Mike Pavolonis is a physical scientist at the NOAA/NESDIS Center
for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR). He works within the
Advanced Satellite Products Branch (ASPB), located in Madison, WI.
Mike received his B.S. in Meteorology from the Pennsylvania State
University (2000) and his M.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
from the University of Wisconsin - Madison (2002). Prior to joining
STAR in September of 2005, Mike worked as a researcher in the
Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) at
the University of Wisconsin from May 2002 - August 2005.
Research Interests
Early on, while working at CIMSS, Mike's research
focused on studying the energy budget in the Antarctic using satellite-
derived data sets and a regional climate model. Since then, Mike's
research has primarily focused on developing new remote sensing
techniques for inferring cloud properties from space. He developed
automated multilayered cloud and thermodynamic phase detection
algorithms for both heritage (e.g. AVHRR) and new sensors (e.g. MODIS,
VIIRS, and ABI), with an emphasis on improving satellite-derived
climate data sets. In addition, Mike has worked on developing new
techniques to automatically detect volcanic aerosols from space in an
effort to help prevent dangerous aircraft encounters with volcanic
clouds.
With the advent of new, more advanced, hyperspectral sensors such as
the AIRS and the
IASI
and active spaceborne sensors such as the GLAS,
CALIPSO,
and CloudSat, cloud research has benefited greatly. Mike is
currently utilizing the active sensors, which are capable of providing
vertical profiles of extinction through cloud layers, to help validate
products derived from passive sensors. He is also utilizing high-
resolution infrared spectra, such as from the AIRS, both alone and in
concert with high spatial resolution imager data and active sensor data,
to study ice cloud microphysical and dynamic processes on a global
scale.
Mike has also worked on developing remote sensing techniques for
future instruments such as the GOES-R
ABI and VIIRS on
NPOESS.
He is a
member of the GOES-R Algorithm Working Group Cloud and Aviation
Application Teams. He developed the Geostationary Cloud Algorithm
Testbed (GEOCAT) software, which is used for developing, implementing,
and testing GOES-R algorithms. He also developed the Low Earth Orbiting
Cloud Algorithm Testbed (LEOCAT) for developing, implementing, and
testing NPOESS algorithms.
Mike Pavolonis is a physical scientist at the NOAA/NESDIS Center
for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR). He works within the
Advanced Satellite Products Branch (ASPB), located in Madison, WI.
Mike received his B.S. in Meteorology from the Pennsylvania State
University (2000) and his M.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
from the University of Wisconsin - Madison (2002). Prior to joining
STAR in September of 2005, Mike worked as a researcher in the
Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS) at
the University of Wisconsin from May 2002 - August 2005.