Olivier Witasse

    Planetary Scientist

     

    Main Research Fields

    Planetary science, plasma physics, planetary space weather


    Keywords

    • Study of planetary upper atmospheres (Venus, Earth, Mars, Titan, ice giants)
      • Ionosphere, airglow and auroras
      • Couplings between atmospheric envelopes
      • Interaction solar wind-atmosphere
      • Planetary space weather
    • Propagation of solar wind features in the heliosphere
    • Analysis of radiation monitor data (onboard INTEGRAL, Rosetta,...)
    • Numerical modelling, data analysis, data processing techniques
    • Study of the martian moons and small bodies

    Ongoing collaborations

    • Observatoire Royal de Belgique (Bruxelles, Belgium)
    • University of Leicester (UK)

    Publications

    A selection of publications:

    Knutsen, E., Witasse, O., et al., Galactic cosmic ray modulation at Mars and beyond measured with EDACs on Mars Express and Rosetta, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 650, 2021 *Web story*

    Müller, F. Carraz, O., Visser, P., Witasse, O., Cold atom gravimetry for planetary missions, Planetary and Space Science, 194, 2020

    Honig, T., Witasse, O. et al., Multi-point galactic cosmic ray measurements between 1 and 4.5 AU over a full solar cycle, Ann. Geophys., 37, 903–918, 2019

    Sánchez–Cano, B., Witasse, O., Lester, M., Rahmati, A., Ambrosi, R., Lillis, R., et al., 2018, Energetic particle showers over Mars from comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 123, 8778– 8796

    Witasse, O., et al, Interplanetary coronal mass ejection observed at STEREO-A, Mars, comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Saturn, and New Horizons en route to Pluto: Comparison of its Forbush decreases at 1.4, 3.1, and 9.9 AU, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Volume 122, Issue 8, pp. 7865-7890, 2017 *Web story*

    Project/mission at ESA

    Past projects:

    • Cassini-Huygens
    • Venus Express
    • Chandrayaan-1
    • Mars Express
    • ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
    • Ice Giant mission concept

    Current project:

    • JUICE: JUpiter ICy moon Explorer (since January 2015)