Named in memory of Roger George Burns (1937–1994), professor of mineralogy and geochemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Author of the book Mineralogical Applications of Crystal Field Theory, first published in 1970, Burns was a pioneer in the field of mineral spectroscopy and in establishing the fundamental basis for interpreting modern remote sensing observations of planetary surfaces. Burns also applied his expertise in geochemistry to understanding chemical weathering processes on Mars. (M 27126) _ _.