Michael J. Thomas
University of California, Santa Barbara, Montana State University
Papers
2
Total Citations
17
H-Index
2
About
Michael J. Thomas is an atmospheric scientist specializing in the remote sensing and characterization of atmospheric aerosols, with a particular focus on mineral dust and its optical properties. His research integrates ground-based and active remote sensing instruments, including lidar, solar radiometers, and high spectral resolution infrared spectrometers, to investigate aerosol transport, composition, and radiative effects. Thomas made significant contributions through the Portable Infrared Aerosol Transmission Experiment (PIRATE), where he provided the first detailed measurements of Saharan dust’s infrared aerosol optical thickness spectra across the 8–13 μm window—critical data for improving climate model representations of dust radiative forcing. His work also includes coordinated multi-instrument field campaigns, such as a 24-hour intensive observation period in Bozeman, Montana, combining two-color lidar, water vapor DIAL, and nephelometer data to capture aerosol variability and vertical structure. While his most-cited papers have accumulated 11 and 6 citations respectively, they represent foundational efforts in linking ground-based infrared and visible aerosol measurements to satellite validation and dust transport studies. Thomas’s careful, instrument-focused methodology has advanced the community’s ability to constrain aerosol optical properties in under-sampled spectral regions.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2