Nicolas Thomas

Position: | |
University Professor Head of the Physics Institute | |
Education: | |
1982 - 1986 | DPhil. in the Dept. of Physics, University of York. Thesis entitled "Studies of the Jovian satellite, Io." |
1981 - 1982 | MSc. in "Experimental Space Physics" in the Dept. of Physics, University of Leicester |
1978 - 1981 | The Polytechnic, Wolverhampton BSc. (Hons.) in "Combined Studies" |
Employment: | |
since 2015 | Director of the Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern |
since 2003 | Professor of Experimental Physics, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern |
1992 - 2003 | Staff position, Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie (MPAe) |
1991 - 1992 | ESA post-doctoral research fellowship, Space Science Department /SI, ESTEC |
1986 - 1991 | Post-doctoral research grant from the Max-Planck- Gesellschaft, Max-Planck-Institut für Aeronomie (MPAe) |
Awards and Honors: | |
2011 | ESA Achievement Award for contributions to Venus Express |
1997 - 2019 | Various NASA Group Achievement Awards |
1992 | Joint Russian Academy of Sciences-Space Research Institute/COSPAR Zel'dovich Award |
1986 | K.M. Stott prize for physics (for the best physics thesis at the University of York in 1986) |
Selected Publications: | |
Marschall, R., C. C. Su, Y. Liao, N. Thomas, K. Altwegg, H. Sierks, W.-H. Ip, H. U. Keller, J. Knollenberg, E. Kührt, I. L. Lai, M. Rubin, Y. Skorov, J. S. Wu, L. Jorda, F. Preusker, F. Scholten, A. Gracia-Berna, A. Gicquel, G. Naletto, X. Shi, and J.-B. Vincent, 2016, Modelling observations of the inner gas and dust coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko using ROSINA/COPS and OSIRIS data: First results, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 589, A90. | |
Thomas, N., B. Davidsson, M.R. El-Maarry, S. Fornasier, L. Giacomini, A.G. Gracia Berna, S.F. Hviid, W.-H. Ip, L. Jorda, H.U. Keller, J. Knollenberg, E. Kührt, F. La Forgia, I.L. Lai, Y. Liao, R. Marschall, M. Massironi, S. Mottola, M. Pajola, O. Poch, A. Pommerol, F. Preusker, F. Scholten, C.C. Su, J.S. Wu, J.-B. Vincent, H. Sierks, C. Barbieri, P.L. Lamy, R. Rodrigo, H. Rickman, D. Koschny, M.F. A’Hearn, M.A. Barucci, J-L. Bertaux, I. Bertini, G. Cremonese, V. Da Deppo, S. Debei, M. Fulle, O. Groussin, P.J. Gutierrez, J.-R. Kramm, M. Küppers, L. M. Lara, M. Lazzarin, J. J. Lopez Moreno, F. Marzari, H. Michalik, G. Naletto, and C. Güttler, 2015, Redistribution of particles across the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Astron. Astrophys., 583, A17, dx.doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201526049. | |
Thomas, N., H. Sierks, C. Barbieri, P.L. Lamy, R. Rodrigo, H. Rickman, D. Koschny, H.U.Keller, J. Agarwal, M.F. A'Hearn, F. Angrilli, A.-T. Auger, M.A. Barucci, J.-L. Bertaux, I. Bertini, S. Besse, D. Bodewits, G. Cremonese, V. Da Deppo, B. Davidsson, M. De Cecco, S. Debei, M.-R. El-Maarry, F. Ferri, S. Fornasier, M. Fulle, L. Giacomini, O. Groussin, P.J. Gutierrez, C. Güttler, S.F. Hviid, W.-H. Ip, L. Jorda, J. Knollenberg, J.-R. Kramm, E. Kührt, M. Küppers, F. La Forgia, L.M. Lara, M. Lazzarin, J.J. Lopez Moreno, S.Magrin, S. Marchi, F. Marzari, M. Massironi, H. Michalik, R. Moissl, S. Mottola, G. Naletto, N. Oklay, M. Pajola, A. Pommerol, F. Preusker, L. Sabau, F. Scholten, C. Snodgrass, C. Tubiana, J.-B. Vincent, K.-P. Wenzel, 2015, The Morphological Diversity of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Science, 347, aaa0440, 23 January 2015. | |
Thomas, N., C. Barbieri, H.U. Keller, P. Lamy, H. Rickman, R. Rodrigo, H. Sierks, K.P. Wenzel, G. Cremonese, L. Jorda, M. Küppers, S. Marchi, F. Marzari, M. Massironi, F. Preusker, F. Scholten, K. Stephan, M.A. Barucci, S. Besse, S. Fornasier, O. Groussin, S.F. Hviid, D. Koschny, E. Kührt, E. Martellato, R. Moissl, C. Snodgrass, C. Tubiana, and J.-B.Vincent, 2012, The geomorphology of (21) Lutetia: Results from the OSIRIS imaging system onboard ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft, Planetary and Space Science, 66, 96-124, doi:10.1016/j.pss.2011.10.003. | |
McEwen, A.S., L. Ojha, C.M. Dundas, S.S. Mattson, S. Byrne, J.J. Wray, S.C. Cull, S.L. Murchie, N. Thomas, and V.C. Gulick, 2011, Seasonal Flows on Warm Martian Slopes, Science, Science, 333, 740. | |
Thomas, N., G. Portyankina, C.J. Hansen, and A. Pommerol, 2011, HiRISE observations of gas sublimation-driven activity in Mars' southern polar regions: IV. Fluid dynamics models of CO2 jets, Icarus, 212, 66-85, dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2010.12.016. | |
Gunderson, K., B.S. Lüthi, P. Russell, and N. Thomas, 2007, Visible/NIR photometric signatures of liquid water in Martian regolith simulant, Planetary and Space Science, 55, 1272-1282. | |
Boice, D.C., Soderblom, L.A., Britt, D.T., Brown, R.H., Sandel, B.R., Yelle, R.V., Buratti, B.J., Hicks, M., Nelson, R.M., Rayman, M., Oberst, J., Thomas, N., 2002, The Deep Space 1 Encounter with Comet 19p/Borrelly. Earth, Moon and Planets, 89, 301-324. | |
Thomas, N. and Keller, H.U., 1990, Interpretation of the inner coma observations of comet P/Halley by the Halley Multicolour Camera. Annales Geophysicae. 8 147-168. | |
Keller, H.U., Delamere, W.A., Huebner, W.F., Reitsema, H.J., Schmidt, H.U., Whipple, F.L., Wilhelm, K., Curdt, W., Kramm, J.R., Thomas, N., Arpigny, C., Barbieri, C., Bonnet, R.M., Cazes, S., Coradini, M., Cosmovici, C.B., Hughes, D.W., Jamar, C., Malaise, D., Schmidt, K., Schmidt, W.K.H., and Seige, P., 1987, Comet P/Halley's nucleus and its activity, Astron. Astrophys. 187 807-823. | |