It’s always exciting to be a part of the Hampton University Atmospheric and Planetary Science group member. Mr Bhatta joined H.U. in 2016 Fall, and It is his fifth year as a PhD student in the atmospheric science track. Before joining H.U., he earned M.S. from the University of Texas at El Paso in 2016, majoring in physics. During his M.S., he studied the endohedral fullerene (VSc2N@C68) and analysed electronic and optical properties. He also earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, where he chose “Lightning” for his thesis and studied the trends of  Lightning activity in Nepal. The information they delivered from Lighting’s study has opened many possibilities for the further detailed analysis of Lightning in Nepal.  Dr Sharma and Dr Baral have been the inspiration as his advisers and for the Lightning research in Nepal. The encouragement provided by Lightning’s study motivated him to explore more about clouds and their Physics.

Now he is working with Dr Loughman at H.U.  Their proposed study develops the technique to discriminate aerosols and clouds in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS). Clouds in the UTLS are usually thin clouds known as subvisual clouds. Its presence in the UTLS plays a driving force in the radiation budget, atmospheric circulation, ozone depletion, and water vapour dehydration.  These clouds’ behaviour is different from that of stratospheric aerosols, and the presence of such clouds also contaminates aerosol satellite data. So, it is crucial to explore such clouds’ existence and vertical extent. So, Mr Bhatta is currently analysing SAGE III-ISS data products to develop a discrimination technique and compare it with CALIPSO and OMPS.

Publications & Presentations

[1] Loughman. R.L., Bhartia P. K., Nyaku.E., Taha.G., Bhatta. S. and Chen. Z. (2017) Aerosol Characterization Through the Combination of Occultation and Limb Scattering Observation. Presented at the 9th Atmospheric Limb Workshop,12-14 June 2017, Saskatchewan, Canada.

[2]  Bhusal S., Zope R., Bhatta S. and Baruah T. (2016)  “Electronic and Optical Properties of VSc2N@C68 Fullerene” J. Phys. Chem. C, 2016, 120 (49), pp  27813–27819.                    DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b08904.

[3]  Bhatta S. and Sharma S. (2011) “Trens of Lightning activities in Nepal.” Lightning Protection. NAM S&T Centre.