My research spans the solar system trying to use simple models to get the most physical insight out of the data we have. I try to understand the big picture of how worlds form, what makes them distinct, and what has guided their evolution.
Currently I am mostly focused on the small worlds of the solar system. How did the Kuiper belt objects form and what are their interiors like? Why do Jupiter's large satellites have such a large range in compositions? What can we learn about 16 Psyche from thermal data?
Explaining the Galilean Satellites’ Density Gradient by Hydrodynamic Escape Carver J. Bierson and Francis Nimmo (2020) The Astrophysical Journal Letters, DOI:10.3847/2041-8213/aba11a
Evidence for a hot start and early ocean formation on Pluto Carver J. Bierson, Francis Nimmo, S. Alan Stern (2020) Nature Geoscience, DOI:10.1038/s41561-020-0595-0
Chemical cycling in the Venusian atmosphere: A full photochemical model from the surface to 110 km Carver J. Bierson, Xi Zhang (2020) JGR:Planets, DOI:10.1029/2019JE006159
Using the density of Kuiper Belt Objects to constrain their composition and formation history Carver J. Bierson, Francis Nimmo (2019) Icarus, DOI:10.1016/j.icarus.2019.01.027
Implications of the observed Pluto–Charon density contrast Bierson, C. J. Nimmo, F. McKinnon, W. B. (2018) Icarus, DOI:10.1016/j.icarus.2018.03.007
Interactions between complex craters and the lunar crust: Analysis using GRAIL data CJ Bierson, Roger J Phillips, Francis Nimmo, Jonathan Besserer, Colleen Milbury, James T Keane, Jason M Soderblom, Maria T Zuber (2016) Icarus, DOI:10.1002/2016JE005090
A test for Io's magma ocean: Modeling tidal dissipation with a partially molten mantle CJ Bierson, F Nimmo (2016) Icarus, DOI:10.1002/2016JE005005
Stratigraphy and evolution of the buried CO2 deposit in the Martian south polar cap CJ Bierson, RJ Phillips, IB Smith, SE Wood, NE Putzig, D Nunes, S Byrne (2016) Icarus, DOI:10.1002/2016GL068457