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Aditya Khuller

Senior Research Scientist

Email

akhuller@uw.edu

Research Interests

Planetary Ices, Surface Processes, Surface–Atmosphere Processes, Radiative Transfer, Turbulence in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer, Spectroscopy, Thermophysics, Gullies, Aeolian Geomorphology, Climate evolution, Volcanism, Electric Propulsion, Remote Sensing Instrument Development

Biosketch

Dr. Khuller's research interests include studying planetary ices, surface processes and atmospheres using a combination of numerical modeling, remote sensing data (Visible/Near-infrared, Thermal Infrared, Radar, and Microwave wavelengths) and geological mapping.

Before joining APL-UW in late 2024, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he gained experience with NASA flight hardware development and testing for thermal infrared instruments, CubeSat electric propulsion, and mission operations software.

Department Affiliation

Polar Science Center

Education

B.S.E. Aerospace Engineering, Arizona State University, 2019

M.S. Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, 2021

Ph.D. Geological Sciences, Arizona State University, 2023

Publications

2000-present and while at APL-UW

Satellite-aided disaster response

Rolla, J., A. Khuller, K. An, R. Emberson, E. Fielding, L. Schultz, and K. Miner, "Satellite-aided disaster response," AGU Adv., 6, doi:10.1029/2024AV001395, 2025.

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6 Feb 2025

The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, driven by climate change and anthropogenic activities, pose unprecedented challenges to emergency response agencies worldwide. Satellite remote sensing has become a critical tool for providing timely and accurate data to aid in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. This Commentary explores the role of satellite remote sensing in managing climate-driven disasters, highlighting the use of technologies such as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for creating damage proxy maps. These maps are instrumental in assessing disaster impacts and guiding response efforts, as demonstrated by the 2023 Wildfires in Hawaii. Despite the promise of these tools, challenges remain, including the need for rapid data processing, automation in data pipelines, and robust international collaborations. The future missions composing the Earth System Observatory, including the upcoming NASA-ISRO SAR mission, represents a significant advancement with its global coverage and frequent, detailed measurements. This study emphasizes the importance of continued investment in advanced satellite technologies and international cooperation to enhance disaster response capabilities, ultimately building a more resilient global community.

Potential for photosynthesis on Mars within snow and ice

Khuller, A.R., S.G. Warren, P.R. Christensen, and G.D. Clow, "Potential for photosynthesis on Mars within snow and ice," Commun. Earth Environ., 5, doi:10.1038/s43247-024-01730-y, 2024.

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17 Oct 2024

On Earth, solar radiation can transmit down to multiple metres within ice, depending on its optical properties. Organisms within ice can harness energy from photosynthetically active radiation while being protected from damaging ultraviolet radiation. On Mars, the lack of an effective ozone shield allows ~30% more damaging ultraviolet radiation to reach the surface in comparison with Earth. However, our radiative transfer modelling shows that despite the intense surface ultraviolet radiation, there are radiatively habitable zones within exposed mid-latitude ice on Mars, at depths ranging from a few centimetres for ice with 0.01–0.1% dust, and up to a few metres within cleaner ice. Numerical models predict that dense dusty snow in the martian mid-latitudes can melt below the surface at present. Thus, if small amounts of liquid water are available at these depths, mid-latitude ice exposures could represent the most easily accessible locations to search for extant life on Mars.

Polar science results from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: Multiwavelength, multiyear insights

Landis, M.E., and 20 others including A.R. Khuller, "Polar science results from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter: Multiwavelength, multiyear insights," Icarus, 419, doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115794, 2024.

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1 Sep 2024

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), with its arrival in 2006 and nearly continuous operation since, has provided data for the study of martian polar processes spanning nine Mars years. Mars' polar deposits have long been thought to preserve records of past climates, potentially readable like terrestrial ice cores. However, unraveling millions of years of history in the ice depends on understanding Mars' current and recent-past climate, including the interactions of atmospheric and surface processes. MRO has allowed for revolutionary discoveries, long-term monitoring of ongoing processes, and multiple complementary datasets to address the question of how the polar ice deposits reflect climatological changes. In part, MRO has been able to do this from its variety of instrumentation simultaneously observing interannual changes in geomorphology of the surface in up to ~25 cm/pixel detail, repeatable processes and changes in the atmosphere, and surface composition, as well as investigating signs of past changes recorded in the icy polar layered deposits. In this paper, we summarize the contribution of MRO to our current understanding of Mars polar science, and in particular how MRO's long-duration mission has improved our understanding of the fundamental volatile cycles on Mars.

More Publications

Acoustics Air-Sea Interaction & Remote Sensing Center for Environmental & Information Systems Center for Industrial & Medical Ultrasound Electronic & Photonic Systems Ocean Engineering Ocean Physics Polar Science Center
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