Roger Smith
ROGER W. SMITH, Director and Professor of Physics; University of Exeter, 1963 B.S., 1967 Ph.D. Smith joined the Geophysical Institute in 1984. His main research interest has been in the remote sensing of upper atmosphere winds, their generation and their consequences. Pursuing the need to make observations in support of these studies, Smith has spent many months at remote Arctic and Antarctic locations. His work has led to an understanding of the influence of the solar wind on high latitude circulation and a realization of the importance of vertical winds. Performing research at high latitudes provided Smith with new research opportunities including studies of transient phenomena in high latitude auroras. In 1996, he accepted an appointment as associate director of the institute. After an international search, he was appointed director of the Geophysical Institute in April, 2000. As director, he has focused attention on the use of remote sensing in arctic research and building for new achievements in research through space-borne instrumentation.
My general interests are in Solar-Terrestrial Physics with particular emphasis on high latitude phenomena. Studies of wind and temperature fields in the upper atmosphere have been a long-term activity leading to new understanding of magnetosphere-ionosphere-neutral atmosphere interactions. Another interest is in the wave phenomena found in the upper atmosphere, which has lead to a new understanding of the wave spectra at very high latitudes. More recently I have taken an interest in the presence of ionospheric ions in the magnetosphere and the possibility of optical imaging of the magnetosphere from spacecraft. I have also studied the auroral signatures of flux transfer between the solar wind and the magnetosphere. Many of these interests have lead me to make observations at very high latitudes in the Arctic (beginning 1978) and Antarctic (beginning 1982).
- Memberships
- The Institute of Physics, Committee member of Irish Branch, 1978-1982
- The American Geophysical Union, Translation Committee, 1988 – 1992
- US Editorial Advisor for International Journal of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy, 1997-Present
- International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy: Chairman of Working Group 2 for Thermospheric Dynamics, 1986-1990
- Awards
- 1990 NSF Antarctica Service Medal of the United States of America
- 1990 Merit Award of the College of Natural Sciences of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, in recognition of distinguished achievement in teaching, research and service to the Physics Department and the Geophysical Institute
- Director, Geophysical Institute (2000-2011)
- Interim Director, Geophysical Institute (1999-2000)
- Associate Director, Geophysical Institute (1996-1999)
- Professor of Physics, Geophysical Institute (1989-1996)
- Associate Professor of Physics, Geophysical Institute (1984-1989)
- Reader in Physics, Ulster Polytechnic (1981-1984)
- Senior Lecturer in Physics, Ulster Polytechnic (1975-1981)
- Lecturer in Physics, Ulster Polytechnic (1971-1975)
- Research Fellow and Teaching Assistant, Queens University, Belfast (1968-1971)
- Senior Research Fellow, Exeter University (1966-1968)
- Smith, R.W., Neutral winds in the Polar Cap. In: Exploration of the Polar Upper Atmosphere, 189-198, Deehr, C.S. and J. Holtet (eds.), Reidel, 1980.
- Smith, R W. and P.J. Sweeney, Winds in the thermosphere of the northern Polar Cap, Nature, 284, 437-438, 1980.
- Rees, D., T.J. Fuller-Rowell, and R.W. Smith, Rocket-borne and ground-based measurements of high altitude thermospheric winds in the context of a 3-D time dependent model, Planet. Spa. Sci., 28, 919, 1980.
- Deehr, C.S., G.G. Sivjee, A. Egeland, K. Henriksen, P.E. Sandholt, R.W. Smith, P.J. Sweeney, C. Duncan, and J. Gilmer, Ground-based observations of F-region aurora associated with the magnetospheric cusp, J. Geophys. Res., 85, 2185-2192, 1980.
- Henriksen, K., P.E. Sandholt, A. Egeland, R.W. Smith, and C. Duncan, Optical measurements of a nightside poleward expanding aurora, J. Atmos. Terr. Phys., 44, 71-79, 1982.
- Smith, R.W., G.G. Sivjee, R.D. Stewart, F.G. McCormac, and C.S. Deehr, Polar cusp ion drift studies through high resolution interferometry of O+ 7320A emission, J. Geophys. Res., 87, 4455-4460, 1982.
- Rees, D., R.W. Smith, P.J. Charleton, F.G. McCormac, and A. Steen, The generation of vertical thermospheric winds and gravity waves at auroral latitudes. I. Observations of vertical winds, Planet. Spa. Sci., 32, 667‑685, 1984.
- Smith, R.W., K. Henriksen, C.S. Deehr, D. Rees, F.G. McCormac, and G.G. Sivjee, Thermospheric winds in the cusp: dependence on the latitude of the cusp, Planet. Spa. Sci., 33, 305-313, 1985.
