Ronald J Thomas
Associate Professor Electrical Engineering
Adjunct Faculty Physics
Credentials:
Ph.D. in E.E. (Atmospheric Physics), Utah State University 1970.
M.S. in Physics, Utah State University 1968.
B.S. in E.E., New Mexico State University 1966.
Teaching Interests
I enjoy teaghing and working with students.
Teaching undergraduate electrical engineering is a challange, there is always something new to learn. Working
with students and helping them learn is interesting.
Before 1989 I held research only positions so the
challanges in teaching are still fresh. I am finding teaching
engrossing and stimulating. Educational research and teaching
effectiveness are of great interest and concern to me.
Research Interests
My major research interest has been related to the physics and
chemistry of the earth's atmosphere. Although most of my work relates
to the middle and upper atmosphere, I have recently addad lightning
research. My interest began as an
undergraduate employee of New Mexico State University's Physical
Science Laboratory providing Doppler tracking of rockets and
satellites. As a thesis project, I developed a sensor to measure atomic
oxygen in the lower thermosphere, using thin silver film, that was
launched on a small rocket. At the University of Pittsburgh, my
research turned to analysis of OGO-6 thermospheric atomic oxygen
airglow. My research at the University of Colorado continued with
rocket measurements of nitric oxide, atomic oxygen and related
airglows. The later measurements greatly clarified the green line
production mechanism. My activity then turned to the SME spacecraft
experiments beginning with their conception and continuing through the
design, calibration, and launch to final data analysis of ozone and oxygen
airglows.
At New Mexico Tech, currently my research includes optical emissions
from the earth's atmosphere, inversion of complex data, and lightning
interferometry. I am a member of the Naval Research Laboratory's
science team for several projects that will have instruments on
satellite platforms to measure emission from the ionosphere and infer
the ion densities.
Ken Minsvhwaner and I have recently analyzed the scattered solar radiance
between 175 nm and 325 nm that was measured from a
balloon payload I flew in April 1983.
Address:
Electrical Engineering Department
New Mexico Tech
Socorro, NM 87801
email: thomas@crane.nmt.edu
phone: (505) 835-5683
FAX: (505) 835-5707