Main Focus
- Interaction between the Sun and the planets
- Ionospheric and atmospheric physics of the terrestrial planets
- Evolution of planetary atmospheres
- Analysis of the plasma spectrometer data from the Mars Express, MAVEN, Venus Express and BepiColombo missions
- Energetic charged particle acceleration
- Science preparation for the JUICE mission to Jupiter
- Instrumentation: design and development of the PEP/JEI detector for the JUICE spacecraft
- Planetary space weather
Curriculum Vitae
Education and Employment:
Since 2001: Research Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS), Göttingen (earlier: Max Planck Institute for Aeronomy (MPAE), Katlenburg-Lindau), Germany
1995 – 2001: Research Assistant at the Astronomy Unit, Queen Mary College, University of London, UK
1991 – 1995: PhD student at the Max Planck Institute for Aeronomy, Katlenburg-Lindau & University of Braunschweig, Germany
1990 – 1990: Computer simulation of coal power station exhaust at the Federal Institute of Health in Vienna, Austria
1983 – 1989: Mag.Phil.Nat. in Theoretical Physics at the University of Vienna, Austria
1981 – 1983: B.Sc. in physics at University of Würzburg, Germany
Selected Publications:
Dubinin, E.; Fraenz, M.; Pätzold, M.; Tellmann, S.; DiBraccio, G.; McFadden, J.: The Mini Induced Magnetospheres at Mars. Geophysical Research Letters 50, p. e2022GL102324 (2023)
Dubinin, E.; Fraenz, M.; Pätzold, M.; Tellmann, S.; Modolo, R.; DiBraccio, G.; McFadden, J.; Espley, J.: Magnetic Fields and Plasma Motions in a Hybrid Martian Magnetosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics) 128, p. e2022JA030575 (2023)
de Oliveira Martins, I.; Fränz, M.; Echer, E.; Franco, A.: Advection of Martian Crustal Magnetic Fields by Ionospheric Plasma Flow Observed by the MAVEN Spacecraft. Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics) 126, p. e29242 (2021)
Maes, L.; Fränz, M.; McFadden, J. P.; Benna, M.: Escape of CO2+ and Other Heavy Minor Ions From the Ionosphere of Mars. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 126 (1), e2020JA028608 (2021)
Fan, K.; Fränz, M.;
Wei, Y.; Cui, J.; Rong, Z.; Chai, L.; Dubinin, E. M.: Deflection of
Global Ion Flow by the Martian Crustal Magnetic Fields. The
Astrophysical Journal Letters 898 (2), L54 (2020)
Links to my projects:
Heliospheric Coordinate Systems: https://www2.mps.mpg.de/homes/fraenz/systems/index.html
Cluster CIS Project: http://www2.mps.mpg.de/projects/cluster/cis/
Mars Express Aspera Project: http://www2.mps.mpg.de/en/projekte/mars-express/aspera3/
Venus Express Aspera Project: http://www2.mps.mpg.de/en/projekte/venus-express/aspera4/
BepiColombo Particle Spectrometer: http://www.mps.mpg.de/1972385/Bepi-Colombo/
JUICE PEP Particle Spectrometer: http://www.mps.mpg.de/1977178/PEP_Particle_Environmental_Package/
CCATi Analysis Software: http://www2.mps.mpg.de/projects/mars-express/aspera/ccati/
See also personal homepage: http://www.mfraenz.de/