Maia Julia

PhD student

 Équipe Théorie et Observations en Planetologie (TOP) - Laboratoire Lagrange

office : Pavillon Henri Chrétien (PHC-S 3) 
adress : Boulevard de l'Observatoire, CS 34229, 06304 Nice Cedex 4

  phone :  +33 4 92 00 30 43
  email : julia.maia (at) oca.eu
  web : https://lagrange.oca.eu/fr/julia-maia

 Research interests

My main research interest is planetary geophysics, focusing on investigating the interior structure of rocky bodies of the Solar System, as terrestrial planets, moons and asteroids.

Since October 2020, I am a PhD candidate working with Mark Wieczorek. My work involves using gravity and topography data from the Magellan mission (1990-1994) to investigate the compensation mechanisms and interior structure of various regions on Venus. This study can help us better understand the thermal and geologic evolution of the planet and why Venus and the Earth have gone through so distinct evolutionary paths given their many similarities. I am also a collaborator in the InSight mission from NASA.

 Publications

Maia, J. S., Wieczorek, M. A. & Plesa, A.-C. (2023). The Mantle Viscosity Structure of Venus. Geophysical Research Letters, 50, e2023GL103847. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL103847

Maia, J. S. & Wieczorek, M. A. (2022). Lithospheric structure of Venusian crustal plateaus. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 127, e2021JE007004. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JE007004

Conference abstracts

Maia, J.S. and Wieczorek, M.A. (2022). Towards new insights of Venus mantle viscosity structure. European Planetary Science Congress.

Maia, J.S. and Wieczorek, M.A. (2022). Atla Regio Revisited: Insights on the Lithospheric Structure of Volcanic Rises on Venus. 53rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.

Maia, J.S. and Wieczorek, M.A. (2021). Crustal Thickness of Venusian Crustal Plateaus. 52nd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.