Brandon Johnson

Professor

bcjohnson@purdue.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Associated website(s):
Geology & Geophysics , Planetary Sciences

Education

2013 PhD, Physics, Purdue University
2009 BS, Physics, Michigan Technological University

Research Interests

My work is focused mainly on impact cratering, which is arguably the most pervasive geologic process in the solar system. The importance of impact cratering in the solar system is difficult to overstate. Planets, moons, and asteroids are built through a series of mergers and collisions. After planets and moons have accreted subsequent impacts dominate the early evolution of planetary surfaces. Although I am primarily focused on impact cratering and impact processes, my research and teaching also includes interest in the geophysics of planets and the various processes that modify planetary surfaces. In addition to impact cratering and impact processes, I am interested in the reduction of friction during long run-out landslides and earthquakes; the early solar system and meteorites; the breakup of comets; crater erasure; and understanding the lunar gravity field.

Selected Honors

2018 Ronald Greeley Early Career Award in Planetary Science, AGU
2013 Lark-Horovitz Award, for outstanding research in physics, Purdue University
2012 Nininger Meteorite Award, Center for Meteorite Studies, Arizona State University

Publications

Wiggins, S. E., C. Johnson , T. J. Bowling, H. J. Melosh, E. A. Silber. Impact Fragmentation and the Development of the Deep Lunar Megaregolith. J. Geophys. Res. Planets 124, 941–957 (2019).
Johnson, B. C. , J. C. Andrews-Hanna, G. S. Collins, A. M. Freed, H. J. Melosh, M. T. Zuber. Controls on the formation of lunar multiring basins. Geophys. Res. Planets 123, 3035–3050 (2018).
Johnson, B. C. , S. Campbell. Drop height and volume control the mobility of long runout landslides on the Earth and Mars. Geophys. Res. Lett. 44, 12091–12097 (2017).
Johnson, B. C. , K. J. Walsh, D. A. Minton, A. N. Krot, H. F. Levison. Timing of the formation and migration of giant planets as constrained by CB chondrites. Science Advances 2, e1601658 (2016).
Johnson, B. C. , D. M. Blair, G. S. Collins, H. J. Melosh, A. M. Freed, G. J. Taylor, J. W. Head, M. A. Wieczorek, J. C. Andrews-Hanna, F. Nimmo, J. T. Keane, K. Miljković, J. M. Soderblom, M. T. Zuber. Formation of the Orientale Lunar Multiring Basin. Science 354, 441–444 (2016).
Johnson, B. C. , T. J. Bowling, A. J. Trowbridge, A. M. Freed. Formation of the Sputnik Planum basin and the thickness of Pluto’s subsurface ocean. Res. Lett. 43, 10068–10077 (2016).
Johnson, B. C. , S. Campbell, H. J. Melosh . The reduction of friction in long runout landslides as an emergent phenomenon. J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf. 121, 881–889 (2016).
Johnson, B. C. , D. A. Minton, H. J. Melosh, M.T. Zuber . Impact jetting as the origin of chondrules. Nature 517, 339–341 (2015).
Freed, A. M., C. Johnson , D. M. Blair, H. J. Melosh, G. A. Neumann, R. J. Phillips, S. C. Solomon, M. A. Wieczorek, M. T. Zuber. The Formation of Lunar Mascon Basins from Impact to Contemporary Form J. Geophys. Res. Planets 119, JE004657 (2014).
Johnson, B. C. , T. J. Bowling, H. J. Melosh. Jetting during vertical impacts of spherical projectiles. Icarus 238, 13–22 (2014).
Johnson, B. C. , H. J. Formation of melt droplets, melt fragments, and accretionary impact lapilli during a hypervelocity impact. Icarus 228, 347–363 (2014).
Melosh, H. J., A. M. Freed, C. Johnson, D. M. Blair, J. C. Andrews-Hanna, G. A. Neumann, R. J. Phillips, D. E. Smith, S. C. Solomon, M. A. Wieczorek, M. T. Zuber . The Origin of Lunar Mascon Basins. Science 340, 1552–1555 (2013).
Johnson, B. C. , H. J. Melosh. Impact spherules as a record of an ancient heavy bombardment of Earth. Nature 485, 75–77 (2012).
Johnson, B. C. , H. J. Melosh. Formation of spherules in impact produced vapor plumes. Icarus 217, 416–430 (2012).