Michael Ramsey

Associate Professor
Volcanology/Planetary Science

Geology & Planetary Science
509 SRCC
4107 O'Hara Street
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260

412-624-8772

mramsey@pitt.edu

Degree

PhD in Geological Sciences, 1996
Arizona State University
Curriculum Vitae

Research Areas

  • Physical volcanology and natural hazard research
  • Infrared spectroscopy and petrology of silicate melt systems
  • Thermal infrared remote sensing of Mars surface processes
  • Sediment transport/deposition in large eolian systems
  • New instrument development for air and space exploration

Research page
Research Lab Group Page

Courses Offered

  • GEOL 0820 Natural Disasters
    The geologic, hydrologic and atmospheric processes that catastrophically affect the human environment. For non-majors and beginning majors. Offered every spring.
  • GEOL 1460 Introduction to Remote Sensing
    Introduction to the techniques of remote sensing as applied to the geosciences and environmental studies. For upper-level undergraduate majors and non-majors. Offered every fall.
  • GEOL 2460 Applied Remote Sensing & GPS Techniques
    Field-oriented remote sensing problems, data collection, and verification. Graduate level. Offered alternate years in the spring.
  • GEOL 2640 Advanced Geohazards & Risk Management
    Catastrophic geological and natural processes in terms of science, prediction, mitigation, avoidance and policy/safety issues. Graduate level. Offered alternate years in the spring.
  • GEOL 3970 Remote Exploration of the Moon and Mars
    Focus on the theory, technology and science of the recent and upcoming remote sensing data sets of Mars. Graduate level. Offered occasionally.

Representative Publications

Lee, R.J., Ramsey, M.S. and King, P.L., Development of a novel laboratory technique for hightemperature thermal emission spectroscopy of silicate melts, Journal of Geophysical Research, in press, 2013.

Ramsey. M.S. and Harris, A.J.L., Volcanology 2020: How will thermal remote sensing of volcanic surface activity evolve over the next decade?, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2012.05.011, 2012.

Ramsey, M.S., Wessels, R.L. and Anderson, S.W., Surface textures and dynamics of the 2005 lava dome at Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka, Geological Society of America Bulletin, doi:10.1130/B30580.1, (cover issue), 2012.

Scheidt, S., Lancaster, N. and Ramsey. M., Eolian dynamics and sediment mixing in the Gran Desierto, Sonora, MX: Fusion of infrared orbital and emission spectroscopy data, Geological Society of America Bulletin, doi:10.1130/B30338.1, 2011.

Hughes, C.G. and Ramsey, M.S., Super-resolution of THEMIS thermal infrared data: Creating radiometrically-accurate, sub-100 meter resolution images of Mars, Icarus, 208, 704-720, doi:10.1016/ j.icarus.2010.02.023, 2010.

Carter, A.J., Ramsey, M.S., Durant, A.J., Skilling, I.P., and Wolfe, A.L., Micron-scale roughness of volcanic surfaces from thermal infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 114, B02213, doi:10.1029/2008JB005632, 2009.

Ramsey, M.S. (2002) Ejecta distribution patterns at Meteor Crater, Arizona: On the applicability of lithologic end-member deconvolution for spaceborne thermal infrared data of Earth and Mars, Journal of Geophysical Research 107(E8), doi:10.1029/2001JE001827.

Full list of publications

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