Doctoral Dissertations

The following citations are to dissertations written by graduate students who performed their doctoral research at NASA/GISS. This list is not complete and is most notably missing some dissertations prior to 1985.

2022

Lenssen, N., 2022: Uncertainty and Predictability of Seasonal-to-Centennial Climate Variability. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/4j9y-yv29.

2019

Gao, Y., 2019: The Impact of Organic Aerosol Volatility on Particle Microphysics and Global Climate. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/d8-yy8j-j473.

Mezuman, K., 2019: Fire and Aerosol Modeling for Air Quality and Climate Studies. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/d8-65gx-tn53.

Sinclair, K.A., 2019: Polarimetric Retrievals of Cloud Droplet Number Concentration: Towards a Better Understanding of Aerosol-Cloud Interactions. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/d8-c0p8-2743.

2018

Coffel, E., 2018: Extreme Heat and Its Impacts in a Changing Climate. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/D88358JX.

Lipat, B., 2018: Quantifying and Understanding the Linkages between Clouds and the General Circulation of the Atmosphere. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/D8BS08VK.

2015

Coats, S.J., 2015: Paleoclimate Model-Data Comparisons of Hydroclimate over North America with a Focus on Megadroughts. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/D87M0760.

2014

Martin, W.G.K., 2014: Advancements for Three-Dimensional Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/D8WM1BZC.

Noble, E.U., 2014: Investigating Daily Circulation and Precipitation over the West African Sahel with the WRF Model: A Regional Climate Model Adaptation Study. Ph.D. thesis. University of Colorado.

2013

Yonekura, E., 2013: Tropical Cyclone Risk Assessment Using Statistical Models. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/D8G44XDT.

2012

Shukla, S.P., 2012: The Impact of a Warmer Climate on Atmospheric Circulation with Implications for the Asian Summer Monsoon. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/D8VH5VSH.

2011

Aminzade, J., 2011: Water Availability in a Warming World. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/D85H7TT3.

Li, J., 2011: Improving Our Understanding of Atmospheric Aerosols and Their Climate Effects: Implications for Satellite Retrievals and GCM Simulations. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University, doi:10.7916/D83B663H.

2010

Knobelspiesse, K.D., 2010: Atmospheric Aerosol Optical Property Retrieval with Scanning Polarimeters. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

2009

Michaud, E.M., 2009: A Case Study of Consecutive Reorganizations of the Science Laboratories at the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. Ph.D. thesis. Rutgers University School of Public Service and Administration.

Romanski, J., 2009: Investigating the Role of Individual Diabatic Heating Components in Global Atmospheric Circulation and Climate Sensitivity: An Energetics Approach. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Veeder, C., 2009: Modeling Climate and Production-related Impacts on Ice-core Beryllium-10. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

2008

Xian, P., 2008: Seasonal Migration of the ITCZ and Implications for Aerosol Radiative Impact. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

2007

Horton, R., 2007: An Observational and Modeling Study of the Regional Impacts of Climate Variability. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

2006

LeGrande, A.N., 2006: The Climate Imprint on the Oxygen Isotopic Composition of Water: Observations, Proxies, and Coupled Isotopic Model Simulations. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Stramler, K.L., 2006: The Influence of Synoptic Atmospheric Motions on the Arctic Energy Budget. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

2005

Bauer, M.P., 2005: Observed and Simulated Humidity Variations. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Chen, J., 2005: Understanding the Observed Tropical and Midlatitude Radiative Energy Budget in the Context of Long-Term Climate Variations. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

2004

Gianelli, S.M., 2004: Retrieving Aerosols, Ozone, and NO2 Using MFRSR, RSS, and CIMEL Data. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Liu, L., 2004: Optical Characterization of Complex Aerosol and Cloud Particles: Remote Sensing and Climatological Implications. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Thresher, D.E., 2004: Multi-Century Simulations of LGM and Present Day Climate Using an Accelerated Coupled GCM Carrying Water Isotope Tracers, with Comparisons to Ocean Sediment/Ice Cores and Observations. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

2003

Cakmur, R.V., 2003: Mineral Dust Variability and the Parameterization of Emission Due to Unresolved Circulations. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Kelley, M., 2003: Water Tracers and the Hydrologic Cycle in a GCM. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Liu, J.P., 2003: Sea Ice Climatology: Variations and Teleconnections: Observational and Modeling Studies. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Luo, Z., 2003: Investigation of Tropical Cirrus, Their Variability, Evolution and Relation to Upper Tropospheric Water Vapor. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

2002

Rozendaal, M.A., 2002: Characterizing the Influence of the General Circulation on Subtropical Marine Clouds and Studying Their Interactions in an SCM. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

2000

Chen, T., 2000: Towards a More Complete Understanding of Cloud Radiative Effects. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1999

Chowdhary, J., 1999: Multiple Scattering of Polarized Light in Atmosphere-Ocean Systems: Application to Sensitivity Analyses of Aerosol Polarimetry. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Eichler, T.P., 1999: An Evaluation of ENSO and Climate Change Using the GCM/ZC Model. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Sheth, S., 1999: Ocean Circulation Changes and Greenhouse Warming Predicted by Coupled GCMs. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Ye, B., 1999: Cumulus Anvil Cloud Properties, CAPE and Climate Change. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1998

Wong, S., 1998: The Impacts of the Antarctic Ozone Hole on the Middle Atmosphere. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1997

Jin, Y., 1997: Investigation of Cirrus Cloud Climatology by Satellite Remote Sensing. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Wang, J., 1997: Determination of Cloud Vertical Structure from Upper Air Observations and Its Effects on Atmospheric Circulation in a GCM. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Xu, F., 1997: Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR): Variability and Retrieval. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1996

Dai, A., 1996: Global Precipitation Variability and Its Relationship with Other Climate Changes. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Kneller, M.L., 1996: Paleoclimate from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Present: Pollen and Plant Macrofossil Records from the United States Southeast Accompanied by a Goddard Institute for Space Studies General Circulation Model Simulation. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1995

Lin, B., 1995: Observations of Cloud Water Path and Precipitation over Oceans Using ISCCP and SSM/I data. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Lynch-Stieglitz, M., 1995: The Development and Validation of a New Land Surface Model for Regional and Global Climate Modeling. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Tsubota, Y., 1995: Analysis of the Effect of Solar Irradiance Variability on Global Sea Surface Temperature and Climate: An Investigation Using the NASA, Goddard Institute for Space Studies General Circulation Model. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1994

Cohen, J.L., 1994: The Effect of Climate Perturbations on Extratropical Cyclogenesis along the East Coast of North America. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Lynn, B.H., 1994: A Parameterization of Mesoscale Heat Fluxes for General Circulation Models. Ph.D. thesis. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

Schilling, O., 1994: A Two-Point Closure Model of Turbulent Compressible Convection and Application to Stellar Interiors. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1993

Price, C.G., 1993: Global Lightning Activity and Climate Change. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Zinn, H.P., 1993: An Efficient Atmospheric Boundary Layer Model for GCMs: Its Design, Validation, and Implementation into the GISS-GCM. Ph.D. thesis. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

1992

Chandler, M.A., 1992: The Early Jurassic Climate: General Circulation Model Simulations and the Paleoclimate Record. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Han, Q., 1992: Global Survey of Effective Particle Size in Liquid Water Clouds by Satellite Observations. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Tselioudis, G., 1992: Global Patterns of Cloud Optical Thickness Variation with Temperature and the Implication for Climate Change. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1991

Fu, R., 1991: Deep Convection and its Relation to the Large-Circulation in the Tropical Pacific. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1990

Chasnov, J.R., 1990: Development and Application of an Improved Subgrid Model for Homogeneous Turbulence. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Seager, R., 1990: Modeling Sea Surface Temperature and Low-Level Winds in the Tropics. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Wilson, H., 1990: Landsat Measurement of Green Vegetation Cover in a Heterogeneous Landscape. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Yin, F., 1990: Numerical Modeling of Ocean Deep Water Circulation. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1989

D'Arrigo, R.D., 1989: Dendrochronological Modeling and Reconstruction of Large-Scale Climate Variability in Recent Centuries and its Relation to Atmospheric Forcing Functions. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1988

Smith, L.A., 1988: Lacunarity and Chaos in Nature. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1986

Grabelsky, D.A., 1986: Molecular Clouds in the Carina Arm. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Prentice, K.C., 1986: The Influence of the Terrestrial Biosphere on Seasonal Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide: An Empirical Model. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1985

Huang, Y.-L., 1985: Supernova Remnants and Molecular Clouds. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Robinson, W.A., 1985: Interactions Among Planetary Waves and the Generation of Traveling Long Waves. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1983

Dame, T.M., 1983: Molecular Clouds and Galactic Spiral Structure. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1978

Blitz, L., 1978: A Study of the Molecular Complexes Accompanying Mon OB1, Mon OB2 and CMa OB1. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Chin, G., 1978: Observations of CO and 13CO Emission from the Molecular Complex in Orion. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Sato, M., 1978: Interpretation of Molecular Absorption in the Atmosphere of Jupiter. Ph.D. thesis. Yeshiva University.

1977

Cohen, R.S., 1977: The Galactic Distribution of Carbon Monoxide: An Out-of-Plane Survey. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1975

Stewart, R.W., 1975: Numerical Experiments on Long-Range Weather Prediction. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1974

Podolak, M., 1974: Realistic Models of the Giant Planets. Ph.D. thesis. Yeshiva University.

1972

Bortolot, V.J., Jr., 1972: The Interstellar Line Spectra of Zeta Ophiuchi and Zeta Persei and Their Relation to to the Short Wavelength Microwave Background Radiation. Ph.D. thesis. New York University.

Kutner, M.L., 1972: Interstellar Formaldehyde and Silicon Monoxide in Ultra-Dense Clouds. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Tucker, K.D., 1972: Hyperfine Structure in the Microwave Spectrum of Formaldehyde and Its Isotopic Species. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1971

Moore, J.A., 1971: Infrared Absorption of Carbon Dioxide at High Densities with Application to the Atmosphere of Venus. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

White, R.E., 1971: Microwave Radiative Transfer in Interstellar Formaldehyde. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1969

Clauser, J.F., 1969: Measurement of the Cosmic Microwave Background by Optical Observations of Interstellar Molecules. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Diamante, J.M., 1969: The Structure and Circulation of the Lower Atmosphere of Venus. Ph.D. thesis. New York University.

Encrenaz, T., 1969: Contribution a l'étude des spectres infra-rouge et millimétrique de Jupiter. Doctorat 3ème Cycle. Faculté des Sciences de Paris. (In French)

1967

Stewart, R.W., 1967: Temperature and Composition of the Martian Atmosphere. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

1966

Arnett, W.D., 1966: Physical Processes and Supernova Dynamics. Ph.D. thesis. Yale University.

Ho, W.W.-Y., 1966: The Atmosphere of Venus. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

Truran, J.W., 1966: Thermonuclear Reactions in Supernova Shock Waves. Ph.D. thesis. Yale University.

1964

Tsuruta, S., 1964: Neutron Star Models. Ph.D. thesis. Columbia University.

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