Dr. Laura H. Kerber
Research Scientist
About
Bio
Laura Kerber is a research scientist at JPL with interests in physical volcanology, aeolian geomorphology, wind over complex surfaces, the ancient Martian climate, the role of sulfur in planetary atmospheres, and extraterrestrial cave environments. Laura holds two Masters Degrees, in Geology and Engineering, and a PhD in Geology from Brown University. She enjoys combining remote sensing, field work, and modeling, and working on the interface between the surface geology and the atmosphere. She is the Deputy Project Scientist of Mars Odyssey and the Principal Investigator of a Discovery mission concept called Moon Diver, which aims to send an extreme terrain rover to explore deep caverns on the Moon in order to understand the Solar System’s largest volcanic eruptions.
Education
- PhD, Geological Sciences, Brown University (2011)
- SciM, Engineering (Fluid Mechanics), Brown University (2011)
- SciM, Geological Sciences, Brown University (2008)
- BA, Geology, Pomona College (2006)
Research Interests
Physical Volcanology, Flood Volcanism, Explosive Volcanism, Pyroclastic Deposits on Mercury and the Moon, Aeolian Geomorphology, Yardangs, Transverse Aeolian Ridges, the Boundary Layer, Wind Over Complex Surfaces, Aerodynamic Surface Roughness, the Ancient Martian Climate, the Role of Sulfur in Planetary Atmospheres, Extraterrestrial Cave Environments.
Topic Area(s)
Achievements
Awards & Recognitions
- NASA Award | Early Career Achievement Medal | For early-career achievement in advancing understanding of planetary geologic and climate processes in NASA's Martian and Lunar mission planning. (2023)
- JPL Voyager Award | Outstanding support in providing Odyssey science highlights and publication statistics that are integrated into the projects deliverables. (2022)
- The Lew Allen Award for Excellence | For exceptional scientific leadership and research on the geology and geophysics of the terrestrial planets and of the Moon. (2021)
- NASA Award | Mars Extreme Terrain Access Technology Team | Team Award (2020)
- People Leadership Award | For outstanding leadership as Principal Investigator on the Moon Diver proposal and mentoring early career investigators in her research programs. (2019)
- JPL Voyager Award | President of New Researchers Support Group fostering increased communication and cooperation between JPL researchers. (2017)
- JPL Voyager Award | Outstanding contributions in facilitating the interactions between the Next Orbiter SAG and the ICE Working Group (2015)
Publications
Braude, A. S., Kerber, L., Lefèvre, F., Jaziri, A. Y., Hamid, S. S., Lefèvre, M., ... & Forget, F. (2025). Modelling the effect of volcanic outgassing of sulphur on early Martian surface temperatures using a 3-D Global Climate Model. Icarus, 116568.
Dickson, J. L., Ehlmann, B. L., Kerber, L., & Fassett, C. I. (2024). The Global Context Camera (CTX) Mosaic of Mars: A product of information‐preserving image data processing. Earth and space Science, 11(7), e2024EA003555.
Voigt, J. R., Hamilton, C. W., Steinbrügge, G., Christoffersen, M. S., Nerozzi, S., Kerber, L., ... & Carter, L. M. (2023). Revealing Elysium Planitia's young geologic history: Constraints on lava emplacement, areas, and volumes. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 128(12), e2023JE007947.
Nesnas, I. A., Kerber, L., Sellar, G., Balint, T., Denevi, B., Parness, A. J., ... & Sherrill, K. V. (2023). Moon Diver: Exploring a pit's exposed strata to understand lunar volcanism. Acta Astronautica, 211, 163-176.
Dickson, J. L., Palumbo, A. M., Head, J. W., Kerber, L., Fassett, C. I., & Kreslavsky, M. A. (2023). Gullies on Mars could have formed by melting of water ice during periods of high obliquity. Science, 380(6652), 1363-1367.
Wynne, J. J., Mylroie, J. E., Titus, T. N., Malaska, M. J., Buczkowski, D. L., Buhler, P. B., ... & Watters, T. R. (2022). Planetary caves: A solar system view of processes and products. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 127(11), e2022JE007303.
Wynne, J. J., Titus, T. N., Agha‐Mohammadi, A. A., Azua‐Bustos, A., Boston, P. J., de León, P., ... & Williams, K. E. (2022). Fundamental science and engineering questions in planetary cave exploration. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 127(11), e2022JE007194.
McDonald, G. D., Méndez Harper, J., Ojha, L., Corlies, P., Dufek, J., Ewing, R. C., & Kerber, L. (2022). Aeolian sediment transport on Io from lava–frost interactions. Nature communications, 13(1), 2076.
Matthies, L., Kennett, A., Kerber, L., Fraeman, A., & Anderson, R. C. (2022, March). Prospects for very long-range mars rover missions. In 2022 IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) (pp. 1-11). IEEE.
Khuller, A. R., Kerber, L., Schwamb, M. E., Beer, S., Nogal, F. E., Perry, R., ... & Hansen, C. J. (2022). Irregular polygonal ridge networks in ancient Noachian terrain on Mars. Icarus, 374, 114833.
Zurek, R., Campbell, B., Byrne, S., Calvin, W., Carter, L. M., Clancy, R. T., ... & Pratt, L. (2021). Mars Next Orbiter Science Analysis Group (NEX-SAG): White Paper Report to the 2023-2032 Planetary Sciences and Astrobiology Decadal Survey. Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 53(4), 038.
Kerber, L., Byrne, P. K., Davies, A. G., Hamilton, C. W., Jha, D., Keane, J. T., ... & Elder, C. (2021). The Importance of Planetary Volcanism and Key Investigations for the Next Decade. Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 53(4), 266.
Kerber, L., Dickson, J.L., Head, J.W., Grosfils, E.B. (2017) Polygonal ridge networks on Mars: Diversity of morphologies and the special case of the Eastern Medusae Fossae Formation. Icarus 281, 200-219.
Whelley, P.L., Kerber, L., de Silva, S. (2017) Preface to the special issue of JVGR, Pattern to Process: Remotely Sensed Observations of Volcanic Deposits and Their Implications for Surface Processes. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 342, 1-2.
Ehlmann et al. (2016) The sustainability of habitability on terrestrial planets: Insights, questions, and needed measurements from Mars for understanding the evolution of Earth-like worlds. Journal of Geophysical Research 121, 1927-1961.
Weider, S.Z., Nittler, L.R., Murchie, S.L., Peplowski, P.N., McCoy, T.J., Kerber, L., et al. (2016) Evidence from MESSENGER for sulfur- and carbon-driven explosive volcanism on Mercury. Geophysical Research Letters 43, 3653-3661.
Kerber, L., Forget, F., Wordsworth, R. (2015) Sulfur in the early Martian atmosphere revisited: Experiments with a 3-D Global Climate Model. Icarus 261, 133-148.
Wordsworth, R.D., Kerber, L., Pierrehumbert, R.T., Forget, F., Head, J.W. (2015) Comparison of “warm and wet” and “cold and icy” scenarios for early Mars in a 3-D climate model. Journal of Geophysical Research 120, 1201-1219.
Goudge, T.A., Head, J.W., Kerber, L., Blewett, D.T., Denevi, B.W., Domingue, D.L., Gillis-Davis, J.J., Gwinner, K., Helbert, J., Holsclaw, G.M., Izenberg, N.R., Klima, R.L., McClintock, W.E., Murchie, S.L., Neumann, G.A., Smith, D.E., Strom, R.G., Xiao, Z., Zuber, M.T., Solomon, S.C. (2014) Global inventory and characterization of pyroclastic deposits on Mercury: New insights into pyroclastic activity from MESSENGER orbital data. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.
Rothery, D.A., Thomas, R., Kerber, L. (2014) Prolonged eruptive history of a compound volcano on Mercury: volcanic and tectonic implications. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 385, 59-67.
Craddock, J.P., Rainbird, R.H., Davis, W.J., Davidson, C., Vervoot, J.D., Konstantinou, A., Boerboom, T., Vorhies, S., Kerber, L., Lundquist, B. (2013) Detrital zircon geochronology and provenance of the Paleoproterozoic Huron (∼ 2.4–2.2 Ga) and Animikie (∼ 2.2–1.8 Ga) basins, southern Superior Province, Journal of Geology 121, 623-644.
Kerber, L., Forget, F., Madeleine, J-.B., Wordsworth, R., Head, J.W., Wilson, L. (2013) The effect of atmospheric pressure on the dispersal of pyroclasts from Martian volcanoes. Icarus 223, 149-156.
Forget, F., Wordsworth, R., Millour, E., Madeleine, J.B., Kerber, L., Leconte, J., Marcq, E., Haberle, R.M. (2013) 3D modeling of the early Martian climate under a dense CO2 atmosphere: Temperatures and CO2 ice clouds. Icarus 222, 81-99.
Kerber, L., Head, J.W., Madeleine, J-.B., Forget, F., Wilson, L. (2012) The dispersal of pyroclasts from ancient explosive volcanoes on Mars: Implications for the friable layered deposits. Icarus 219, 358-381.
Kerber, L. and Head, J.W. (2012) A progression of induration in Medusae Fossae Formation transverse aeolian ridges: evidence for ancient aeolian bedforms and extensive reworking. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 37 422-433.
Kerber, L., Head, J.W., Madeleine, J-.B., Forget, F., Wilson, L. (2011) The dispersal of pyroclasts from Apollinaris Patera, Mars: Implications for the origin of the Medusae Fossae Formation. Icarus 216, 212-220.
Head, J.W., Chapman, C.R., Strom, R.G., Fassett, C.I., Denevi, B.W., Blewett, D.T., Ernst, C.M., Watters, T.R., Solomon, S.C., Murchie, S.L., Prockter, L.M., Chabot, N.L., Gillis-Davis, J.J., Whitten, J.L., Goudge, T.A., Baker, D.M.H., Hurwitz, D.M., Ostrach, L.R., Xiao, Z., Merline, W.J., Kerber, L., Dickson, J. (2011) Flood Volcanism in the Northern High Latitudes of Mercury Revealed by MESSENGER. Science 333, 1853-1856.
Kerber, L., Head, J.W., Blewett, D.T., Solomon, S.C., Wilson, L., Murchie, S.L., Robinson, M.S., Denevi, B.W., Domingue, D.L. (2010) The Global Distribution of Pyroclastic Deposits on Mercury: The View from MESSENGER Flybys 1-3. Planetary and Space Science 59, 1895-1909.
Kerber, L., Head, J.W. (2010) The Age of the Medusae Fossae Formation: Evidence of Hesperian Emplacement from Crater Morphology, Stratigraphy, and Ancient Lava Contacts. Icarus 206, 669-684.
Kerber, L., Head, J.W., Solomon, S.C., Blewett, D.T., Wilson, L., Murchie, S.L. (2009) Explosive Volcanic Eruptions on Mercury: Eruption Conditions, Magma Volatile Content, and Implications for Mantle Volatile Abundances. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 285, 263-271 (featured in Nature 459, Iss. 7248, Research Highlights).
Head, J.W., Murchie, S.L., Prockter, L.M., Solomon, S.C., Chapman, C.R. Strom, R.G., Watters, T.R., Blewett, D.T., Gillis-Davis, J.J., Fassett, C.I., Dickson, J.L., Morgan, G.A., Kerber, L. (2009) Volcanism on Mercury: Evidence from the first MESSENGER flyby for extrusive and explosive activity and the volcanic origin of plains. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 285, 227-242.
Penprase, B.E., Berger, E., Fox, D.B., Kulkarni, S.R., Kadish, S., Kerber, L., Ofek, E., Kasliwal, M., Hill, G., Schaefer, B., Reed, M. (2006) Spectroscopy of GRB 051111 at z=1.54948: Kinematics and Elemental Abundances of the GRB Environment and Host Galaxy. The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 646 Iss. 1 pg 35.