Rob Sheldon

Space Plasma Group
NASA/MSFC/NSSTC 513 Bain Dr, Huntsville, AL 35803
320 Sparkman Dr, Huntsville AL 35805Home/Cell:256 653 8592
email:r*bs@rbsp.info email:r*bs@rbsp.info
(due to spamming, edit the address by removing the asterisk)

Recent Photos


The Universe in a Bottle



What! Am I not working hard enough?



A Wake for Lunar Prospector

Family Photos



The original church that started "A Civil Action"


The man who inspired "A Civil Action"



POLAR Data


Recent Proposals:

Recent Books:

  1. The Long Ascent: Genesis 1-11 in Science and Myth
  2. Laser Satellite Communication: The Third Generation

Recent Papers:

  1. HUBE 2017: Comets, Water and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis(Acrobat PDF)
  2. NETS 2016: A Six Component Model for Dusty Plasma Nuclear Fission Fragment Propulsion(Acrobat PDF)
  3. NETS 2016: A Gigawatt Space Power System using Dusty Plasma Fission Fragment Reactor(Acrobat PDF)
  4. SPIE 2015: Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, Comets and Life(Acrobat PDF)
  5. SPIE 2015: Arrhenius Reconsidered: Astrophysical Jets and the Spread of Spores(Acrobat PDF)
  6. SPIE 2015: The Wet Comet Model: Rosetta Redux(Acrobat PDF)
  7. NETS 2014: Dusty Plasma Fission Fragment Rocket Engine (Acrobat PDF)
  8. SPIE 2013: Comets and Entropy Hydrodynamics: How Does Evolution Violate the 2nd Law? (Acrobat PDF)
  9. NETS 2013: Dusty Plasma Fission Fragment Rocket (Acrobat PDF)
  10. SPIE 2012: Carbonaceous Chondrites as Bio-engineered Comets (Acrobat PDF)
  11. SPIE 2011: More Evidence of Liquid Water on Comets (Acrobat PDF)
  12. SPIE 2011: The Cometary Biosphere and the Origin of Life (Acrobat PDF)
  13. Chapter in Cellular Origin, Life in Extreme Habitats and Astrobiology 2011: Comets, Information, and the Origin of Life
  14. JASTP 2008: The Quadrupole as a Source of Energetic Particles III. Outer Radiation Belt and MeV electrons. (Acrobat PDF or ask for published PDF)
  15. Space Sciences, in Mass Spectrometry: Instrumentation, Interpretation, and Applications (2009): (Acrobat PDF)
  16. SPIE 2008: Cosmological Evolution: Spatial Relativity and the Speed of Life (Acrobat PDF)
  17. SPIE 2007: The Cometary Biosphere (Acrobat PDF)
  18. Physics of Plasmas 2006: On the Current Sheet Model with κ-distribution (Acrobat PDF)
  19. SPIE 2006: Water on Comets: Deep Impact, Stardust, and Hayabusa (Acrobat PDF)
  20. JGR 2005: Solid and grid sphere current collection in view of the tethered satellite system (Acrobat PDF). ( Abstract)
  21. JGR 2005: Comparison of energetic ions in cusp and outer radiation belt. ( Abstract)
  22. JGR 2005: Multiple spacecraft observations of energetic ions during a high solar wind pressure event. ( Abstract)
  23. AIAA 2005: A Dusty Plasma Based Fission Fragment Rocket (Acrobat PDF)
  24. SPIE 2005: Evidence for Liquid Water on Comets (Acrobat PDF)
  25. SPIE 2005 Historical Development of the Distinction between Bio- and Abiogenesis (Acrobat PDF)
  26. 2004 SPIE Proceedings: Astrobiology of Comets (Acrobat PDF)
  27. Accepted in AGU Monograph 2006 (Chattanooga Workshop 2004): The Quadrupole as a Source of Cusp Energetic Particles: II. The Static Equinoctal Cusp (Acrobat PDF)
  28. AGU Monograph 2005 (Lake Guntersville Workshop 2002): The Quadrupole as a Source of Cusp Energetic Particles: I. General Considerations (Acrobat PDF)
  29. NFFP 2003: Dusty Plasma Solar Sail Feasibility Study (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  30. JGR 2003: Comment on "Origins of energetic ions in the cusp" by Trattner et al. (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  31. JGR 2003: Comment on "MeV magnetosheath ions energized at the bow shock" by S.-W. Chang et al." (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  32. JGR 2003: Radiation Pressure Measurements on Micron Grains (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  33. STAIF 2002: Dynamic and Optical Characterization of Dusty Plasmas for Use as Solar Sails (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  34. POP 2001 Physics of Plasmas: The UAH Spinning Terrella Accelerator (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  35. Submitted to: JGR Special POLAR issue, On the Origin of Outer Radiation Belt Electrons (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  36. UAH Minigrant 1999: The UAH Spinning Terrella Accelerator (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF) The Website
  37. JASTP 1999 (Lake Guntersville Workshop, 1998): Tomographic ENA Imaging from Low-Earth Orbit (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
    First Draft: TENACIOUS: The Tomographic ENA Comprehensive Ion and Optical University Satellite (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  38. JGR 1999: Simulation of off-equatorial ring current ion spectra measured by POLAR for a moderate storm at solar minimum.
  39. COSPAR 1998: The Role of the Cusp as a Source of Magnetospheric Particles: A New Paradigm?
  40. COSPAR 1998: The Bimodal Magnetosphere and Radiation Belt, Ring Current and Tail Transducers (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  41. Russian Conference, 1997: Cusp energetic particle events measured by POLAR Spacecraft
  42. Radiation Belt Conference in Paros, Greece 1997: Magnetic Local Time Survey of Radiation Belt Helium Ion Structure Conducted with Data from the POLAR CAMMICE/HIT Instrument (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  43. GRL 1998: The Discovery of Trapped Energetic Electrons in the Outer Cusp (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  44. GRL 1998: Observation of 40keV Field-Aligned Subauroral Ion Beams (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF) (GRL)
  45. JGR 1998: Cusp Energetic Particle Events: Implications for a Major Acceleration Region of the Magnetosphere (PostScript)
  46. AGU 1997: Science Closure and Enabling Technologies for Constellation Class Missions, 1998. The Kilo-satellite Constellation Concept (Acrobat PDF)
  47. GRL 1997: A New Temporarily Confined Population in the Polar Cap During the August 27, 1996 Geomagnetic Field Distortion Period (PostScript)
  48. GRL 1997: Particle Transport in the Magnetosphere: A New Diffusion Model (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  49. GRL 1997: First energetic neutral atom images from Polar (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF) Correspondence
  50. COSPAR 1996: Alfven Boundaries: Noses and Zippers (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  51. WWW 1996: George Siscoe's White Paper (April 96) on Multiprobes (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  52. Huntsville 1996: A New Magnetic Storm Model (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  53. SSR 1995: The solar wind and suprathermal ion composition investigation of the WIND spacecraft (PDF)
  54. JGR 1994: On Transport and Loss in the Earth's Symmetric Quiet Ring Current: II. Diffusion and Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (Acrobat PDF)
  55. JGR 1993: Ion Transport and Loss in the Earth's Symmetric Quiet Ring Current: I. Data and Standard Model (Acrobat PDF)
  56. GRL 1993: Particle Tracing in the Magnetosphere: New Algorithms and Results (Acrobat PDF)
  57. STEP 1992: Plasmasheet Convection into the Inner Magnetosphere During Quiet Conditions (Acrobat PDF)

Unpublished Papers:

  1. The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20) DRAFT
  2. Jesus the Exegete (Mark 12:26-28) (Rough Draft)
  3. The Parables & Miracles of Jesus and His Use of Recursion (John 2:1-11)
  4. A Scientific Study of Genesis 1-2 and Surprising Support for Trichotomy: Body, Soul and Spiritual Being"
  5. "Particulates in NLC and PMSE during DROPPS 1 Flight: PID and PAT Sensors (10/2006)"
  6. "Spinning Terrella Plasma Experiment: Plasma Trapping and Transport", Physics of Plasmas 2002 (HTML)

Rejected Papers:

  1. GRL 1996: A paper rejected without rebuttal first for being "not believable".
  2. GRL 1997: A paper more properly rejected. (Kudos to GRL editor Robert Winglee for due process.)
  3. Publish & Perish: Lessons Learned.
  4. Science, 1998: Discovery of 2nd Trapping Region in Magnetosphere
  5. Nature, 2005: A July 4 prediction "Will Deep Impact Make a Splash?":
    Cover : Paper : Receipt : Reply : (Other formats)
  6. JASTP 2006,2008 "Cusp II.
    The Quadrupole as a Source of Energetic Particles: II. The Static Equinoctal Cusp
  7. PDF version Correspondence
  8. JGR 2006, "Cusp III.
    The Quadrupole as a Source of Energetic Particles: III. High Speed Solar Wind Streams and MeV electrons
  9. PDF version Correspondence

Recent Conferences Organized:

  1. 2008 Huntsville Workshop
  2. Huntsville 2000: A New View of Geospace

Recent Talks:

(PowerPoint slides)
  1. NETS 2016 Huntsville:
  2. SPIE 2015 San Diego Astrobiology section:
  3. MSFC γ-ray journal club:
  4. Huntsville RTB Chapter Meeting:
  5. NETS 2014 Slidell, LA: Dusty Plasma Fission Fragment Rocket Engine
  6. SPIE 2013 San Diego Astrobiology section: Comets and Entropy Hydrodynamics: How Does Evolution Violate the 2nd Law?
  7. NETS 2013 Albuquerque:
  8. SPIE 2012 San Diego Astrobiology section: Carbonaceous Chondrites as Bio-engineered Comets
  9. NSSTC Spring 2012:The Dynamic Quadrupole: Jars, Mars, and Stars
  10. SPIE 2011 San Diego Astrobiology section:
  11. NSSTC Spring 2010: There and Back Again: Nuclear Propulsion for a Manned Mission to Mars( PDF)
  12. SPIE 2008 San Diego Astrobiology section: Cosmological Evolution: Spatial Relativity and the Speed of Life
  13. Reasons To Believe, 2008, Huntsville: The Bible and the Evidence for Extra-Terrestrial Life (Real Media video, 16MB)
  14. SPIE 2007 San Diego Astrobiology section: The Cometary Biosphere
  15. NSSTC Spring 2007: The NanoSat Revolution
  16. NSSTC Fall 2006: Noctilucent Clouds, Polar Mesospheric Summer Echoes, and Dusty Plasmas
  17. Huntsville Workshop 10/2006: The ionospheric source of radiation belt particles
  18. SPIE 2006 San Diego Astrobiology section: Implications of Cometary Water: Deep Impact, Stardust, and Hayabusa
  19. NSSTC Summer 2006 Seminar: The 4th Law of Thermodynamics: power laws, coronal heating, reconnection & life
  20. Taylor University, Physics Dept: The Outer Van Allen Radiation Belt and the RBSP Mission
  21. NSSTC Spring 2006 Seminar: The Outer Van Allen Radiation Belt and the RBSP Mission
  22. ESSE 2006 (Earth Sun System Exploration): Solar Wind Energy Coupling Through The Cusp(Poster)
  23. SPIE 2005 San Diego Astrobiology section: Evidence for Liquid Water on Comets
  24. AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference 7/2005 Tucson: A Dusty Plasma Based Fission Fragment Nuclear Reactor/Rocket
  25. NSF/GEM 6/2005 Santa Fe:
  26. NSSTC 5/2005: Fission Fragment Nuclear Rocket
  27. APW 4/05 Huntsville: Dusty Solar Plasma Sails
  28. Chapman Conference 2/2005 Manaus (Corotating Solar Wind Streams and Recurrent Geomagnetic Activity): High Speed Streams & Earth's Quadrupole Cusp: Implications for ORBE
  29. NSSTC 10/2004: Can Comets Contain Water? A "Wet" Comet Theory
  30. Huntsville Workshop 10/2004: A High Latitude Source for -Radiation Belt Particles?
  31. ORBITALS Conference 9/2004: A High Latitude Source for Outer Radiation Belt Electrons?
  32. NSSTC 7/2004: High Resolution Mass Spectrometry in Space Exploration: Past Triumphs, Present Goals, Future Progress
  33. NSF/GEM 6/2004:
  34. RTB 4/2004 Huntsville: Augustine & 20th Century Cosmology
  35. NSSTC 3/2004: The Quadrupole Cusp: A Universal Accelerator (HTML)
  36. NSSTC 10/2003: Magnetized Laboratory Plasmas and Astrophysical Jets (HTML)
  37. NFFP 8/2003 Huntsville: Dusty Plasma Solar Sails (HTML) (Paper)
  38. IPELS 6/2003 Montana: Magnetically Inhomogeneous Plasmas & Space Charge (HTML)
  39. Wheaton College Science Symposium 3/2003: Augustine and 20th Century Cosmology (HTML)
  40. Wheaton College Seminar 2/2003: Rockets, Stars and Jars (HTML)
  41. Wheaton College Science Division Seminar 11/2002: Physics Nobel Prize 2002: Riccardo Giacconi (HTML)
  42. COSPAR 10/2002:
  43. Wheaton College Science Division Seminar 10/2002: Augustine and 20th Century Physics (PostScript) (Acrobat PDF)
  44. MOP 8/2002: Electrostatic trapping of 3u SiO2 dust around a dipole magnet (Postscript) (PDF) (HTML)
  45. AGU Spring 02:
  46. STAIF 02 (Space Technologies and Applications International Forum): Characterization of Dusty Plasmas for Solar Sails (HTML)
  47. AGU Fall 01:
  48. AGU Spring 01:
  49. NSSTC April 12, 2001 (Astrophysical Jets Mini-Symposium): The Spinning Magnet Accelerator (HTML)
  50. APW Spring 01 (Advanced Propulsion Workshop): Can Ultralight Sails be Made from Dust? (HTML)
  51. AGU 2000 Spring/Fall: The UAH Spinning Terrella Accelerator
  52. Huntsville 2000 : Ionospheric Sources of Stormtime RC and Plasmasheet Populations (HTML version)
  53. UAH Fall 00 Colloquium/PH110: Magnetic Ballooning Through the Solar System (HTML)
  54. Chapman Conference 2000: The Prediction of MeV Killer Electrons at GEO
  55. AGU Spring 00: Cusp Diamagnetic Cavities (HTML)
  56. MSFC Spring 00: Cusp Diamagnetic Cavities and Space Lightning (HTML)
  57. CCA FALL 99: COMETS:Past and Future
  58. UAH Fall 99: A History of Space Physics: PHYSICS 110, November 3, 1999 ( HTML )
  59. AGU Fall 99 Meeting:
  60. UAH SEDS 99: The Future in Space: the Promise of Nanosats
  61. Yellowstone 99: Transport in the Magnetosphere Charged Fluid Transport in the Magnetosphere ( HTML)
  62. AGU Spring 99: Composition and Acceleration Processes of Magnetic Storms
  63. UAH Advanced Propulsion Workshop, April 99: Solar Sails with Tether Propulsion
  64. MSFC Mar 99: The Nano-Satellite Kilo-Constellation
  65. SEC Mar 99: Nanosat Magnetometry (PDF)
  66. AGU Fall 98:The Quasi-Neutrality Catastrophe: kV Field-Aligned Potentials
  67. UAH Fall 98 Colloquium: Space Plasma Accelerators: Cosmic CERNs and SLACs
  68. Lake Guntersville 98:TENACIOUS: The Tomographic ENA Comprehensive Ion and Optical University Satellite
  69. COSPAR 98 Meeting: The Bimodal Magnetosphere
  70. AGU Spring 98: The Bimodal Magnetosphere: RC vs MeV Storms
  71. UAH Spring 98 Colloquium :Two Storm Accelerators
  72. GSFC Spring 98 SEC WORKSHOP : Stochastic Acceleration
  73. AGU Fall 97 Meeting: The Difference between Storms and Substorms
  74. IAGA/GEM 97:
  75. AGU Spring 97:
  76. Dartmouth College Seminar (Feb 97)
  77. BU Spring 97 Seminar
  78. AGU Fall 96 Meeting:
  79. Guntersville Meeting (Sep 96)
  80. COSPAR 96:A New Storm Model
  81. AGU Spring 96 Meeting:
  82. Older Posters

Recent Courses Taught


A not so recent geomagnetic storm:

April 10-11, 1997

Recent Bible Studies



Recent Book/Article Reviews



Other Links

Westminster Seminary : A Blog Attempt : Wheaton College : Taylor University" : UAH CSPAR : Huntsville Workshop: MSFC Space Plasma Branch : CAMMICE Data : CCR Homepage : : UniBern stuff : Soli Deo Gloria Curricula

Caretaker and author of this page: r*bs@rbsp.info
(due to spamming, edit out the asterisk)