David B. Harper
Papers
3
Total Citations
141
H-Index
3
About
David B. Harper is a leading figure in atmospheric remote sensing, whose work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of aerosol–cloud interactions and their climate impacts. His research centers on the development and application of airborne lidar systems, particularly the NASA Langley Research Center’s High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL), which provides unprecedented vertical profiles of aerosol optical properties. Harper’s seminal 2009 paper on HSRL measurements during the MILAGRO campaign, cited over 120 times, validated a critical new capability for observing aerosol extinction, backscatter, and depolarization from aircraft, establishing a benchmark for future field studies. More recently, his 2024 work on retrieving UV–Vis spectral single-scattering albedo of absorbing aerosols above clouds, leveraging synergy between airborne ORACLES data and A-train satellite sensors, tackles one of the most challenging problems in climate forcing. This research directly addresses the poorly constrained radiative effects of absorbing aerosols like black carbon when overlaid on bright cloud decks. With a career dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what can be measured from above, Harper’s contributions are essential for improving climate models and our understanding of the Earth system.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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