mirrored file at http://SaturnianCosmology.Org/ 
For complete access to all the files of this collection
	see http://SaturnianCosmology.org/search.php 
==========================================================
_My Contributions to Science_
_________________________________________________________________

This page will give you a short biography of my research activities at
JPL, and a bibliography of my limited contribution to the
quasi-infinite expanse of the _peer reviewed_ scientific literature. I
am primarily a support person, specializing in scientific programming,
algorithm development, and the analysis of observational data. As a
result, I don't get my name on many papers. But I am happy to have
accomplished this much.
_________________________________________________________________

I came to the [1]Jet Propulsion Laboratory in January 1981, as part of
the Radio Astronomy Group, which later changed its name to the
Radio/Submillimeter Astronomy Group, in order to emphasize our
transition into the newly available submillimeter wavelengths. Our
main thrust in those days was to use observations characteristic of
thermal emission, to probe the structure of the atmospheres of the gas
giant planets: [2]Jupiter, [3]Saturn, [4]Uranus, and [5]Neptune. A
number of papers had already come out of the group, on Jupiter and
Saturn, before I joined. This paper was the first one I was to work
on. Our group was the first to recognize the time variability of the
Uranian microwave spectrum, and the first to suggest a cause.

* _Uranus - Variability of the Microwave Spectrum_
S. Gulkis, E.T. Olsen, M.J. Klein and T.J. Thompson
[6]Science, 221(4609): 453-455 (July 29, 1983)
_Abstract:_ Radio astronomical observations of Uranus show that
the radio emission spectrum is evolving in time. Ammonia vapor
must be depleted in the Uranian atmosphere as Gulkis and his
co-workers previously suggested. Since 1965, ammonia either has
been decreasing in time or is a decreasing function of latitude,
or both, provided that the radio emission is atmospheric in
origin. If Uranus has an observable low-emissivity "surface,"
these trends may be reversed. The microwave observations made in
1965, at the time when the spin axis of Uranus was nearly
perpendicular to the sun-Uranus line, are consistent with an
atmospheric opacity profile that would be produced by saturated
ammonia vapor in a predominately hydrogen atmosphere. At the
present time, when the spin axis of Uranus is nearly aligned with
the sun-Uranus line, the measurements require an opacity that
would be produced by saturated water vapor. A large thermal
gradient between the pole and equator is ruled out.
_________________________________________________________________

The other major project that I worked on was the _Jupiter Patrol_, a
long term project of Mike Klein's that monitored the synchrotron
emission from Jupiter at 2295 MHz, using the radio antennae of the
[7]Deep Space Network, for more than a full [8]solar cycle. We were
eventually able to draw direct correlations between the synchrotron
emission, and the [9]solar wind loading of the Jovian magnetosphere.
This was a significant result, because we were monitoring emissions
from deep within the Jovian magnetosphere. At the time, it was thought
that low energy electrons from the solar wind could not diffuse into
the inner magnetosphere on such short time scales as we were able to
demonstrate. Scott Bolton eventually came up with a new theoretical
model for electron diffusion that became his PhD thesis, and explained
the observations nicely.
* _Systematic Observations and Correlation Studies of Variations in
the Synchrotron Radio Emission from Jupiter_
Klein, M.J.; T.J. Thompson and S. Bolton
_Time Variable Phenomenon in the Jovian System_
Proceedings of the Workshop on Time-Variable Phenomena in the
Jovian System
[10]Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona, 25-27 August 1987
NASA SP-494 (contributed paper) - pages 151-155.
This was a poster talk, mostly done by me.
_Abstract:_ A long-term observational program to monitor the time
variations of the microwave emission from Jupiter has been in
progress since April 1971. The measurements are made several times
each month with the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas
operating at 2295 MHz (13.1 cm). The data set, when combined with
measurements by other observers, provides a record that extends
over two 11-year solar cycles. The combined data set shows
considerable variability that may be directly related to the
high-energy electron population of the inner magnetosphere.
Preliminary results of a study to search for plausible
correlations between the Jovian synchrotron emission and
solar-related phenomena reveal that a positive correlation may
exist with the ion number density in the solar wind.
* _Correlation Studies Between Solar Wind Parameters and the
Synchrotron Radio Emission from Jupiter_
Bolton, S.; S. Gulkis, M.J. Klein, I. de Pater, T. Thompson
_Proceedings of the [11]Chapman Conference on Plasma Waves and
Instabilities in Magnetospheres and at Comets_
Sendai, Mt. Zao, Japan, 12-16 October 1987; pages 361-362
[abstract only]
Scott Bolton made the presentation of his physical model for the
interaction between the solar wind and the Jovian magnetosphere.
_Abstract:_ It is generally believed that the strong magnetic
field of Jupiter insulates the inner magnetosphere from
fluctuations in the solar wind, and that the high energy electrons
(>1Mev) responsible for the synchrotron radio emission from the
planet are produced by inward diffusion of electrons from regions
of weak to strong magnetic field intensity. Both the driving force
for the diffusion process and the source of the relativistic
electrons are presently unknown. It is widely believed that the
diffusion process is driven by winds in Jupiter's ionosphere
rather than fluctuations in the solar wind. Possible sources for
the electrons include the Jovian satellites, in particular Io,
Jupiter's ionosphere, and the solar wind. Thus far, no unambiguous
connection between the solar wind properties and the relativistic
inner belt electrons has been established. Such correlations, if
they exist, could help to understand the physical processes that
lead to the radiation belts. This paper reports on a study aimed
at searching for correlations between Jovian decimetric radio
emission and various solar wind parameters described below.
Measures of correlations of the solar wind parameters with the
decimetric radio emission will be presented.
The radio data used in our study are based primarily on a uniform
set of observations carried out since April 1972 [_sic_] with the
NASA Deep Space Network of antennas operating at 2295 MHz (13.1
cm) (Klein et al., 1972; Klein, 1976). This data set, when
combined with measurements by other observers provides a record
that extends over two 11-year solar cycles. The combined data set
shows considerable variability that can be directly related to the
high energy electron population (Hide and Stannard, 1976; Klein,
1976).
The data set of the solar wind parameters is composed of five
quantities measured by numerous earth orbiting spacecraft along
with [12]Pioneer 10 and 11 and [13]Voyager 1 and 2. These are 1)
solar wind, 2) velocity, 3) proton density, 4) proton temperature,
and the 5) strength and direction of the magnetic field. The data,
provided by the [14]NSSDC, encompasses the time frame from 1963 to
1985.
_References_
Hide, R. and D. Stennard, _Jupiter's magnetism, observation and
theory_, Jupiter, ed. T. Gehrels, [15]University of Arizona Press,
Tucson, 767-787, 1976.
Klein, M.J., _The variability of the total flux density and
polarization of Jupiter's decimetric radio emission_, [16]Journal
of Geophysical Research, 81, 3380-3382, 1976.
Klein, M.J., S. Gulkis, and C.T. Stelzreid, _Jupiter: New evidence
of long term variations of its decimetric flux density_,
[17]Astrophysical Journal, 176, L85-L88, 1972.
* _Correlation Studies Between Solar-Wind Parameters and the
Decimetric Radio-Emission from Jupiter_
Bolton, S.: S. Gulkis, M.J. Klein, I. de Pater, and T.J. Thompson
[18]Journal of Geophysical Research - Space Physics 94(A1):
121-128, (January 1, 1989)
_Abstract:_ Results of a study comparing long-term time variations
(years) in Jupiter's synchrotron radio emission with a variety of
solar wind parameters and the 10.7-cm flux are reported. Data from
1963 through 1985 were analyzed, and the results suggest that many
solar wind parameters are correlated with the intensity of the
synchrotron emission produced by the relativistic electrons in the
Jovian Van Allen radiation belts. Significant nonzero correlation
coefficients appear to be associated with solar wind ion density,
ram pressure, thermal pressure, flow velocity, momentum, and ion
temperature. The highest correlation analysis suggests that the
delay time between fluctuations in the solar wind and changes in
the Jovian synchrotron emission is typically about 2 years. The
delay time of the correlation places important constraints on the
theoretical models describing the radiation belts. The implication
of these results, if the correlations are real, is that the solar
wind is influencing the supply and/or loss of electrons to
Jupiter's inner magnetosphere. We note that the data for this work
spans only about two periods of the solar activity cycle, and
because of the long time scales of the observed variations, it is
important to confirm these results with additional observations.
_________________________________________________________________

By this time the Radio Astronomy Group was heavily involved in the
[19]NASA SETI project, which began to grow rapidly in 1988. In 1992,
on Columbus Day the NASA SETI project made its official start, amidst
fanfare and publicity. Congress cancelled the program within a year. I
left the Radio Astronomy Group at about that time as the money for
astronomy and astrophysics became too scarce. However, we all received
NASA Group Achievement Awards for what we were able to get done. All
SETI is now in private hands, mostly [20]The SETI Institute and
[21]The Planetary Society

I also had minor a minor support role in the [22]COBE project. But one
other intersting project, which unfortunately had little support, was
a project we dubbed _Argus_. This was an attempt to monitor the Milky
Way for supernova explosions, which are quite visible in the radio,
but not optically, because of the heavy dust burden in the plane of
the Galaxy. We collaborated with [23]Woody Sullivan (who finally has a
web page!), from the [24]Astronomy Department at the [25]University of
Washington. Despite its scientific value, the program simply wasn't
flashy enough to get funded over the long term.
_________________________________________________________________

After working in the radio astronomy group from 1981 to 1993, I spent
a year as an assistant network administrator for the Science Computing
Network, in the Earth & Space Sciences Division at JPL. It was a mixed
network of mostly Sun workstations, along with Digital miniVAX, and a
few Apple Macs, designed to supply computer support for the division
scientists.

Early in 1994 I joined the [26]Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission
and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) project, where I worked on
atmospheric radiative transfer models, image processing, data
analysis, field work, and algorithm development. I was primarily
involved with the thermal infrared surface radiance [27]data product
(AST09T). The field work included a trip to Venice, Italy, in April
2001, when none of the equipment we took with us worked right! See my
[28]Venice page, and my [29]ASTER page for more about my work on this
project.

As of January, 2002, I have joined the staff of the newly created
Center for Long Wavelength Astrophysics, in the Earth & Space Sciences
Division at JPL. My primary task is once again software development &
maintenance for the center, and software support for the astronomers.
I am closely involved in modeling what the data will look like from
various instruments on the [30]Space Infrared Telescope Facility
(SIRTF), currently scheduled for launch late in January 2003.
_________________________________________________________________

* [31]Basics of Radio Astronomy
* [32]Arecibo Radio Telescope - National Astronomy and Ionosphere
Center (NAIC)
* [33]National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)
* [34]Very Large Array (NRAO), Socorro, New Mexico
* [35]Very Long Baseline Array (NRAO)
* [36]Owen's Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO), Owens Valley,
California; a [37]Caltech facility
* [38]Haystack Observatory, MIT
* [39]The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), Mauna Kea, Hawaii
* [40]Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer (MERLIN); Jodrell
Bank, England
* [41]Onsala Space Observatory (OSO), Sweden
* [42]Institut de Radio Astronomie Millimetrique (IRAM), France
* [43]Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Germany
* [44]Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT); part of the
[45]Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy (NFRA)
* [46]Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF)
* [47]Nobeyama Radio Observatory, Japan
* [48]Orbiting VLBI (NRAO OVLBI)
* [49]The Pulsar Group at Princeton University
* [50]SERENDIP, part of [51]SETI at U.C. Berkeley
* [52]The SETI Institute in Mountain View, California
* [53]Columbus Optical SETI Observatory
* [54]SETI at Harvard University
_________________________________________________________________

__Page updated and URLs checked; 13 November 2002
_________________________________________________________________

Back to [55]Tim Thompson's Home Page
setstats 1

References

1. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/
2. http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/jupiter.html
3. http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/saturn.html
4. http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/uranus.html
5. http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/neptune.html
6. http://www.sciencemag.org/
7. http://dsnra.jpl.nasa.gov/
8. http://www.sunspot.noao.edu/PR/glossary.html#solar-cycle
9. http://umtof.umd.edu/pm/
10. http://www.lowell.edu/
11. http://www.agu.org/meetings/chapman.html
12. http://spaceprojects.arc.nasa.gov/Space_Projects/pioneer/PNhome.html
13. http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/
14. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/
15. http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/
16. http://www.agu.org/pubs/agu_jour.html
17. http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/ApJ/
18. http://plasma2.ssl.berkeley.edu/jgr/
19. http://history.nasa.gov/seti.html
20. http://www.seti-inst.edu/
21. http://www.planetary.org/
22. http://space.gsfc.nasa.gov/astro/cobe/cobe_home.html
23. http://www.astro.washington.edu/woody/
24. http://www.astro.washington.edu/
25. http://www.washington.edu/
26. http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/
27. http://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/products/data_products.htm
28. file://localhost/www/sat/files/tim_thompson/Venice.html
29. file://localhost/www/sat/files/tim_thompson/aster.html
30. http://sirtf.caltech.edu/
31. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/radioastronomy/
32. http://www.naic.edu/
33. http://www.nrao.edu/
34. http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/vla/html/VLAhome.shtml
35. http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/vlba/html/
36. http://www.ovro.caltech.edu/
37. http://www.caltech.edu/
38. http://www.haystack.edu/haystack/haystack.html
39. http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/JCMT/
40. http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/merlin/MERLIN.html
41. http://www.oso.chalmers.se/
42. http://iram.fr/
43. http://www.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de/
44. http://www.nfra.nl/wsrt/index.htm
45. http://www.nfra.nl/
46. http://www.atnf.csiro.au/
47. http://www.nro.nao.ac.jp/index-e.html
48. http://info.gb.nrao.edu/ovlbi/OVLBI.html
49. http://pulsar.princeton.edu/
50. http://seti.ssl.berkeley.edu/serendip/serendip.html
51. http://seti.ssl.berkeley.edu/
52. http://www.seti-inst.edu/
53. http://www.coseti.org/
54. http://seti.harvard.edu/seti/
55. file://localhost/www/sat/files/tim_thompson/index.html