David Brain

David Brain is an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder in the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics and the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences. He is interested in how atmospheres evolve, and especially in transitions to and from habitable states. He uses tool such as spacecraft measurements (e.g. CU's MAVEN mission to Mars) to figure out how much atmosphere escapes to space, and comparisons between computer simulations and data. David thinks about: how the Sun and solar wind energizes upper atmospheres, plasma processes on Mars, whether magnetic fields are essential for surface habitability on planets in our solar system and beyond, and how asteroid and comet impacts change atmospheres. But he can be tempted into thinking about other interesting problems as well...

Photo and biographical information from the University of Colorado Boulder..