Kaj Williams, Ph.D.
Kaj Williams is a planetary and atmospheric scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 14
The effects of snow and salt on ice table stability in University Valley, Antarctica
The Antarctic Dry Valleys represent a unique environment where it is possible to study dry permafrost overlaying an ice-rich permafrost. In this paper, two opposing mechanisms for ice table stability in University Valley are addressed: i) diffusive recharge via thin seasonal snow deposits and ii) desiccation via salt deposits in the upper soil column. A high-resolution time-marching soil and snow
Authors
Kaj E. Williams, Jennifer L. Heldmann, Christopher P. McKay, Michael T. Mellon
Martian cave air-movement via Helmholtz resonance
Infrasonic resonance has previously been measured in terrestrial caves by other researchers, where Helmholtz resonance has been suggested as the plausible mechanism resulting in periodic wind reversals within cave entrances. We extend this reasoning to possible Martian caves, where we examine the characteristics of four atypical pit craters (APCs) on Tharsis, suggested as candidate cave entrance l
Authors
Kaj E. Williams, Timothy N. Titus, Chris Okubo, Glen E. Cushing
Non-USGS Publications**
Williams, Kaj, Christopher P. McKay and J.L Heldmann. (2015) Modeling the effects of Martian surface frost on ice table depth. Icarus, 261, 58-65.
Williams, Kaj and Chris McKay. (2015). Comparing flow-through and static ice cave models for Shoshone Ice Cave. International Journal of Speleology, 44: 1.
Heldmann, J. L., W. Pollard, C. P. Mckay, M. M. Marinova, A. Davila, K. E. Williams, D. Lacelle, and D. T. Andersen (2013), The high elevation Dry Valleys in Antarctica as analog sites for subsurface ice on Mars, Planetary and Space Science, 85(C), doi:10.1016/j.pss.2013.05.019.
J.L. Heldmann, M. Marinova, K.E. Williams, D. Lacelle, C.P. McKay, A. Davila, W. Pollard and D.T. Andersen (2012). Formation and evolution of buried snowpack deposits in Pearse Valley, Antarctica, and implications for Mars. Antarctic Science, 24, doi:10.1017/S0954102011000903
Williams, K. E., McKay, C. P. and Persson, F. (2012) The surface energy balance at the Huygens Landing site and the moist surface conditions on Titan. Planetary and Space Science. Vol 60, nr. 1.
Williams, K. E., Pappalardo, R. T. (2011) Variability in the Small Crater Population of Callisto. Icarus 215,1.
Williams, K.E., McKay, C. P., Toon, O.B., Head, J. W. (2010) Do Ice Caves Exist on Mars? Icarus 209,2.
Williams, K.E., Toon, O. B., Heldmann, J. L., Mellon, M. (2009) Ancient melting of mid-latitude snowpacks on Mars as a water source for gullies, Icarus, 200.
Williams, K.E., Toon, O.B., Heldmann, J.L. , McKay C.P. and Mellon, M. (2008) Stability of Mid-Latitude Snowpacks on Mars, Icarus, 196.
Williams, K. E., O. B. Toon, and J. Heldmann (2007), Modeling water ice lifetimes at recent Martian gully locations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L09204, doi:10.1029/2007GL029507.
Lai, Y.C., Lerner, D, Williams, K and Crebogi, C. (Nov. 1999) Unstable dimension variability in coupled chaotic systems. Physical Review E 60 (5): 5445-5454 : A.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 14
The effects of snow and salt on ice table stability in University Valley, Antarctica
The Antarctic Dry Valleys represent a unique environment where it is possible to study dry permafrost overlaying an ice-rich permafrost. In this paper, two opposing mechanisms for ice table stability in University Valley are addressed: i) diffusive recharge via thin seasonal snow deposits and ii) desiccation via salt deposits in the upper soil column. A high-resolution time-marching soil and snow
Authors
Kaj E. Williams, Jennifer L. Heldmann, Christopher P. McKay, Michael T. Mellon
Martian cave air-movement via Helmholtz resonance
Infrasonic resonance has previously been measured in terrestrial caves by other researchers, where Helmholtz resonance has been suggested as the plausible mechanism resulting in periodic wind reversals within cave entrances. We extend this reasoning to possible Martian caves, where we examine the characteristics of four atypical pit craters (APCs) on Tharsis, suggested as candidate cave entrance l
Authors
Kaj E. Williams, Timothy N. Titus, Chris Okubo, Glen E. Cushing
Non-USGS Publications**
Williams, Kaj, Christopher P. McKay and J.L Heldmann. (2015) Modeling the effects of Martian surface frost on ice table depth. Icarus, 261, 58-65.
Williams, Kaj and Chris McKay. (2015). Comparing flow-through and static ice cave models for Shoshone Ice Cave. International Journal of Speleology, 44: 1.
Heldmann, J. L., W. Pollard, C. P. Mckay, M. M. Marinova, A. Davila, K. E. Williams, D. Lacelle, and D. T. Andersen (2013), The high elevation Dry Valleys in Antarctica as analog sites for subsurface ice on Mars, Planetary and Space Science, 85(C), doi:10.1016/j.pss.2013.05.019.
J.L. Heldmann, M. Marinova, K.E. Williams, D. Lacelle, C.P. McKay, A. Davila, W. Pollard and D.T. Andersen (2012). Formation and evolution of buried snowpack deposits in Pearse Valley, Antarctica, and implications for Mars. Antarctic Science, 24, doi:10.1017/S0954102011000903
Williams, K. E., McKay, C. P. and Persson, F. (2012) The surface energy balance at the Huygens Landing site and the moist surface conditions on Titan. Planetary and Space Science. Vol 60, nr. 1.
Williams, K. E., Pappalardo, R. T. (2011) Variability in the Small Crater Population of Callisto. Icarus 215,1.
Williams, K.E., McKay, C. P., Toon, O.B., Head, J. W. (2010) Do Ice Caves Exist on Mars? Icarus 209,2.
Williams, K.E., Toon, O. B., Heldmann, J. L., Mellon, M. (2009) Ancient melting of mid-latitude snowpacks on Mars as a water source for gullies, Icarus, 200.
Williams, K.E., Toon, O.B., Heldmann, J.L. , McKay C.P. and Mellon, M. (2008) Stability of Mid-Latitude Snowpacks on Mars, Icarus, 196.
Williams, K. E., O. B. Toon, and J. Heldmann (2007), Modeling water ice lifetimes at recent Martian gully locations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L09204, doi:10.1029/2007GL029507.
Lai, Y.C., Lerner, D, Williams, K and Crebogi, C. (Nov. 1999) Unstable dimension variability in coupled chaotic systems. Physical Review E 60 (5): 5445-5454 : A.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.