Who is Michael Tolland from Deception Point and what is their importance?

Michael is a world-renowned oceanographer with a weekly television series. He is asked by the President to fly to the Arctic to make a documentary about the meteorite because the American people love him. He does this, but soon discovers, with Rachel and the others, that there has been a set-up, and the meteorite is an elaborate hoax. He is instrumental in helping unravel the deception.