Planetary Science

MGS

1,509 tracked publications and 81,654 citations from 1998–2026. Mars Global Surveyor. Launched 1996. Life-cycle cost: $550M in 2025 dollars. Active Mission Window April 1, 1999 to December 1, 2008: 821 publications, 69 top-10% credit.

Orbiter · h-index 134 · 204 papers with 100+ citations · prime mission ended 2001

Lifetime

Scope Papers published from the first full month after science operations begin through 2 years after the mission ends. Citations are counted through the third calendar year after each paper appears. Methods Papers published from the first full month after science operations begin through 2 years after the prime mission ends. Citations are counted through the third calendar year after each paper appears. Methods Every tracked publication to date, with every citation to date. Methods

Key measures

Active Mission Window · papers April 1, 1999 to December 1, 2008
Tracked publicationsTracked publications: peer-reviewed research papers we found for the mission. The list may not be complete. Methods821
CitationsCitations received by the tracked publications in the selected scope. The two windowed scopes count each paper’s citations only within its citation window. Methods11,938
Mean citations per publicationMean citations: total citations divided by tracked publications in the selected scope. One blockbuster paper can lift it. Methods15
Median citations per publicationMedian citations: the middle paper’s citation count in the selected scope; half the papers have more, half fewer. A single blockbuster sways it less than the mean. Methods9
Uncited publicationsUncited publications: papers with no citations in the selected scope. Methods49 (6.0%)
Top-10% creditTop 10%: among the 10% most-cited papers from this division’s missions, ranked against papers published around the same time. A paper naming several missions is split evenly among the missions in this division that claim it, so counts can be fractional. Methods69 · 6.3% of division
Top-1% creditTop 1%: among the 1% most-cited papers from this division’s missions within the selected window. Not adjusted for publication year. A paper naming several missions is split evenly among the missions in this division that claim it, so counts can be fractional. Methods10 · 9.2% of division
Lifetime indices · every tracked publication to date, in any scope
h-indexh-index: the largest h such that h papers have at least h citations each. It only grows with time, so older missions score higher. Methods134
g-indexg-index: the largest g for which the g most-cited papers together hold at least g² citations. Like the h-index, but it lets the most-cited papers count for more. Methods211
m-index, as of October 4, 2026m-index: a mission’s h-index divided by the years since its first peer-reviewed paper. It falls every 1 January even when nothing else changes, so it belongs to the date shown; it also discounts the long operating life that larger missions paid for. Methods4.6
toritori (total research impact, from ADS): for every paper citing one of the mission’s papers, 1 divided by the citing paper’s reference count times the cited paper’s author count, summed, with self-citations removed. It favors citations from papers with short reference lists and from outside the mission’s own authors. Computed over the tracked citation graph, which can be slightly incomplete. Methods695
riqriq (research impact quotient): 1,000 times the square root of tori, divided by the years since the mission’s first paper. A rate, not a total, so it does not keep growing with age the way the h-index and tori do. Methods909

Tracked publications

  1. Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: Experiment summary after the first year of global mapping of Mars

    Smith, David E., 2001, JGR

    1,306 citations

  2. Global Distribution of Crustal Magnetization Discovered by the Mars Global Surveyor MAG/ER Experiment

    Acuna, M. H., 1999, Sci

    957 citations

  3. Evidence for Recent Groundwater Seepage and Surface Runoff on Mars

    Malin, Michael C., 2000, Sci

    932 citations

  4. Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer experiment: Investigation description and surface science results

    Christensen, P. R., 2001, JGR

    827 citations

  5. The Global Topography of Mars and Implications for Surface Evolution

    Smith, David E., 1999, Sci

    771 citations

  6. Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Camera: Interplanetary cruise through primary mission

    Malin, Michael C., 2001, JGR

    735 citations

  7. Interannual variability in TES atmospheric observations of Mars during 1999-2003

    Smith, Michael D., 2004, Icar

    686 citations

  8. Magnetic Field and Plasma Observations at Mars: Initial Results of the Mars Global Surveyor Mission

    Acuna, M. H., 1998, Sci

    684 citations

  9. A Global View of Martian Surface Compositions from MGS-TES

    Bandfield, Joshua L., 2000, Sci

    670 citations

  10. Internal Structure and Early Thermal Evolution of Mars from Mars Global Surveyor Topography and Gravity

    Zuber, Maria T., 2000, Sci

    508 citations

  11. High-Resolution Thermal Inertia Mapping from the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer

    Mellon, Michael T., 2000, Icar

    471 citations

  12. Water and the martian landscape

    Baker, Victor R., 2001, Natur

    464 citations

  13. Detection of crystalline hematite mineralization on Mars by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer: Evidence for near-surface water

    Christensen, P. R., 2000, JGR

    450 citations

  14. Magnetic Lineations in the Ancient Crust of Mars

    Connerney, J. E. P., 1999, Sci

    425 citations

  15. Eight-year climatology of dust optical depth on Mars

    Montabone, L., 2015, Icar

    422 citations

  16. A synthesis of Martian aqueous mineralogy after 1 Mars year of observations from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

    Murchie, Scott L., 2009, JGRE

    413 citations

  17. Ages and Geologic Histories of Martian Meteorites

    Nyquist, L. E., 2001, SSRv

    407 citations

  18. The case for rainfall on a warm, wet early Mars

    Craddock, Robert A., 2002, JGRE

    405 citations

  19. Evidence for Persistent Flow and Aqueous Sedimentation on Early Mars

    Malin, Michael C., 2003, Sci

    405 citations

  20. Present-Day Impact Cratering Rate and Contemporary Gully Activity on Mars

    Malin, Michael C., 2006, Sci

    394 citations

How we found these papers

We searched NASA’s Astrophysics Data System (ADS) for peer-reviewed articles naming MGS in the title, abstract or keywords; standard filters drop articles that are not peer-reviewed and magazine pieces. SciX is ADS’s current interface.

((=abs:"Mars Global Surveyor" OR (abs:MGS AND abs:Mars) OR ((=abs:Mars OR =abs:Martian) AND (abs:MOLA OR =abs:"Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter" OR abs:MOC OR =abs:"Mars Orbiter Camera" OR ((abs:TES OR =abs:"Thermal Emission Spectrometer") NOT (abs:"Mini-TES" OR =abs:"Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer"))))) NOT (=abs:simulant OR =abs:simulants OR =abs:"thermal energy storage")) AND property:refereed AND doctype:article AND pubdate:[1999-04 TO 2040-01] AND NOT bibstem:("A&R" OR "AIASJ" OR "AeAm" OR "AirSp" OR "AsNow" OR "AsUAI" OR "AvWST" OR "C&E" OR "C&T" OR "CAPJ" OR "E&S" OR "ENews" OR "IrAJ" OR "JCos" OR "JRASC" OR "LAstr" OR "MNSSA" OR "Met" OR "NewSc" OR "Orion" OR "PhT" OR "PhTea" OR "PhuZ" OR "PhyOJ" OR "PhyW" OR "PlR" OR "SciAm" OR "SpFl" OR "ZemVs")

Open in SciX

Added after review (32)

  1. Physical properties of the Mars Exploration Rover landing sites as inferred from Mini-TES-derived thermal inertia Compares rover thermal inertia measurements against MGS TES orbital data. Decision 🤖
  2. Dust coatings on basaltic rocks and implications for thermal infrared spectroscopy of Mars Applies laboratory dust-coating spectra to MGS TES observations of Mars. Decision 🤖
  3. Infrared stealthy surfaces: Why TES and THEMIS may miss some substantial mineral deposits on Mars and implications for remote sensing of planetary surfaces Tests the mineral detection limits of the MGS Thermal Emission Spectrometer. Decision 🤖
  4. Accuracy of plagioclase compositions from laboratory and Mars spacecraft thermal emission spectra Assesses plagioclase compositions retrievable from MGS TES and other thermal spectra. Decision 🤖
  5. The Global Topography of Mars and Implications for Surface Evolution Global topography of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter. Decision 🤖
  6. Magnetic Lineations in the Ancient Crust of Mars Crustal magnetic lineations mapped by the MGS magnetometer. Decision 🤖
  7. Initial results from radio occultation measurements with Mars Global Surveyor Initial radio occultation results from Mars Global Surveyor. Decision 🤖
  8. Stratigraphy in the Mawrth Vallis region through OMEGA, HRSC color imagery and DTM Mawrth Vallis stratigraphy using Mars Orbiter Camera and other orbital images. Decision 🤖
  9. An Optimised System for Generating Multi-Resolution Dtms Using NASA Mro Datasets Mars terrain-model pipeline referenced to MOLA topography. Decision 🤖
  10. Dark slope streaks on Mars: Are aqueous processes involved? Studies Martian slope streaks using MGS camera and altimeter data. Decision 🤖
  11. Special Feature: Use of spacecraft data to derive regions on Mars where liquid water would be stable Maps where liquid water could be stable on Mars using MOLA topography. Decision 🤖
  12. Acheron Fossae, Mars: Tectonic rifting, volcanism, and implications for lithospheric thickness Acheron Fossae tectonics from Mars Global Surveyor and Mars Express data. Decision 🤖
  13. Magnetic Field and Plasma Observations at Mars: Initial Results of the Mars Global Surveyor Mission Initial magnetic field and plasma results from Mars Global Surveyor. Decision 🤖
  14. The Structure of the Upper Atmosphere of Mars: In Situ Accelerometer Measurements from Mars Global Surveyor Upper atmosphere structure from MGS accelerometer measurements during aerobraking. Decision 🤖
  15. Early Views of the Martian Surface from the Mars Orbiter Camera of Mars Global Surveyor Early images of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Camera. Decision 🤖
  16. Topography of the Northern Hemisphere of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter Northern hemisphere topography from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter. Decision 🤖
  17. Observations of the North Polar Region of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter North polar region observations from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter. Decision 🤖
  18. Results from the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer First results from the MGS Thermal Emission Spectrometer. Decision 🤖
  19. Evidence for recent volcanism on Mars from crater counts Evidence for recent Martian volcanism from crater counts on MGS images. Decision 🤖
  20. Martian cratering VI. Crater count isochrons and evidence for recent volcanism from Mars Global Surveyor Crater-count ages and young volcanism from Mars Global Surveyor images. Decision 🤖
  21. Shape of the northern hemisphere of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) Shape of Mars's northern hemisphere from early MOLA profiles. Decision 🤖
  22. The relationship between MOLA northern hemisphere topography and the 6.1-Mbar atmospheric pressure surface of Mars Compares MOLA topography with the Martian 6.1-mbar pressure surface. Decision 🤖
  23. Oceans in the past history of Mars: Tests for their presence using Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data Tests for ancient Martian oceans using MOLA data. Decision 🤖
  24. Geometric properties of Martian impact craters: Preliminary results from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter Martian impact crater geometry from early MOLA data. Decision 🤖
  25. The MOLA Topographic signature at the crustal dichotomy boundary zone on Mars MOLA topography of the Martian crustal dichotomy boundary. Decision 🤖
  26. Mars: Northern hemisphere slopes and slope distributions Northern hemisphere slope distributions from MOLA profiles. Decision 🤖
  27. Opacity of the Martian atmosphere from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) observations Martian atmospheric opacity from MOLA observations. Decision 🤖
  28. Vertical roughness of Mars from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter Martian surface roughness from MOLA pulse widths. Decision 🤖
  29. MGS magnetic fields and electron reflectometer investigation: discovery of paleomagnetic fields due to crustal remanence MGS magnetometer results, including the discovery of crustal magnetic fields. Decision 🤖
  30. Mars global surveyor aerobraking : atmospheric trends and model interpretation Martian upper-atmosphere trends from MGS aerobraking measurements. Decision 🤖
  31. Radio wave phase scintillation and precision Doppler tracking of spacecraft Radio scintillation statistics from Doppler tracking of Mars Global Surveyor and other spacecraft. Decision 🤖
  32. Surface Material and Landscape Characteristics at the Mars Polar Lander Landing Site: A Consideration and Prediction Mars Polar Lander site characteristics from Mars Orbiter Camera images. Decision 🤖

Removed after review (14)

  1. Introduction to the special section: The Mars Global Surveyor mission Editorial introduction to a journal special section; not a research paper. Decision 🤖
  2. The high-resolution stereo camera (HRSC) experiment on Mars Express: Instrument aspects and experiment conduct from interplanetary cruise through the nominal mission Describes the HRSC camera on Mars Express; not an MGS paper. Decision 🤖
  3. Climate, weather, and north polar observations from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Color Imager Overview of MRO's Mars Color Imager; mentions MGS only as an earlier record. Decision 🤖
  4. Systematic isotopic marking of polymeric components for in-situ space missions Contamination-control study; MOC here means molecular organic contamination. Decision 🤖
  5. The NetLander atmospheric instrument system (ATMIS): description and performance assessment Describes a NetLander weather instrument; mentions MGS only as background. Decision 🤖
  6. NASA's New Mars Exploration Program: The Trajectory of Knowledge Overview of NASA's Mars Exploration Program plans; reports no MGS results. Decision 🤖
  7. Miniature thermal emission spectrometer for the Mars Exploration Rover Describes the Mars rover Mini-TES instrument; mentions MGS TES only as heritage. Decision 🤖
  8. A Low-Pressure, N2/CO2 Atmosphere Is Suitable for Cyanobacterium-Based Life-Support Systems on Mars Microbiology study; MGS-1 here is a Mars regolith simulant. Decision 🤖
  9. Surviving Mars: new insights into the persistence of facultative anaerobic microbes from analogue sites Microbe survival study; MGS-1S here is a Mars regolith simulant. Decision 🤖
  10. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) for the Mars 2001 Odyssey Mission wrong_mission: The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) instrument paper for Mars Odyssey; matched through the TES acronym, no MGS result. Decision 👨
  11. Context Camera Investigation on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter wrong_mission: Context Camera (CTX) investigation paper for Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter; MOC named only as heritage, no MGS result. Decision 👨
  12. Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Radio Science Gravity Investigation wrong_mission: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter radio science gravity investigation description; MGS named only as prior gravity heritage. Decision 👨
  13. Mars Exploration Rover Navigation Camera in-flight calibration calibration: Mars Exploration Rover Navigation Camera in-flight calibration; no MGS instrument or data. Decision 👨
  14. 2005PhDT........14L wrong_mission: Thesis on scattered-light remediation for the NEAR Shoemaker MSI imager applied to Martian debris aprons; no MGS instrument named. Decision 👨