Feb. 2012

Curriculum Vitae
 
Gregory Thompson
Research Applications Laboratory - NCAR
P.O. Box 3000
Boulder, CO 80307-3000
tel: (303) 497-2805
fax: (303) 497-8401
e-mail: gthompsn@ucar.edu
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/~gthompsn/

Education:

1993:  Master of Science, Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University
Thesis: "Prototype real-time mesoscale prediction during the 1991-92 winter season and statistical verification of model data." (Advisor: William R. Cotton)
1990:  Bachelor of Science, Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University

8/2010 - present:  Project Scientist II, Research Applications Laboratory - NCAR
4/2003 - 7/2010:  Associate Scientist IV, Research Applications Laboratory - NCAR
7/1997 - 3/2003:  Associate Scientist III, Research Applications Program - NCAR
6/1993 - 6/1997:  Associate Scientist II, Research Applications Program - NCAR
3/1993 - 6/1993:  Research Assistant, ASTeR Inc.
8/1990 - 3/1993:  Graduate Research Assistant, Colorado State University

   Numerical modeling, particularly bulk parameterization of microphysics. Most recently I developed a scheme for the WRF, MM5 and other mesoscale models. The new scheme includes two-moment description of cloud ice and rain but one-moment for snow, graupel, and cloud water. In a prototype test version and through numerous collaborations, the scheme is currently being altered to include prediction of cloud droplet number direct from aerosol concentrations and to predict cloud ice directly from a dust/mineral aerosol category. The scheme is extensively tested using numerous case studies from various field experiments and frequently compared to microphysical observations from research field projects. Besides observations, the scheme is also compared to various other two-moment bulk schemes (e.g. Morrison, Seifert, Milbrandt) and against results from more sophisticated explict/bin/spectral schemes (e.g. Geresdi, Khain and Lynn). Prior to working on the explicit prediction of supercooled liquid water, I developed automated icing algorithms based on numerical model output of state parameters and multispectral satellite data - much of which is used as part of the IIDA/CIP icing product.

   Visualization of weather data, graphic design, and real-time delivery of weather products. I developed software to ingest, process, and visualize weather data and streamed the output to the world wide web. This resulted in multiple, comprehensive and complex websites: NCAR-RAP Realtime Weather Data and ADDS. For the latter, I managed/directed software engineers and coordinated with our collaborators at NOAA-FSL and NCEP-AWC. ADDS is extremely popular with pilots of all abilities, major and minor airline dispatchers, and the military. It is also the showcase for products developed by the FAA's Aviation Weather Research Program.

   Primarily responsible for the start of CSU-RAMS real-time numerical weather prediction model. I wrote software to ingest first-guess gridded fields, radiosonde and surface data for assimilation/initialization and ran the model in a fully automated fashion.

WMO Cloud Modeling Workshop (2008): Workshop co-chair and organizer (with Hugh Morrison).
WMO Cloud Modeling Workshop (2000, 2004): Case study organizer.
ICE-L (2007): Prepare input data and run real-time simulations to support field operations.
IMPROVE-2 (2001): Observe/Photograph/Record snow crystals (and other parameters) during field project.
WISP94 (1994): Forecast and provide general computer/software/data support during field project.
Review articles submitted to Amer. Met. Soc. journals (ongoing).
Prepare/Present weather talks/slideshows for K-12, Universities, and professional societies (ongoing).

Proficient in UNIX/Linux, FORTRAN, Perl, NCAR-Graphics, NCL, HTML, PHP, MySQL, Javascript, Matlab

UCAR Outstanding Performance - Science and Technical Achievement (1999)
Government Technology Leadership Award (2000)
 

American Meteorological Society (AMS)
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
National Weather Association (NWA) - Aviation Meteorology Committee

Morrison, H., S. Tessendorf, K. Ikeda, and G. Thompson, 2012: Sensitivity of a simulated mid-latitude squall line to parameterization of raindrop breakup. Mon. Wea. Rev., in press.

Mahoney, K., M. A. Alexander, G. Thompson, J. Barsugli, and J. D. Scott, 2012: Changes in hail and flood risk in high-resolution simulations over Colorado's mountains. Nature Climate Change, 2, 125–131.

Heymsfield, A. J., G. Thompson, H. Morrison, A. Bansemer, R. M. Rasmussen, P. Minnis, Z. Wang, and D. Zhang, 2011: Formation and spread of aircraft-induced holes in clouds. Science, 333, 77–81.

Liu, C., K. Ikeda, G. Thompson, R. Rasmussen, and J. Dudhia, 2011: High-resolution simulations of wintertime precipitation in the Colorado headwaters region: Sensitivity to physics parameterizations. Mon. Wea. Rev., 139, 3533–3553.

Stoelinga, M. T., R. E. Stewart, G. Thompson, and J. Theriault, 2011: Microphysical processes within winter orographic cloud and precipitation systems. AMS Mountain Meteorology Monograph, in press.

Rasmussen, R., C. Liu, K. Ikeda, D. Gochis, D. Yates, F. Chen, M. Tewari, M. Barlage, J. Dudhia, W. Yu, K. Miller, K. Arsenault, V. Grubisic, G. Thompson, E. Gutmann, 2011: High-resolution coupled climate runoff simulations of seasonal snowfall over Colorado: A process study of current and warmer climate. J. Clim., 24, 3015–3048.

Ikeda, K., R. M. Rasmussen, C. Liu, D. Gochis, D. Yates, F. Chen, M. Tewari, M. Barlage, J. Dudhia, K. Miller, K. Arsenault, V. Grubisic, and G. Thompson, 2010: Simulation of Seasonal Snowfall over Colorado. Atmos. Res., 97, 462–477.

Morrison, H, G. Thompson, and V. Tatarskii, 2009: Impact of cloud microphysics on the development of trailing stratiform precipitation in a simulated squall line: Comparison of one- and two-moment schemes. Mon. Wea. Rev., 137, 991–1007.

Thompson, G., P. R. Field, R.M. Rasmussen, and W. D. Hall, 2008: Explicit Forecasts of winter precipitation using an improved bulk microphysics scheme. Part II: Implementation of a new snow parameterization. Mon. Wea. Rev., 136, 5095–5115.

Brandes, E., K. Ikeda, G. Thompson, and M. Schönhuber, 2008: Aggregate Terminal Velocity/Temperature Relations. J. Appl. Meteor. Climat., 47, 2729–2736.

Ikeda, K., R. M. Rasmussen, W. Hall, G. Thompson, 2007: Observations of freezing drizzle in extratropical cyclonic storms during IMPROVE-2. J. Atmos. Sci., 64, 3016–3043.

Thompson, G., R.M. Rasmussen, and K. Manning, 2004: Explicit Forecasts of winter precipitation using an improved bulk microphysics scheme. Part I: Description and sensitivity analysis. Mon. Wea. Rev., 132, 519–542.

Stoelinga, M.T., P.V. Hobbs, C.F. Mass, J.D. Locatelli, B.A. Colle, R.A. Houze Jr., A. Rangno, N.A. Bond, B.F. Smull, R.M. Rasmussen, G. Thompson, and B.R. Colman, 2003: Improvement of microphysical parameterization through observational verification experiments (IMPROVE) Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 84, 1807–1826.

Rasmussen, R.M., I. Geresdi, G. Thompson, K. Manning, and E. Karplus, 2002: Freezing drizzle formation in stably stratified layer clouds: The role of radiative cooling of cloud droplets, cloud condensation nuclei, and ice initiation. J. Atmos. Sci., 59, 837–860.

Thompson, G., T.F. Lee, and R. Bullock, 1997: Using Satellite data to reduce areal extent of diagnosed icing. Wea. & Forecasting, 12, 185–190.

Thompson, G., R. Bruintjes, B. Brown, and F. Hage, 1997: Intercomparison of in-flight icing algorithms. Part I: WISP94 real-time icing prediction and evaluation program. Wea. & Forecasting, 12, 878–889.

Brown, B., G. Thompson, R. Bruintjes, R. Bullock, and T. Kane, 1997: Intercomparison of in-flight icing algorithms. Part II: Statistical verification results. Wea. & Forecasting, 12, 890–914.

Cotton, W., G. Thompson, and P. Mielke, 1994: Real-time mesoscale prediction on workstations. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 75, 349–362.

Thompson, G., and R. Rasmussen, 2002: Detailed comparisons of aircraft icing environments and model-predicted microphysics. 10th Conf. on Aviation, Range and Aerospace Meteorology, 13-16 May, Portland, OR, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 251–255.

Thompson, G., B. C. Bernstein, and R. Rasmussen, 2000: Application of a mixed-phase microphysics scheme to predict aircraft icing. Preprints, 9th Conf. on Aviation, Range and Aerospace Meteorology, 11-15 September, Orlando, FL, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 251–255.

Thompson, G., R. Rasmussen, K. Manning, and J. Brown, 1999: Status update on MM5's Reisner2 microphysics scheme. Preprints, MM5 Workshop, 23–24 June, Boulder, CO.

Thompson, G., T. F. Lee, and J. Vivekanandan, 1997: Comparisons of satellite-based aircraft icing diagnoses. Preprints, 7th Conf. on Aviation, Range and Aerospace Meteorology, 2–7 February, Long Beach, CA, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 132–137.

Thompson, G., R. Bruintjes, and J. F. Bresch, 1996: Comparison of numerical model simulations and satellite observations of an upslope cloud system. Proc., 12th Int'l. Conf. on Clouds and Precipitation, 19–23 August, Zurich, Switzerland, 892–894.

Bruintjes, R. T., and G. Thompson, 1996: Comparisons between simulations of the formation of supercooled drizzle drops in stratiform clouds. Proc., 12th Int'l. Conf. on Clouds and Precipitation, 19–23 August, Zurich, Switzerland, 85–88.

Vivekanandan, J., G. Thompson, and T. F. Lee, 1996: Aircraft icing detection using satellite data and weather forecast model results. FAA International Conference on Aircraft Icing, 6–8 May, Springfield, VA, 365–373.

Politovich, M. K. and G. Thompson, 1996: A meteorologically-based icing severity index. FAA International Conference on Aircraft Icing, 6–8 May, Springfield, VA, 375–385.

Politovich, M. K., B. G. Brown, G. Thompson, R. Bruintjes, and B. C. Bernstein, 1996: Toward improved aviation forecasts for icing. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 15–18 January, Reno, NV

Thompson, G., R. Bruintjes, and B. Brown, 1995: A comprehensive icing prediction and evaluation program. Preprints, 6th Conference on Aviation Weather Systems, Dallas, TX, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 243–248.

Thompson, G., T. Lee, and R. Bruintjes, 1995: Comparison of SSM/I and model estimates of integrated cloud water during WISP94. Preprints, 14th Conf. on Weather Analysis and Forecasting, Dallas, TX, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 395–400.

Bruintjes, B., and G. Thompson, 1995: A case study of a moderate to severe icing event due to freezing drizzle during the WISP94 field program. Preprints, 14th Conf. on Weather Analysis and Forecasting, Dallas, TX, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 1–6.

Brown, B., R. Bullock, G. Thompson, and R. Bruintjes, 1995: WISP94 real-time icing prediction and evaluation program (WRIPEP): Statistical issues and forecast verification results. Preprints, 6th Conf. on Aviation Weather Systems, Dallas, TX, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 207–212.

Brown, B. G., G. Thompson, R. Bruintjes, and R. Bullock, 1994: Verification of in-flight icing algorithms: Results of the WISP94 real-time icing prediction and evaluation program (WRIPEP). Technical Doc, 90 pps.

Thompson, G., 1993: Prototype real-time mesoscale prediction during the 1991-92 winter season and statistical verification of model data. M.S. thesis, Atmos. Sci. Paper No. 521, Colorado State University, Dept. of Atmos. Sci., 105pp.

Thompson, G., and W. Cotton, 1993: Winter season mesoscale prediction and statistical analysis. Preprints, 13th Conf. on Weather Analysis and Forecasting, Vienna, Virginia, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 508–511.

Thompson, G., and W. Cotton, 1992: Prototype real-time forecasting of clouds and precipitation using a mesoscale model. Proc., 11th Int. Conf. on Clouds and Precipitation, Montreal, Canada, Inter. Comm. on Clouds and Precipitation, 1114–1117.