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

I enjoy teaching and working with students. Teaching undergraduate electrical engineering is a challenge, 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 challenges 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 added 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