Dr. Michael Gunson is an atmospheric scientist and is currently the Chief Scientist of JPL's Earth Science and Technology Directorate. His research interests have primarily focused on the physical and chemical processes of the Earth's atmosphere using space-based instruments. Most recently, he has been associated with the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer carried on NASA's Aura Earth orbiting satellite to study composition of the lowest part of the atmosphere providing new insight through direct observations on issues of air quality and transport of pollution around the globe.

Michael has experience with three space-based instruments and has had a leadership role with each. He has expertise in infrared molecular spectroscopy, atmospheric radiative transfer, instrumentation, retrieval methods as well as atmospheric chemical and physical processes.

• B. Sc., Chemistry (Honors.), Bristol University (1978)
• Ph. D., Chemistry, Bristol University, Department of Theoretical Chemistry (1983)

• Atmospheric Remote Sensing from Space
• Atmospheric Composition and Chemistry
• Climate Change

• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1990-Present)
• Chief Scientist, Earth Science and Technology Directorate (2008-Present)
• Deputy Manager, Science Division (2006-2008)
• Section Manager, Earth Remote Sensing Science Section (2002-2006)
• Deputy Principal Investigator, Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) (2002-Present)
• Lead Scientist, AIRS Atmospheric Science Research Element (1999-2002)
• Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) Deputy Team Leader (1998-2002)
• Lead Scientist, Atmospheric Chemistry (1995-1998)
• Deputy Chief Scientist, New Millennium Program (1994-1995)
• Principal Investigator, Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy Experiment (ATMOS) (1990-1996)

• NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for management and direction of the Science and Ground Data Systems teams during the critical integration and test periods of the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer. (2005)
• NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for defining and leading the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder data analysis and validation activities. (2003)
• NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal in recognition of exceptional advancements in our knowledge of the composition and structure of the Earths atmosphere achieved with the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy experiment. (1996)

1. Eldering A., Kahn B.H., Mills F.P., Irion F.W., Steele H.M., Gunson M.R., Vertical profiles of aerosol volume from high spectral resolution infrared transmission measurements: Results, Journal Of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 109 (D20): Art. No. D20201 (2004)
2. Fetzer E., McMillin L.M., Tobin D., Aumann H.H., Gunson M.R., McMillan W.W., Hagan D.E., Hofstadter M.D., Yoe J., Whiteman D.N., Barnes J.E., Bennartz R., Vomel H., Walden V., Newchurch M., Minnett P.J., Atlas R., Schmidlin F., Olsen E.T., Goldberg M.D., Zhou S.S., Ding H.J., Smith W.L., Revercomb H., AIRS/AMSU/HSB validation, IEEE Transactions On Geoscience And Remote Sensing, 41 (2): 418-431 (2003)
3. Fishbein E., Farmer C.B., Granger S.L., Gregorich D.T., Gunson M.R., Hannon S.E., Hofstadter M.D., Lee S.Y., Leroy S.S., Strow L.L., Formulation and validation of simulated data for the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), IEEE Transactions On Geoscience And Remote Sensing, 41 (2): 314-329 (2003)
4. Irion F.W., Gunson M.R., Toon G.C., Chang A.Y., Eldering A., Mahieu E., Manney G.L., Michelsen H.A., Moyer E.J., Newchurch M.J., Osterman G.B., Rinsland C.P., Salawitch R.J., Sen B., Yung Y.L., Zander R., Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment version 3 data retrievals, Applied Optics, 41 (33): 6968-6979 (2002)
5. Michelsen H.A., Manney G.L., Irion F.W., Toon G.C., Gunson M.R., Rinsland C.P., Zander R., Mahieu E., Newchurch M.J., Purcell P.N., Remsberg E.E., Russell J.M., Pumphrey H.C., Waters J.W., Bevilacqua R.M., Kelly K.K., Hintsa E.J., Weinstock E.M., Chiou E.W., Chu W.P., McCormick M.P., Webster C.R., ATMOS version 3 water vapor measurements: Comparisons with observations from two ER-2 Lyman-alpha hygrometers, MkIV, HALOE, SAGE II, MAS, and MLS, Journal Of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 107 (D3): Art. No. 4027 (2002)
6. G. L. Manney, H. A. Michelsen, M. L. Santee, M. R. Gunson, F. W. Irion, A. E. Roche, N. J. Livesey, "Polar vortex dynamics during spring and fall diagnosed using trace gas observations from the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy instrument," J. Geophys. Res., 104, 18841-18866 (1999)