Janet Luhmann

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Janet G. Luhmann
Born1946 (age 78–79)
Alma materB.S. Carnegie Mellon University
M.S. University of Maryland
Ph.D. University of Maryland
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1970; died. 2025)​
[1][2]
Scientific career
FieldsGeophysics
Heliophysics
InstitutionsUniversity of California, Berkeley
NASA
WebsiteResearch profile

Janet G. Luhmann (born 1946) is an American physicist and senior fellow of the Space Sciences Laboratory of the University of California, Berkeley.[3] She has made major contributions to a wide range of topics in planetary, solar, magnetospheric, and heliospheric physics. She is the principal investigator of the IMPACT instrument suite on the twin-spacecraft STEREO mission.[4] IMPACT stands for In-situ Measurements of Particles and Coronal mass ejection (CME) Transients. It consists of a, "suite of seven instruments that samples the 3-D distribution of solar wind plasma electrons, the characteristics of the solar energetic particle (SEP) ions and electrons, and the local vector magnetic field."[5]

Early life and education

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Luhmann holds a B.S. in physics from Carnegie-Mellon University and an M.S. and Ph.D in astronomy from the University of Maryland. She began her professional research career in 1974 as a member of technical staff in the Particles and Fields Department at the Space Sciences Laboratory in the Aerospace Corporation, California. In 1980, she took up a research geophysicist position at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1994, she was appointed as a senior fellow at the space sciences laboratory of the University of California, Berkeley.

Research career

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Luhmann's work focuses on the use of spacecraft observations and models to investigate solar wind interactions with the planets and the connections between the Sun and heliospheric conditions.[6] She has published approximately 500 refereed articles, with around 29,000 citations and a h-index of 88, making her one of the most prominent scientists in the field.[7]

She is the principal investigator (PI) for the In-situ Measurements of Particles and CME Transients (IMPACT) instrument suite on the twin-spacecraft STEREO mission.[8] IMPACT provides solar wind plasma and magnetic field measurements. Previously, Luhmann was Deputy PI of the MAVEN mission at Mars.[9] She has served as a co-investigator on the ASPERA plasma spectrometer team on both Mars Express and Venus Express, the Pioneer Venus Orbiter, and the POLAR mission, and a science team member on Cassini’s Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer Team, and the Phobos mission to Mars.

Luhmann led the heliospheric science activity for the National Science Foundation-sponsored Center for Space Weather Modeling.[10]

Awards and honors

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Selected by the National Academy of Science to chair the most influential committee in her field, the Committee on Solar and Space Physics (CSSP).[11]

Chair of the NRC Committee on Solar and Space Physics (CSSP).[12]

2021: Jean Dominique Cassini Medal & Honorary Membership of the European Geosciences Union.[citation needed]

In 2015, she was awarded honorary fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society.[13]

In 2012, she was awarded the Space Science Award from the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR).[14]

Also in 2012, Luhmann gave the American Geophysical Union's Eugene Parker Lecture, which is presented two out of every three years to a space scientist who has made significant contributions to the fields of solar and heliospheric science.[15]

2007: Awarded the John Adam Fleming medal of the American Geophysical Union for original research and technical leadership in geomagnetism, atmospheric electricity, aeronomy, space physics, and related sciences.[12]

1998-2001: Editor in chief of Journal of Geophysical Research.[16]

1997: She was made a fellow of the American Geophysical Union.[17]

1994-1996: Appointed president of the American Geophysical Union Space Physics and Aeronomy Section.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Graduate Students Engaged: Janet Gasior, N. C. Luhmann To Wed in Spring". The Herald-News. Passaic, New Jersey. January 27, 1970. p. 16. Retrieved September 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ "Prof. Neville Clinton Luhmann Jr". Ever Loved. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  3. ^ "Janet Luhmann » Planetary Members". Space Sciences Lab. 2018-08-25. Archived from the original on 2021-12-17. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  4. ^ Luhmann, J. G.; Curtis, D. W.; Schroeder, P.; McCauley, J.; Lin, R. P.; Larson, D. E.; Bale, S. D.; Sauvaud, J.-A.; Aoustin, C.; Mewaldt, R. A.; Cummings, A. C. (April 2008). "STEREO IMPACT Investigation Goals, Measurements, and Data Products Overview". Space Science Reviews. 136 (1–4): 117–184. Bibcode:2008SSRv..136..117L. doi:10.1007/s11214-007-9170-x. ISSN 0038-6308.
  5. ^ "STEREO/IMPACT - About IMPACT".
  6. ^ Luhmann, Janet G.; Pollack, James B.; Colin, Lawrence (1994). "The Pioneer Mission to Venus". Scientific American. 270 (4): 90–97. Bibcode:1994SciAm.270d..90L. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0494-90.
  7. ^ "Janet G Luhmann - Google Scholar Citations". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  8. ^ "STEREO/IMPACT". sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  9. ^ Garner, Rob (2016-06-02). "MAVEN Team". NASA. Archived from the original on 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  10. ^ "Center for Integrated Solar Weather Modeling". sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  11. ^ Climate, Board on Atmospheric Sciences and; Resources, Commission on Geosciences, Environment and; Studies, Division on Earth and Life; Council, National Research (1998-11-05). The Atmospheric Sciences: Entering the Twenty-First Century. National Academies Press. ISBN 9780309517652.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ a b "Janet G. Luhmann". Honors Program. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  13. ^ "RAS Awards 2015RAS AWARDS". Astronomy & Geophysics. 56 (1): 1.10 – 1.11. 2015-02-01. doi:10.1093/astrogeo/atv022. ISSN 1366-8781.
  14. ^ "Space Science Award | COSPAR". Archived from the original on 2014-09-24.
  15. ^ "Eugene Parker Lecture | AGU". www.agu.org. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  16. ^ "Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics". AGU Journals. doi:10.1002/(ISSN)2169-9402. Retrieved 2019-10-09.
  17. ^ "Fellows Alphabetical List". Honors Program. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  18. ^ "Portrait of Janet Luhmann Luhmann Janet A1". www.aip.org. 2014-02-24. Retrieved 2019-10-09.