Focus Area
Remote Sensing, Earth, & Space Sciences
Education
Ph.D., Applied Physics, Harvard University, 1975
M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois, 1970
B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 1968
Professional Experience
1993-Present, Professor, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado
1992-1993, Visiting Scientist, High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder
1987-1994, Professor, Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, Boston University
Awards (selected)
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal (1991)
Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Department of Physics, University of Adelaide, South Australia (1986)
Air Force Commendation Medal (1974)
Research Interests
Professor Forbes' research interests include the upper atmosphere environments of Earth, Mars, and other planets; coupling of these environments to lower altitudes and to solar variability; geomagnetic storm effects on satellite drag variability; the vertical propagation of tides and planetary waves in planetary atmospheres, and their electrodynamic and chemical effects; utilization of accelerometer, satellite drag, and satellite remote sensing data to elucidate atmospheric variability, and to test, validate and develop upper atmosphere models. He also conducts numerical simulations of the above phenomena.
Publications (selected)
Forbes, J.M., Bruinsma, S., and F.G. Lemoine, Solar rotation effects in the thermospheres of Mars and Earth, Science, 312, 1366-1368, 2006.
Creasey, J. E. (PhD student), J. M. Forbes, and D. P. Hinson, Global and seasonal distribution of gravity wave activity in Mars' lower atmosphere derived from MGS radio occultation data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L01803, doi:10.1029/2005GL024037, 2006.
Bruinsma, S., Forbes, J.M., Nerem, R.S., and X. Zhang, Thermosphere Density Response to the 20-21 November 2003 Solar and Geomagnetic Storm from CHAMP and GRACE Accelerometer Data, J. Geophys. Res., J. Geophys. Res., 111, A06303, doi:10.1029/2005JA011284, 2006.
Forbes, J.M., and S. Miyahara, Solar Semidiurnal Tide in the Dusty Mars Atmosphere, J. Atmos. Sci., 63 (7), 1798-1817, 2006.
Forbes, J.M., Solar Tides as Revealed by Measurements of Mesosphere Temperature by the MLS Experiment on UARS, Forbes, J.M., D. Wu, and X. Zhang, J. Atmos. Sci., 63 (7), 1776-1797, 2006.
Forbes, J.M., J. Russell, S. Miyahara, X. Zhang, S. Palo, M. Mlynczak, Mertens, C.J., and M.E. Hagan, Troposphere-Thermosphere tidal coupling as Measured by the SABER Instrument on TIMED during July-September, 2002, J. Geophys. Res., in press, 2006.
Zhang, X. (PhD student), J.M. Forbes, J. Russell, S. Palo, M. Mlynczak, C.J. Mertens, and M.E. Hagan, A climatology of tidal temperatures from TIMED/SABER, J. Geophys. Res., in press, 2006.
Forbes, J. M., G. Lu, S. Bruinsma, S. Nerem, and X. Zhang, Thermosphere density variations due to the 15-24 April 2002 solar events from CHAMP/STAR accelerometer measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 110, A12S27, doi:10.1029/ 2004JA010856, 2005.
Sutton, E. K. (PhD student), J. M. Forbes, and R. S. Nerem, Global thermospheric neutral density and wind response to the severe 2003 geomagnetic storms from CHAMP accelerometer data, J. Geophys. Res., 110, A09S40, doi:10.1029/2004JA010985, 2005.M
Palo, S. E., J. M. Forbes, X. Zhang, J. M. Russell, III, C. J. Mertens, M. G. Mlynczak, G. B. Burns, P. J. Espy, and T D. Kawahara, Planetary wave coupling from the stratosphere to the thermosphere during the 2002 Southern Hemisphere pre-stratwarm period, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L23809, doi:10.1029/2005GL024298, 2005.
Svoboda, A.A. (PhD student), Forbes, J.M., and S. Miyahara, A Space-Based Climatology of MLT Diurnal Winds, Temperatures and Densities from UARS Wind Measurements, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys., 67(16), 1533-1543, 2005.
