Thomas J. Ahrens
Thomas J. Ahrens | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 25, 1936 Frankfurt, Germany |
| Died | November 24, 2010 (aged 74) Pasadena, California |
| Alma mater | MIT, Caltech, Rensselaer |
| Known for | Studies of terrestrial planets, impact processes on planetary surfaces |
| Awards | Newcomb Cleveland Prize, Harry H. Hess Award |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Geophysics |
| Institutions | Caltech |
| Doctoral students | Rex Gibbons, Raymond Jeanloz |
Thomas Julian Ahrens (April 25, 1936 – November 24, 2010) was an American geophysicist and professor at the Caltech. His research focused on the study of terrestrial planets and the impact processes on their surfaces. Through his contributions to research on topics including dynamic loading, structural changes to molten silicates, and shock wave temperature measurement methods, his work contributed to understanding of the origin and evolution of Mars, the Moon, Jupiter, Venus, and Earth.