• Galileo: a mission to orbit the Jupiter system (mission ended but data analysis underway)
• Cassini-Huygens: a mission to orbit the Saturn system
• Mars Express: a mission to orbit Mars
• Rosetta: a mission to rendezvous with a comet
• DAWN: a mission to orbit both Vesta and Ceres
• Chandrayaan-1: a mission to orbit the moon

Recent Articles in Reviewed Professional Journals

Combe J.-Ph., Wendt L., Loizeau D., McCord T.B., Neukum G., Mapping Mars surface color units with HRSC: Various examples and methods, from visual interpretation to spectral analysis, 2009, in review, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett, HRSC Special issue.

McCord T.B., Hansen G.B., Combe J.-Ph., Hayne P., Hydrated Minerals on Europa’s Surface: A Second Look from the Galileo NIMS investigation, 2009, in review, Icarus

Williams, D.A., Greeley R., Manfredi L., Fergason R., Combe J.-Ph., Poulet F., Pinet P., Rosemberg C., Clenet H., McCord T.B., Raitala J., Neukum G., The Circum-Hellas Volcanic Province, Mars: Physical and compositional properties of the surface, 2009, in review, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., HRSC Special issue

Williams D. A., Greeley R., Fergason R. L., Kuzmin R., McCord T. B., Combe J.-Ph., Xiao L., Manfretti L., Pinet P., Baratoux D., Plaut J. J., Raitala J., Neukum G., and the HRSC Co-Investigator Team, The Circum-Hellas Volcanic Province, Mars: Overview, Planetary and Space Science, Mars Express Special Issue, 2008, accepted.

Combe J.-Ph. and McCord T. B., Investigation of the Mars Express HRSC Color Channel Calibration, Advances in space Research, 2009, Volume 43, pages 128-137, doi:10.1016/j.asr.2008.05.008.

McCord T. B., Hayne P. G., Combe J.-Ph., Hansen G. B., CO₂ on Titan’s Surface from the Cassini VIMS investigation, Geophysical Research Letters, 2008, under review

McCord T. B., Hayne P. G., Combe J.-Ph., Hansen G. B., Barnes J. W., Rodriguez S., Le Mouélic S., Baines K. H., Buratti B. J., Sotin C., Nicholson Ph., Jaumann R., Nelson R., and the Cassini VIMS Team, Titan’s Surface: Search for spectral diversity and composition using the Cassini VIMS investigation, Icarus, 2008, Volume 194, 212-242, doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2007.08.039.

Filacchione, G., McCord, T. B., Capaccioni, F., Coradini, A., Cerroni, P., Bellucci, G., Formisano, V., Brown, R. H., Baines, K. H., Bibring, J. P., Buratti, B. J., Clark, R. N., Combes, M., Cruikshank, D. P., Drossart, P., Jaumann, R. Langevin, Y., Matson, D. L., Mennella, V., Nelson, R.M., Nicholson, P. D., Sicardy, B., Sotin, C., Hansen., Hibbitts, K., Showalter, M. Newman, S., D’Aversa, E., Saturn’s icy satellites investigated by Cassini-VIMS I. Full-disk properties: 350-5100 nm reflectance spectra and phase curves, Icarus, 186, 259-290, 2007.

McCord, T. B.; Adams, J. B.; Bellucci, G.; Combe, J.-Ph.; Gillespie, A. R.; Hansen, G.; Hoffmann, H.; Jaumann, R.; Neukum, G.; Pinet, P.; Poulet, F. and Stephan, K., Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera spectrophotometric data: Characteristics and science analysis, Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 112, 2007.

McCord, T. B., Hansen, G. B., Buratti, B. J., Clark, R. N., Cruikshank, D. P., D’Aversa, E., Griffith, C. A., Baines, E. K. H., Brown, R. H., Dalle Ore, C. M., Filacchione, G., Formisano, V., Hibbits, C. A., Jaumann, R., Lunine, J. I., Nelson, R. M., Sotin, C., and the Cassini VIMS Team, Composition of Titan’s Surface from Cassini VIMS, Planetary and Space Science, In Press, Feb. 2006.

McCord, T. B., McFadden, L. A., Russell, C. T., Sotin, C., Thomas, P. C., Ceres, Vesta and Pallas: Protoplanets, not Asteroids, EoS, In Press, Feb. 2006.

Barnes, J. W., Brown, R. H Turtle, E. P. McEwen, A. S., Lorenz, R. D. Janssen, M., Schaller, E. L., Brown, M. E., Buratti, B. J., Sotin, C. Griffith, C., Clark, Perry, J., Fussner, S., Barbara, J., West, R., Elachi, C., Bouchez, A. HJ., Roe, H. G., Baines, K. H. Bellucci, G., Bibring, J.-P., Capaccioni, F., Cerroni, P., Combes, M., Coradini, A., Cruikshank, D. P., Drossart, P., Formisano, V., Jaumann, R., Langevin, Y., Matson,D. L., McCord, T. B., Nicholson, P. D., Sicardy., B. A 5-Micron-Bight Spot on Titan: Evedence for Surface Diversity, Science, 310, 92-95, 2005.

Clark, Roger N., R. H. Brown, R. Jaumann, D. P. Cruikshank, Nelson, R. M., Buratti, B. J., T. B. McCord, Luine, J., Baines, K. H. Bellucci, G., Bibring, J.-P., Capaccioini, F., Cerroni, P. Coradini, A. Formisano, V., Langevine, Y., Matson, D. L. Mennella, V., Nicholson, P.d. Sicardy, B. Sotin, C., Hoefen, T. M., Curchin, J. M., Hansen, G., Hibbits., Matz, K.-D. Compositional maps of Saturn’s moon Phoebe from imaging spectroscopy, Nature, 435, 66-69, 2005.

McCord, T. B. and C. Sotin, Ceres: Evolution and Current state, J. Geophys. Res., 110, 2005.

Orlando, T. M., T. B. McCord and G. A. Grieves, The chemical nature of Europa surface material and the relation to a sub-surface ocean, Icarus 177, 528-533, 2005.

Russell, C. T., F. Capaccioni, A. Coradini, U. Christensen, M. c. De Sanctis, W. C. Feldman, R. Jaumann, H. U. Heller, A Konopliv, T. B. McCord, L. A. McFadden, H. Y. McSween, S. Mottola, G. Neukum, C. M. Pieters, T. H. Prettyman, C. A. Raymond, D. E. Smith, M. Sykes, B. Williams, and M. Zuber, Dawn Discovery Mission to Vesta and Ceres: Present Status, Dawn Discovery mission to Vesta and Ceres: Present status, Advances in Space Research, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 5 March 2005.

Sotin, C., R. Jaumann, B. J. Buratti, R. H. Brown, R. N. Clark, L. A. Soderblom, K. H. Baines, G. Bellucci, J.-P. Bibring, F. Capaccioni, P. Cerroni, M. Combes, A. Coradini, D. P. Cruikshank, P. Drossart, V. Formisano, Y. Langevin, D. L. Matson, T. B. McCord, R. M. Nelson, P. D. Nicholson, B. Sicardy, S. LeMouelic, S. RodrigueZ, K. Stephan, and C. K. Scholz, Release of volatiles from a possible cryovolcano from near-infrared imaging of Titan, Nature, 435, 786-789, 2005.

Bellucci, G. , E. D'Aversa, V. Formisano, D. Cruikshank, R. M. Nelson, R. N. Clark, K. H. Baines, D. Matson, R. H. Brown, T. B. McCord et al., Cassini/VIMS observation of an Io post-eclipse brightening event, Icarus, 172, 141-148, 2004.

Greeley, R., C. Chyba, J. W. Head, T. B. McCord, and R. T. Pappalardo, Geology of Europa, in Jupiter: Planet, Satellites, and Magnetosphere, F. Bagenal, T. Dowling, W. McKinnon (eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2004.

Hansen, G. and T. B. McCord, Amorphous and crystalline ice on the Galilean Satellites: A balance between thermal and radiolytic processes, J. Geophys. Res., 109(1), 2004.

T. B. McCord, and the VIMS Team, Cassini VIMS Global observations of the Galilean Satellites including the VIMS calibration procedure, Icarus, 172, 104-126, 2004.

Neukum, G., R. Jaumann, H. Hoffmann, E. Hauber, J. W. Head, A. T. Basilevsky, B. A. Ivanov, S. C. Werner, S. van Gasselt, J. B. Murray, T. B. McCord, and the HRSC Co-Investigator Team, Mars: Recent and episodic volcanic and glacial activity on Mars revealed by the High Resolution Stereo Camera, Nature, 432, 971-979, 2004.

Pappalardo, R. T., G. C. Collins, J. W. Head, P. Helfenstein, T. B. McCord, J. M. Moore, L. M. Prockter, P. M. Schenk, and J. Spencer, Geology of Ganymede (book chapter), Jupiter: Planet, Satellites, and Magnetosphere (F. Bagenal, T. Dowling, and W. McKinnon, eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2004.

Russell, C. T., A. Coradini, U. Christensen, M. C. De Sanctis, W. C. Feldman, T. Jaumann, H. U. Keller, A. S. Konopliv, T. B. McCord, L. A. McFadden, H. Y. McSween, S. Mottola, G. Neukum, C. M. Pieters, T. H. Prettyman, C. A. Raymond, D. E. Smith, M. V. Sykes, B. G. Williams, J. Wise, and M. T. Zuber. Dawn: A Journey in Space and Time, Planetary and Space Science, 52, 465-489, 2004.

R. H. Brown, K. H. Baines, G. Bellucci, J.-P. Bibring, B. J. Buratti, F. Capaccioni, P. Cerroni, R. N. Clark, A. Coradini, D. P. Cruikshank, P. Drossart, V. Formisano, R. Jaumann, Y. Langevin, D. L. Matson, T. B. McCord, V. Mennella, E. Miller, R. M. Nelson, P. D. Nicholson, B. Sicardy and C. Sotin, The Cassini Visual And Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (Vims) Investigation, Space Science Reviews, 115, 111 – 168, 2004.

Brown, R. H., K. H. Baines, G. Bellucci, J.-P. Bibring, B. J. Buratti, F. Capaccioni, P. Cerroni, R. N. Clark, A. Coradini, D. P. Cruikshank, P. Drossart, V. Formisano, R. Jaumann, Y. Langevin, D. L. Matson, T. B. McCord, V. Mennella, R. M. Nelson, P. D. Nicholson, B. Sicardy, C. Sotin, S. Amici, M. A. Chamberlain, G. Filacchioni, G. Hansen, C. Hibbitts, M. Showalter, Observations with the Visual and Infrared Mapping spectrometer (VIMS) During Cassini’s Flyby of Jupiter, Icarus, 164, 461-470, 2003.

V. Formisano, E., D’Aversa, G. Bellucci, K.H. Baines, J.P. Bibring, R.H. Brown, B.J. Buratti, F. Capaccioni, P. Cerroni, R.N. Clark, A. Coradini, D.P. Cruikshank, P. Drossart, V. Formisano, R. Jaumann, Y. Langevin, D.L. Matson, T. B. McCord, V. Mennella, R.M. Nelson, P.D. Nicholson, B. Sicardy, C. Sotin, M.C. Chamberlain, G. Hansen, K. Hibbits, M. Showalter, G. Filacchione. Cassini-VIMS at Jupiter: Solar Occultation Measurements using Io, Icarus, 166, 75-84, 2003.

Hibbitts, C. A., R. T. Pappalardo, G. B. Hansen and T. B. McCord, Carbon Dioxide on Ganymede, J. Geophys. Res., 108, 2003.


Hibbitts, C. A., J. E. Klemaszewski, T. B. McCord, G. B. Hansen, R. Greeley, CO2-rich impact craters on Callisto, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 5084, 2002.

Martin, P., T. B. McCord, P. C. Pinet, M. S. Robinson and G. Schwehm, Surface mineralogy of earth-like planets, moons and small bodies, Proceedings ESLAB 36 Symposium, ESA Special Publication 514, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 2002.

T. B. McCord, G. Teeter, G. B. Hansen, M. T. Sieger and T. M. Orlando, Brines exposed to Europa surface conditions, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 2002.

Russell, C. T., T. B. McCord and the DAWN team, DAWN: A journey to the beginning of the solar system, in Asteroids, Comets, Meteors Conference Proceedings, ESA Special Publication, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, October 2002.

T. B. McCord, G. B. Hansen and C. A. Hibbitts, Hydrated salt minerals on Ganymede’s surface: Evidence of an ocean below, Science, 292, 1523-1525, 2001.

T. B. McCord, T. M. Orlando, G. Teeter, G. B. Hansen, M. T. Sieger, N. G. Petrik and L. Van Keulen, Thermal and radiation stability of the hydrated salt minerals epsomite, mirabilite and natron under Europa environmental conditions, J. Geophys. Res, 106, 3311-3319, 2001.

Baines, K.H., G. Bellucci, J.P. Bebring, R.H. Brown, E. Bussoletti, F. Capaccioni, R. Cerroni. R.N. Clark, A. Coradini, D.P. Cruikshank, P. Drossart, V. Formisano, R. Jauman, Y. Langevin, D.L. Matson, T. B. McCord, V. Mennella, R.M. Nelson, P.D. Nicholson, B. Sicardy, C. Sotin, G.B. Hansen, J.J. Aiello, and S. Amici (the Cassini VIMS team), Detection of sub-micron radiation from the surface of Venus by the Cassini/VIMS, Icarus, 148, 307-311, 2000.

Fanale, F. P., J. C. Granahan, R. Greeley, R. Pappalardo, J. Head III, J. Shirley, R. Carlson, A. Hendrix, J. Moore, T. B. McCord, M. Belton and the Galileo NIMS and SSI Instrument Teams, Tyre and Pwyll: Galileo orbital remote sensing of mineralogy versus morphology at two selected sites on Europa, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 22647-22656, 2000.

Hibbitts, C. A., T. B. McCord and, G. B. Hansen, Distribution of CO2 and SO2 on the Surface of Callisto, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 22541-22558, 2000.

T. B. McCord Surface composition of the icy Galilean satellites, EoS, 81, 209, 2000.

Carlson, R. W., M. S. Anderson, R. E. Johnson, W. D. Smythe, A. R. Hendrix, C. A. Barth, L. A. Soderblom, G. B. Hansen, , T. B. McCord, J. B. Dalton, R. N. Clark, J. Shirley, A. C. H Ocampo, D. L. Matson, Hydrogen Peroxide on the Surface of Europa, Science, 283, 2062-2064, 1999.

T. B. McCord, A Citation for Presentation of the Fred Whipple Award to John B. Adams, EoS, In Press, 1999.

T. B. McCord and G. B. Hansen, Discussion of the 1.04-µm Water Ice Absorption Band in the Europa NIMS Spectra and a new NIMS calibration, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 27157-27162, 1999.

T. B. McCord, G. B. Hansen, D. L. Matson, T. V. Johnson, J. K. Crowley, F. P. Fanale, R. W. Carlson, W. D. Smythe, P. D. Martin, C. A. Hibbitts, J. C. Granahan, A. Ocampo, and the NIMS team, Hydrated Salt Minerals on Europa’s Surface from the Galileo NIMS Investigation, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 11827-11851, 1999.

Coradini, A. and the VIRTIS team (including, T. B. McCord), The Cassini Mission Visible, Infrared and Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) Instrument, Planetary and Space Sci., 46, 1291-1304, 1998.

T. B. McCord, G. B. Hansen, R. N. Clark, P. D. Martin, C. A. Hibbitts, F. P. Fanale, J. C. Granahan, M. Segura, D. L. Matson, T. V. Johnson, R. W. Carlson, W. D. Smythe, G. E. Danielson, and the NIMS Team, Non-water-ice constituents in the surface material of the icy Galilean satellites from the Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer investigation, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 8603-8626, 1998.

McCord, T. B., G. B. Hansen, F. P. Fanale, R. W. Carlson, D. L. Matson, T. V. Johnson, W. D. Smythe, J. K. Crowley, P. D. Martin, A. Ocampo, C. A. Hibbitts, J. C. Granahan, and the NIMS team, Salts on Europa’s surface detected by Galileo’s Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer, Science, 280, 1242-1245, 1998.

McCord, T. B., R. W. Carlson, W. D. Smythe, G. B. Hansen, R. N. Clark, C. A. Hibbitts, F. P. Fanale, J. C. Granahan, M. Segura, D. L. Matson, T. V. Johnson, P. D. Martin, Organics and other molecules in the surfaces of Callisto and Ganymede, Science, 278, 271-275, 1997.

Carlson R., W. Smythe, K. Baines, E. Barbanis, K. Becker, R. Burns, S. Calcutt, W. Calvin, R. Clark, G. Danielson, A. Davies, P. Drossart, T. Encrenaz, F. Fanale, J. Granahan, G. Hansen, P. Herrera, C. Hibbitts, J. Hui, P. Irwin, T. Johnson, L. Kamp, H. Kieffer, F. Leader, E. Lellouch, R. Lopes-Gautier, D. Matson, T. B. McCord, R. Mehlman, A. Ocampo, G. Orton, M. Roos-Serote, M. Segura, J. Shirley, L. Soderblom, A. Stevenson, F. Taylor, J. Torson, A. Weir, P. Weissman, Near-infrared spectroscopy and spectral mapping of Jupiter and the Galilean satellites: Results from Galileo's initial orbit, Science, 274, 385-388, 1996.

Russell, C. T., J. Abshire, M. A’Hearn, J. Arnold, R. C. Elphic, J. Head, C. Pieters, M. Hickman, D. Palac, C. Kluever, A. Konopliv, A. Metzger, J. Sercel, T. B. McCord, R. J. Phillips, W. Purdy, R. Rosenthal, M. Sykes, A solar electric propulsion mission to the Moon and beyond, Adv. Space Res., 18, 1175-1180, 1996.

Blaney, D. L. and, T. B. McCord, Indications of Sulfate Minerals in the Martian Soil from Earth-based Spectroscopy, J. Geophys. Res., 100, 14433-14441, 1995.