Bryan A. Baum
Associate Scientist
Space Science and Engineering Center
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1225 West Dayton St.
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: (608) 263-3898
Fax: (608) 262-5974
Email: bryan.baum at ssec.wisc.edu
The Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) is known for its atmospheric remote sensing research. My own work involves regional and global cloud property retrieval from various polar-orbiting and geostationary satellite sensors. Cloud properties inferred from satellite data include cloud-top height/pressure/temperature, cloud thermodynamic phase (water, ice, or a combination of these), cloud optical thickness and effective particle size. The cloud properties are used in weather forecasting (CRAS: CIMSS Regional Assimilation System), regional and global analyses over time periods of months or years, as well as decadal climate studies. For the most part, my time goes towards data analysis with some associated coding, cal/val activities, preparing peer-reviewed research articles, and writing research proposals. I work closely with the MODIS, GOES-R, AIRS, and NPP (NPOESS Preparatory Project) teams in various Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, or collaborative roles. Additionally, I am currently an editor for the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. Guess I have my hands full.
As time permits, I get involved with other projects for a change of pace, e.g., global fire and smoke detection, artificial intelligence approaches to imagery discrimination problems, involvement with conference committee activities, various educational outreach projects, and serving on the occasional panel. I once taught a few graduate courses on atmospheric remote sensing and cloud physics, and really enjoyed it, but have no teaching duties in my current position.
I am fortunate to be in a position to work with some of the best scientists in the world - it does not get much better than this. Well, yeah, I could be teaching...
Below are some links that provide more detailed information.
Ice Cloud Bulk Scattering/Absorption Models
Note (posted August, 2008): we are in the process of updating our ice models to incorporate several years of improvements, including a new treatment for surface roughening on the ice particles, the addition of hollow bullet rosettes, other improvements in the ice light scattering models, a wealth of new microphysical data from ice clouds (subvisual cirrus, tropical data, recent field campaigns, etc.), and much more. Additionally, models will now be prepared for the entire series of AVHRR imagers as well as for many more geostationary imagers than are available currently on our web site. If you would like to be notified when there are new models, or want me to include a specific imager or sensor, please send me an email.