Dr. Petr Brož (1984) has been a researcher at the Institute of Geophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences since 2010, focusing on volcanism across the Solar System. His primary research interests include kilometre-scale cones formed by explosive volcanic activity—driven by magma degassing or water–magma interactions—on Mars, as well as features produced by sedimentary volcanism. His work combines remote-sensing analyses of volcanic morphology and morphometry with analogue and numerical modelling approaches.
He earned his Ph.D. degree in 2015 from the Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, and completed research internships at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Open University (UK).
Dr. Brož has received numerous awards for his scientific excellence and outreach efforts. He is a laureate of the Nadání Josefa, Marie a Zdenky Hlávkových Prize for talented young researchers of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Otto Wichterle Award, recognizing outstanding early-career scientists for significant contributions to scientific knowledge. In 2025, he was honored by the Czech Association of Geomorphologists for his long-term and exceptional contributions to the popularization of geosciences. Together with Dr. Matěj Machek, he also received the SCIAP 2016 Award for creating an innovative outreach model illustrating plate tectonics.
Beyond research, Dr. Brož is deeply engaged in science communication, giving public lectures and writing extensively to promote geoscience and planetary exploration. He is the author of the popular educational book series Vesmírníček 1 and 2 and Geostorky 1 and 2, which together have sold more than 40,000 copies.
Mgr. Petr Brož, Ph.D.
researcher
Surface Processes & Palaeoclimate
petr.broz@ig.cas.cz
+420 267 103 063
office 214
ORCID
Selected peer-reviewed publications
- Fenske, C., Brož, P., & Mazzini, A. (12/2025). Mud Volcano Dynamics in Azerbaijan: The Overlooked Role of Creeping Mud Flows in Landscape Evolution. Submitted into Geomorphology.
- Patočka, V., Brož, P., Chan, K., Sindhu, P. B., Fox-Powell, M., Sylvest, M., Emerland, Z., & Patel, M. R. (12/2025). Layered bubble-rich structures on icy worlds: Experiments with large volumes of low-salinity water in near-vacuum environment. Submitted into Nature Geoscience.
- Mazzini, A., Brož, P., Lupi, M., Břežný, M., Jodry, C., Sfalcin, J., Fenske, C., Morelli, G., Fischanger, F., Huseynova, A. K., & Huseynov, A. (under review, 12/2025). Mud volcanism and creepy mud flows: A new model. Submitted into Geology.
- Krýza, O., Brož, P., Pěnkavová, V., Zedníková, M., Havlica, J., Sylvest, M., Emerland, Z., & Patel, M. (under review, 11/2025). Effect of unstable water flow on grain transport: Insights from laboratory experiments under reduced atmospheric pressure. Submitted into Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.
- Adler, J., Rivera-Hernández, F., Thompson, S., Brož, P., Sylvest, M., Emerland, Z., Patel, M., and Fox-Powell, M. (2025). Microclimate Governs the Morphology of Sediment Flows on Mars. Nature Communications Earth & Environment 6, 841, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02879-w.
- Brož, P., Patočka, V., Butcher, F., Sylvest, M., Patel, M. (2025). The complexity of water freezing under reduced atmospheric pressure. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 668, 119531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2025.119531.
- Krýza, O., Brož, P., Fox-Powell, M., Pěnkavová, V., Conway, S., Mazzini, A., Hauber, E., Sylvest, M., Patel, M., (2025), Small amounts of dissolved salts increase the mobility of mud flows on Mars and other extraterrestrial bodies, Communications Earth and Environment 6, 116, doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02110-w (preprint).
- Brož, P., Poppe, S., Sofge, K., Stárek, M., Gomes, R., Boháček, P. et al., (2025), LUnar Geology Orbiter concept to study lunar Irregular Mare patches and lava tubes from orbit, Acta Astronautica, 10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.04.066.
- Heritai, H., and P. Brož (2025), Clusters of Irregular Patches on the Moon: A New GIS-Based Catalog, Icarus 116439.
- Pieterek, B., Brož, P., Hauber, E., (2024), Recent faulting at the Claritas Rupes scarp on Mars, Icarus (10.1016/j.icarus.2024.116198).
- Brož, P., Krýza, O., Patočka, V., Pěnkavová, V., Conway, S. J., Mazzini, A., Hauber, E., Sylvest, M. E., Patel, M., (2023), Volumetric changes of mud on Mars: evidence from laboratory simulations, JGR-Planets 128, e2023JE007950, 10.1029/2023JE007950 (pre-print; final PDF).
- Pieterek, B., Brož, P., Hauber, E., Stephan, K., (2023), Insight from the Noachian-aged fractured crust to the volcanic evolution of Mars: a case study from the Thaumasia graben and Claritas Fossaem, Icarus, 407, 115770, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2023.115770.
- Brož. P., D. Oehler, A. Mazzini, E. Hauber, G. Komatsu, G. Etiope and V. Cuřín, (v recenzi, ESurf, 12/22), An overview of sedimentary volcanism on Mars, vol. 11, issue 4, 633-661 (open access).
- Cuřín, V., P. Brož, E. Hauber, Y. Markonis, (2022), Mud flows in the Southwestern Utopia Planitia, Mars, Icarus, doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115266.
- Brož, P., E. Hauber, S.J. Conway, E. Luzzi, A. Mazzini, A. Noblet, J. Jaroš, P. Fawdon (2022), New evidence for sedimentary volcanism on Chryse Planitia, Mars, Icarus, 382, doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115038.
- Brož, P., H. Bernhardt, S. J. Conway, R. Parekh, (2021). An overview of explosive volcanism on Mars. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, doi: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2020.107125.
- Brož, P., O. Krýza, S. J. Conway, N. T. Mueller, E. Hauber, A. Mazzini, J. Raack, M. R. Patel, M. R. Balme, M. E. Sylvest (2020). Mud Flow Levitation on Mars: Insights from Laboratory Simulations. EPSL 545, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116406.
- Brož, P., O. Krýza, L. Wilson, S. J. Conway, E. Hauber, A. Mazzini, J. Raack, M. R. Patel, M. R. Balme, M. E. Sylvest (2020). Experimental evidence for lava-like mud flows under Martian surface conditions. Nature Geoscience, doi: 10.1038/s41561-020-0577-2.
- Brož, P., E. Hauber, I. van de Burgt, V. Špillar, G. Michael (2019). Subsurface Sediment Mobilization in the Southern Chryse Planitia on Mars, accepted to Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 124, 703-720, doi:10.1029/2018JE005868.
- Brož, P., O. Čadek, J. Wright, D. A. Rothery (2018). The Apparent Absence of Kilometer-sized Pyroclastic Volcanoes on Mercury: Are We Looking Right? Geophysical Research Letters, doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079902.
- Brož, P., E. Hauber, J. J. Wray, G. Michael (2017). Amazonian volcanism inside Valles Marineris on Mars, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 473, 122–130, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2017.06.003.
- Brož, P., O. Čadek, E. Hauber, A. P. Rossi (2015). Scoria cones on Mars: Detailed investigation of morphometry based on high-resolution digital elevation models, Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, 120, doi: 10.1002/2015JE004873.
- Brož , E. Hauber, T. Platz, M. Balme (2015). Evidence for Amazonian highly viscous lavas in the southern highlands on Mars, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 415, 1 doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2015.01.033.
- Brož P., O. Čadek, E. Hauber, A. P. Rossi (2014). Shape of scoria cones on Mars: insight from numerical modeling of ballistic pathways, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 406, 10.1016/j.epsl.2014.09.002.
- Brož P. and E. Hauber, (2013), Hydrovolcanic tuff rings and cones as indicators for phreatomagmatic explosive eruptions on Mars, Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets 118, 1656–1675. doi: 10.1002/jgre.20120.
- Brož P. and E. Hauber (2012), A unique volcanic field in Tharsis, Mars: Pyroclastic cones as evidence for explosive eruptions, Icarus 218, 88-99 doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2011.11.030.
- Hauber, E., Brož P., F. Jagert, P. Jodłowski, and T. Platz (2011). Very recent and wide-spread basaltic volcanism on Mars, Geophys. Res. Lett. 28, doi: 10.1029/2011GL047310.
Entries in books
- Brož, P. and Gede, M., Distribution Pattern Analysis in Planetary Mapping in Planetary Cartography and GIS by H. Hargitai, 2019. ISBN 978-3-319-62848-6.
- Hauber, E., D. Mége, T. Platz, T., and P. Brož, Endogenic Processes in Planetary Geology by A. P. Rossi and S. van Gasselt, 2018. ISBN 978-3-319-65179-8.
- Brož, P., Pyroclastic cone, in H. Hargitai and A. Kereszturi, 2015. Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms, ISBN 978-1-4614-3133-6.
- Fodor, E. and P. Brož, Cinder cone, in H. Hargitai and A. Kereszturi, 2015. Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms, ISBN 978-1-4614-3133-6.
- Brož, P. and K. Neméth, Tuff ring, in H. Hargitai and A. Kereszturi, 2015. Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms, ISBN 978-1-4614-3133-6.
- Brand B. D. and P. Brož, Tuff cone, in H. Hargitai and A. Kereszturi, 2015. Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms, ISBN 978-1-4614-3133-6.
- Brand B. D, H. Hargitai and P. Brož, Hydrovolcanic Feature, in H. Hargitai and A. Kereszturi, 2015. Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms, ISBN 978-1-4614-3133-6.
Research projects
- PRODEX “Development of VenSpec-H Electronics” (for phases B2, C and D, 2025-2029, Co-I)
- Effusive CryOvolcanism: the battle of PHases in a watER table freezing under reduced atmospheric pressure (COPHER; GAČR #25-15473S, PI, 2025-2027)
- PRODEX “Czech participation in the EnVision mission – derisking of VenSpec-H development” (for phase B1; 2024, Co-I)
- The strange behaviour of highly viscous mud in the low pressure environment: why the mixture changes its volume? (Europlanet Society, 2021, PI)
- Synthetic and Comparative Hydrology of Earth, MArs and TitAn (SCHEMATA) (junior grant) (GAČR, 2020-2022, Co-I)
- Behaviour And Propagation Of Mud On The Surface Of Mars (Europlanet Society, 2021, PI)
- Grant 580313 of the Charles University Science Foundation (GAUK): Pyroklastické kužele na Marsu: analogové experimenty a porovnání s pozemskými příklady (PI)