The Earth and Planetary Atmospheres group pursues a quantitative study of the atmospheres of major and minor bodies in the Solar System and beyond. The group's investigations of gases, aerosols, hazes, and clouds apply broadly to global climate on the planets, meteorology and weather prediction, planetary evolution, and astrobiology.

Areas of expertise in the group include:

• radiative transfer theory and remote sensing;
• atmospheric chemistry and composition, dynamics, structure, optics, and evolution;
• atmospheric process numerical modeling;
• atmospheric data analysis;
• image processing and scientific visualization; and
• science education.

Members of the group are actively involved in space missions planned for or in operation in the inner Solar System (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter, Phoenix, Chandrayan-1), the outer Solar System (Cassini, Juno), and Earth-orbit (Spitzer, Herschel Space Observatory).

Published work covers Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, outer planetary satellites and planetary rings, surface-bound exospheres, comets and cometary comae, asteroids, brown dwarfs, and interstellar molecular clouds.

People in this Group
Group Projects