David Starr
JCET Fellow

JCET Research Group:

Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes

GSFC Code:

613.1

Mailing Address:

Head, Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Branch
Building 33, Room C405
NASA GSFC, Code 613.1
Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA

Phone:

(301) 614-6191

Fax:

(301) 614-5492

Email:

David.Starr@nasa.gov

Research Interests:

Cloud systems with emphasis on ice clouds, especially cirrus and their microphysical development, including modeling and the acquisition and analysis of various measurements.

Biography:

Dr. Starr received his Ph.D. degree in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University in 1982. He served as an assistant professor at Saint Louis University and at the State University of New York at Albany before joining the Climate and Radiation Branch of the Laboratory for Atmospheres at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in 1987. He became Head of the Mesoscale Atmospheric Processes Branch at NASA GSFC in August 2000. The branch is composed of 12 civil servants and about 50 other scientists and support personnel. The Branch seeks to understand the physics and dynamics of atmospheric processes through the use of satellite, airborne, and surface-based remote sensing observations and model simulations. Development of advanced remote sensing instrumentation (primarily lidar and radar) and techniques to measure aerosols, clouds, water vapor and winds in the troposphere is a central focus. Key areas of investigation are cloud and precipitation systems (including aerosol/cloud interaction) and their environments, ranging from the scale of individual clouds and thunderstorms to mesoscale convective systems and cyclonic storms. Characterizing climate impacts at regional and global scales, e.g., El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), is also a major focus. Besides developing and using advanced instrumentation and satellite observations, the Branch has vigorous cloud system modeling activities. The Branch plays a key science leadership role in satellite missions, such as the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM), the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) on ICESat, and the formulation of new mission concepts, such as the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM), and to mission studies for NASA HQ focused on the Decadal Survey Missions (National Academy of Science). Dr. Starr was co-Mission Scientist for the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Layers - Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) in 2002 and the Tropical Cloud Chemistry and Climate (TC4) Experiment in Costa Rica in 2007. He also participated in the Tropical Western Pacific - Ice Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE) in 2006. He presently serves on the International Commission on Clouds and Precipitation (Secretary since 2000). Dr. Starr has authored or co-authored more than 50 articles in the refereed literature. Dr. Starr has served as Validation Scientist for the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Project Science Office since 1995.