Lars Peter Riishojgaard, Senior Research Scientist, GEST Fellow

GEST Research Group:

GMAO

GSFC Code:

610.1

Mailing Address:

NASA GSFC, Code 610.1
Building 33, Room G111
Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA

Phone:

(301) 763-8172

Fax:

Email:

Lars.Riishojgaard@noaa.gov

Research Interests:

Research Interest Text

Biography:

Dr. Lars Peter Riishojgaard received an M.Sc. in geophysics from the University of Copenhagen in 1989 and a Ph.D. in geophysics from the same institution in 1992. His permanent affiliation from 1989 through 1995 was with the research department of the Danish Meteorological Institute in Copenhagen. Part of his thesis work in general circulation modeling with special emphasis on processes relevant for stratospheric ozone was carried out at the Centre National de Recherches Meteorologiques in Toulouse. He took up a visiting scientist position there from 1993-1994, a period during which he pioneered the application of variational assimilation methods to the problem of driving dynamical flow fields from tracer observations. Late in 1995 he came to the Data Assimilation Office (DAO) at NASA Goddard as a USRA visiting fellow. He designed and led the development of a three-dimensional ozone assimilation system, in parallel with carrying out research in the area of state-dependent covariance modeling. In June 1999 he took up a staff position at EUMETSAT in Darmstadt with user requirements for future space-based observing systems as the main responsibility. In August 2000 he returned to the DAO to lead the development of its analysis system, and with the formation of the GMAO in 2003 he became the lead of its satellite data group. He became the NASA Deputy Director of the newly created Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation in 2002 and became the second director of the Center in 2007. In 2004 he launched the initiative for a new space mission, the Molniya Orbit Imager, the purpose of which is to demonstrate the high temporal resolution imaging capabilities of this orbit for the high-latitude regions. He has since played leading roles in a number of different space mission proposals and is the Co-Chair of the US Working Group on Space-Based Wind Lidars. He is the Chair of the Open Program Area Group on the Integrated Observing System under WMO's Commission for Basic Systems. Dr. Riishojgaard has been with UMBC since February 1997 and with GEST since September 2000.