NATHAN J. MCGREGOR

I am a Ph.D. student in Planetary Science at the University of California, Santa Cruz and a member of the UCSC Planetary Science Group. My advisor is Professor Francis Nimmo.

I am currently investigating whether convection models can reproduce the convective uplift associated with the topographic alteration of Venus’ longest canali, Baltis Vallis.

I completed my B.S. in Physics and Astrophysics at Boise State University where I worked with Professor Daryl Macomb on long-term optical monitoring of BL Lacertae objects. I also hold a B.A. in Political Science from Boise State and was a member of Professor Brian Jackson’s Planetary Science Research Group.

Venus

Baltis Vallis is a lava channel on Venus that shows non-monotonic topography, so it must have been deformed after emplacement. Using Venusian convection models, I am currently investigating whether Baltis Vallis can tell us something about Venus’ convection and evolution.