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George Mason University

Faculty & Staff Directory

Owen Kelley

  • Research Scientist

    Contact Info

    Owen headshot
    Name
    Dr. Owen A. Kelley
    Job Title
    Research Scientist
    Phone Number
    301-614-5245
    Office Number
    Code 610.2, NASA Goddard, Greenbelt, MD 20771

    Affiliations

    Centers

    • Center for Earth Observing and Spatial Research (CEOSR)

    Research Areas

    • Atmospheric Science

    Education

    Ph.D. Computational Sciences and Informatics, George Mason University, 2008; M.S. Applied Physics, George Mason University, 1997; B.A. Liberal Arts, St. John's College, 1993

    About

    I analyze data and create data visualization software to support NASA's Precipitation Processing System (PPS) at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. I have conducted research on tropical cyclones, isolated severe convective systems, and the precipitation climatology of arid regions.

    Current Research

    --Analyze and visualize NASA's multi-satellite global precipitation-estimation algorithm (IMERG).
    --Design and maintain a desktop and online data-visualization program (THOR) that allows researchers to examine the data products of NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission.
    --Reformat GPM data products from HDF5 to GIS friendly formats (e.g., GeoTIFF), virtual globe formats (e.g., Cesium, Google Earth), and NASA WorldView formats.
    --During high-impact events, generate public-relations images and movies of NASA precipitation estimates combined with lightning flashes, model-estimated steering currents, infrared observations, wildfire locations, etc.
    --Respond to questions about NASA precipitation estimation and tropical cyclones asked by researchers, members of the public, and the media.

    Selected Publications

    --Kelley, O. A., 2014: Where the least rainfall occurs in the Sahara Desert, the TRMM radar reveals a different pattern of rainfall each season. Journal of Climate, 27, 6919-6939.
    --Kelley, O. A., 2013: Adapting an existing visualization application for browser-based deployment: A case study from TRMM. Computers and Geosciences, 51, 228-237.
    --Kelley, O. A., and J. B. Halverson, 2011: How much tropical cyclone intensification can result from the energy released inside of a convective burst? Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, D20118, doi:10.1029/2011JD015954.
    --Kelley, O. A., J. Stout, M. Summers, and E. J. Zipser, 2010: Do the tallest convective cells over the tropical ocean have slow updrafts? Monthly Weather Review, 138, doi:10.1175 /2009MWR3030.1.
    --Kelley, O. A., J. Stout, and J. B. Halverson, 2005: Hurricane intensification detected by continuously monitoring tall precipitation in the eyewall. Geophysical Research Letters, 32, L20819, doi:10.1029/2005GL023583.

    Awards

    --NASA Honor Award, Global Precipitation Measurement Post-launch Team (June 2015).
    --Award for Outstanding Doctoral Work, Department for Computational and Data Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia (May 2008).
    --Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for undergraduates planning on graduate work in science or engineering (1991).

    Feature

    In the 2014, I was one of the scientists interviewed in a cable TV documentary called "Hurricane: The Anatomy". This documentary can currently be viewed on the CurosityStream.com video-streaming service. In 2012, I conducted an on-camera interview for an on-line video supplement to the weekly "Science Friday" radio program that airs on public radio. In that interview, I discussed 3D satellite-radar observations of Hurricane Sandy (2012) the day before it struck New York and New Jersey.

    Contact Info

    Owen headshot
    Name
    Dr. Owen A. Kelley
    Job Title
    Research Scientist
    Phone Number
    301-614-5245
    Office Number
    Code 610.2, NASA Goddard, Greenbelt, MD 20771