Satellite flying above Earth

09/03/2019

Professor Robert Gamache runs the Theoretical Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory, which has had support from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. His group focuses on quantum mechanical calculations of line positions, intensities, energies, Einstein-A coefficients, partition sums, and the line shape parameters for molecules important in Earth’s, planetary, and exoplanet atmospheres.

Gamache’s specialty is studying the collision process that leads to the shape of spectral lines. The semi-classical Robert-Bonamy calculations of his group yield collision-broadened half-widths, pressure-induced line shifts, and the temperature and velocity dependence of these parameters. These data are needed by the remote sensing community to reduce measurements made from ground, balloon, and space-based platforms.

Professor Gamache’s current work aids satellite programs of NASA’s Earth Observing System, missions to Mars and Venus, several satellite programs of ESA, EUMETSAT and CNES, and the study of the atmospheres of exoplanets. Gamache is recognized as one of the leading researchers in his field.

This project is funded with support from the National Science Foundation, grant AGS-1156862.

Research Team: Robert Gamache , Team Leader; Bastien Vispoel, Postdoctoral Fellow; Joao Calvacanti, Undergraduate Researcher; Evan Paige, Undergraduate Researcher.