LabCompass

R. C. Wiens

Physics and Astronomy · Purdue University West Lafayette

OpenAlex ORCID
Established · publishing since 1975
Planetary Science and ExplorationAstro and Planetary ScienceSpace Exploration and TechnologyLaser-induced spectroscopy and plasmaGeology and Paleoclimatology Research

Publications

1,193

Citations

25,799

Est. group size

~9

Recurring co-author estimate

Active years

52

Publishing since 1975

Research summary
AI-generated

R. C. Wiens studies the geology and chemistry of Mars, using instruments aboard NASA rovers to analyze rocks, dust, gases, and atmospheric phenomena on the planet's surface. Much of the work centers on laser-based chemical analysis tools (like ChemCam and SuperCam) that identify the composition of Martian rocks and soils, as well as broader questions about Mars's atmosphere, past water activity, and potential for organic material. This research is closely tied to the Perseverance and Curiosity rover missions in Jezero Crater and Gale Crater.

Mars surface geology and mineralogyLaser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) instrumentationPlanetary atmospheres and weather (dust, methane, aurora)Astrobiology and search for organics/carbonates on MarsRover mission science (ChemCam, SuperCam)

Publication output was relatively steady at 60-90 papers per year from 2017-2022 but has declined noticeably since 2023, with lower counts in 2024-2025 (partial-year data for 2025-2026 likely undercounts recent output).

Generated by claude-sonnet-5 from public bibliographic data · Jul 20, 2026

Publication cadence
Publications per year over the last 10 years — averaging 49.6/year recently
2017: 79 publications172018: 74 publications182019: 80 publications192020: 85 publications202021: 87 publications87212022: 80 publications222023: 61 publications232024: 66 publications242025: 37 publications252026: 4 publications26
Recent publications
Publishes in
  • HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe)×123
  • Lunar and Planetary Science Conference×97
  • Journal of Geophysical Research Planets×57
  • LPI×32
  • AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts×27
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This profile was generated automatically from public scholarly data (OpenAlex). Group size and activity levels are estimates derived from co-authorship patterns.

Last updated Jul 20, 2026.

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