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Marzia Parisi

Research Scientist

About

Research Interests

As a member of JPL's Radio Science & Solar System Radar, my research focuses on gravity science, planetary interiors, and atmospheric radio occultations, with a particular interest in the outer solar system. I study the interiors and atmospheres of gas and ice giants, as well as those of their icy moons (e.g. Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede), and have contributed to several interplanetary missions, including NASA’s Cassini and Juno, and ESA’s BepiColombo and JUICE.

Beyond my current mission involvement, I am involved in the formulation of future robotic exploration of distant worlds, such as Uranus and Enceladus, which is believed to harbor a subsurface ocean. My expertise lies in the use of gravity measurements to detect subsurface oceans and to probe the internal and atmospheric dynamics of gaseous planets. This involves analyzing how gravitational fields can reveal hidden features, such as liquid layers beneath icy surfaces or the intricate structure of planetary atmospheres (e.g. Jupiter's Great Red Spot).

My expertise combines gravity science with planetary interior and atmospheric dynamics, enhanced by hands-on experience in conducting science operations and interpreting gravity data.

Achievements

Awards & Recognitions

  • JPL Voyager Award (2023)
  • The Edward Stone Award for Outstanding Research Publication | The depth of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot constrained by the Juno gravity overflights (2022)
  • NASA Award | NASA Early Career Achievement Medal (ECAM) (2019)
  • JPL Award | Charles Elachi Award for Outstanding Early Career Achievement (2018)

Publications

48) Galanti, E., Smirnova, M., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2026), The size and shape of Jupiter. Nature Astronomy. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-026-02777-x

47) Friedson, A. J., Parisi, M., Mankovich, C. R. et al. (2026). The Prospects for Gravitational Seismology at Uranus with an Orbiting Spacecraft. The Planetary Science Journal, 7, 19. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae29ed.

46) Parisi, M., Kim, S., Mankovich, C. R. et al. (2025), A Multiarc Approach to Detecting Uranus’s Normal Modes via Doppler Tracking of a Planetary Orbiter. The Planetary Science Journal, 6, 303. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae271e

45) Petricca, F., Vance, S. D., Parisi, M. et al. (2025). Titan’s strong tidal dissipation precludes a subsurface ocean. Nature, 648, 556-561. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09818-x

44) Mankovich, C. R., Parisi, M., Landau, D. F. & Dewberry, J. W. (2025). Isolating the gravitational influence of Uranus’s winds requires close passages inward of the rings. The Planetary Science Journal, 6, 276. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ae1ae4

43) Smirnova, M., Galanti, E., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2025). Probing Jupiter’s Atmosphere Through Juno Radio Occultations: Analysis of the Atmospheric Thermal Structure. Geophysical Research Letters, 52, 22, e2025GL116804. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL116804

42) Caruso, A., Casajus, L. G., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2025). Probing Jupiter’s Atmosphere Through Juno Radio Occultations: Methodology and Initial Observations. Geophysical Research Letters, 52, 22, e2024GL113231. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113231

41) Coffin, D., Withers, P., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2025). Juno-Derived Electron Density Profiles of the High-Latitude Jovian Ionosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 130, 6, e2025JA033754. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JA033754

40) Mankovich, C., Friedson, A. J., Parisi, M. et al. (2025). Setting the Stage for Uranian Seismology from Rings and Radial Velocities. The Planetary Science Journal, 6, 70. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adb8eb

39) Kim, S., Parisi, M., Mankovich, C. et al. (2025). Saturn’s Small-Scale Winds Revealed by Its High-Degree Gravity Field. Geophysical Research Letters, 52, 5, e2024GL113236. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113236

38) Buccino, D. R., Caruso, A., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2025). Electron Density in Io’s Alfvén Wing Observed Via Radio Occultation With Juno. Geophysical Research Letters, 52, 4, e2024GL111568. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111568

37) Park, R. S., Jacobson, R. A., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2025). Io’s tidal response precludes a shallow magma ocean. Nature, 638, 69-73. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08442-5

36) Parisi, M., Friedson, A. J., Mankovich, C. R. et al. (2024). Uranus Orbiter and Probe: a radio science investigation to determine the planet’s gravity field, depth of the winds and tidal deformations. The Planetary Science Journal, 5, 116. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad4034

35) Genova, A., Parisi, M., Gargiulo, A. M. et al. (2023). Geodesy investigation with an Enceladus Orbiter. The Planetary Science Journal, 5, 40. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad16df

34) Parisi, M., Caruso, A., Buccino, D. R. et al. (2023). Radio Occultation Measurements of Europa's Ionosphere From Juno's Close Flyby. Geophysical Research Letter, 50, 22, e2023GL106637. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106637

33) Kaspi, Y., Galanti, E., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2023). Observational evidence for cylindrically oriented zonal flows on Jupiter. Nature Astronomy, 7, 1463-1472. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-023-02077-8

32) Parisi, M. (2023). The case for future gravity science investigations at Saturn with a planetary orbiter. The Planetary Science Journal, 4, 152. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ace7ce

31) Friedson, A. J., Parisi, M., Cao, L. et al. (2023). Forcing of Slow Density Waves in the C Ring by Saturn’s Quasi-Toroidal Normal Modes. Icarus, 405, 115711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115711

30) Buccino, D. R., Oudrhiri, K., Parisi, M. et al. (2023). Precision of Spacecraft Doppler Tracking at Low Signal-to-Noise Ratios. Radio Science, 58, 7, e2023RS007703. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023RS007703

29) Akins, A., Hofstadter, M., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2023). Evidence of a Polar Cyclone on Uranus from VLA Observations. Geophysical Research Letters, 50, 10, e2023GL102872. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL102872

28) Gramigna, E., Parisi, M., Buccino, D. R. et al. (2023). Analysis of NASA’s DSN Venus Express radio occultation data for year 2014. Advances in Space Research, 71, 1, 1198-1215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2022.10.070

27) Gomez-Casajus, L., Ermakov, A. I., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2022). The Gravity Field of Ganymede after the Juno’s Extended Mission. Geophysical Research Letters, 49, 24. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099475

26) Durante, D., Guillot, T., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2022). Evidence for normal modes from Juno gravity measurements. Nature Communication, 13, 4632. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32299-9

25) Militzer, B., Hubbard, W. B., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2022). Juno Spacecraft Measurements of Jupiter’s Gravity Imply a Dilute Core. The Planetary Science Journal, 3, 185. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ac7ec8

24) Buccino, D. R., Parisi, M., Gramigna, E. et al. (2022). Ganymede’s Ionosphere observed by a Dual-Frequency Radio Occultation with Juno. Geophysical Research Letters, 49, 23, e2022GL098420. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098420

23) Cohen, I., Beddingfield, C., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2022). New Frontiers-class Uranus Orbiter: The case for system science at an underexplored and unique world with a mid-scale mission. The Planetary Science Journal, 3, 58. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ac5113

22) Parisi, M., Vaquero, M., Hedman, M. & Tiscareno, M. (2022). Gravity Investigation of Saturn’s Inner System with the Innovative Skimmer Concept. The Planetary Science Journal, 3, 19. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ac47a0

21) Buccino, D. R, Kahan, D., Parisi, M. et al. (2021). Performance of Earth Troposphere Calibration Measurements with the Advanced Water Vapor Radiometer for the Juno Gravity Science Investigation. Radio Science, 56, 12, e2021RS007387. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021RS007387

20) Parisi, M., Kaspi, Y., Galanti, E. et al. (2021). The depth of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot constrained by the Juno gravity overflights. Science, 374(6570), 964-968. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abf1396

19) Rymer, A. M., Runyon, K. D. [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2021). Neptune-Odyssey: A Flagship Concept for the Exploration of the Neptune-Triton System. The Planetary Science Journal, 2, 184. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/abf654

18) Phipps, P., Withers, P., [...] & Parisi, M. (2021). Two years of observations of the Io plasma torus by Juno radio occultations: Results from Perijoves 1 to 15. The Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. 126, 3, e2020JA028710. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028710

17) Parisi, M., Galanti, E., Folkner, W. M. et al. (2020). Resolving the latitudinal short-scale gravity field of Jupiter using Slepian functions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 125, 11, e2020JE006416. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JE006416

16) Buccino, D. R., Helled, R., Parisi, M. et al. (2020). Updated Equipotential Shapes of Jupiter and Saturn using Juno and Cassini Grand Finale Gravity Science Measurements. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 125, 8, e2019JE006354. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JE006354

15) Phipps, P., Withers, P., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2020). Where is the Io plasma torus? A comparison of observations by Juno radio occultations to predictions from Jovian magnetic field models. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 125, 8, e2019JA027633. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA027633

14) Wahl, S. M., Parisi, M., Folkner, W. M. et al. (2020). Equilibrium tidal response of Jupiter: detectability by Juno spacecraft. The Astrophysical Journal, 891, 42. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab6cf9

13) Durante, D., Parisi, M., Serra, D. et al. (2020). Jupiter’s gravity halfway through Juno’s mission. Geophysical, Research Letters, 47, 4. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086572

12) Parisi, M., Folkner, W. M., Galanti, E. et al. (2019). A mascon approach to estimating the depth of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot with Juno gravity measurements. Planetary and Space Science, 104781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pss.2019.104781

11) Phipps, P., Withers, P., [...] & Parisi, M. (2019). Variations in the density distribution of the Io plasma torus as seen by radio occultations on Juno Perijoves 3, 6, and 8. The Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124, 7, 5200-5221. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA026297

10) Galanti, E., Kaspi, Y., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2019). Determining the depth of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot with Juno: a Slepian approach. The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 874, L24. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab1086

9) Guillot, T., Miguel, Y., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2018). A suppression of differential rotation in Jupiter’s deep interior. Nature, 555, 227-230. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25775

8) Kaspi, Y., Galanti, E., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2018). Jupiter’s atmospheric jet-streams extend thousands of kilometers deep. Nature, 555, 223-226. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25793

7) Iess, L., Folkner, W.M., Durante, D., Parisi, M. et al. (2018). The measurement of Jupiter’s asymmetric gravity field. Nature, 555, 220-222. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature25776

6) Folkner, W. M., Iess, L., [...], Parisi, M. et al. (2017). Jupiter gravity field estimated from the first two Juno orbits. Geophysical Research Letters, 44, 10, 4694-4700. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL073140

5) Bolton, S. J., Adriani, A., […], Parisi, M. et al. (2017). Jupiter’s interior and deep atmosphere: the first pole-to-pole pass with the Juno spacecraft. Science, 356(6340), 821-825. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aal2108

4) Parisi, M., Galanti, E., Finocchiaro, S. et al. (2016). Probing the depth of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot with the Juno gravity experiment. Icarus, 267, 232-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.12.011

3) Tortora, P., Zannoni, M., [...] & Parisi, M. (2016). Rhea Gravity Field and Interior Modeling from Cassini Data Analysis. Icarus, 264, 264-273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2015.09.022

2) Ofman, L., Parisi, M. & Srivastava A.K. (2015). Three dimensional MHD Modeling of Vertical Kink Oscillations in an Active Region Plasma Curtain. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 582, A75. https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201425054

1) Iess, L., Stevenson, D. J., Parisi, M. et al. (2014). The gravity Field and Interior Structure of Enceladus. Science, 344(6179), 78-80. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1250551