Thomas Kanitz
Papers
2
Total Citations
118
H-Index
2
About
Thomas Kanitz is an atmospheric scientist whose research focuses on the vertical distribution and long-range transport of aerosols, particularly using advanced lidar remote sensing. His major contributions include pioneering shipborne lidar observations that tracked the Saharan Air Layer across the entire tropical Atlantic, revealing how mineral dust maintains its optical properties over 4,500 km from the African coast—a key finding for understanding dust’s climate impacts (83 citations). He also led the ALPACA campaign in Punta Arenas, Chile, providing the first detailed lidar characterization of pristine Southern Hemisphere midlatitude aerosols, demonstrating the dominance of clean marine conditions in this understudied region (35 citations). Kanitz’s work is notable for deploying the PollyXT Raman lidar system on research vessels and at remote stations, enabling high-resolution profiling of aerosol layers from the boundary layer to the free troposphere. His studies have significantly advanced our understanding of aerosol transport pathways, optical properties, and their role in Earth’s radiation budget, making him a key figure in atmospheric remote sensing and climate research.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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