Richard Stanley Stolarski (November 22, 1941 – February 22, 2024) was an American atmospheric scientist. He played a critical role in the discovery of the ozone hole.
Richard Stanley Stolarski | |
|---|---|
 Stolarski in 2017 | |
| Born | November 22, 1941 |
| Died | February 22, 2024 (aged 82) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | |
| Known for | Ozone depletion research |
| Awards | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award, United Nations Environment Programme Global Ozone Award, NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, NASA Robert H. Goddard Award of Merit[1] |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
Early life and education
editStolarski was originally from Tacoma, Washington, the son of Stanley and Rose Stolarski.[2] He obtained his bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from the University of Puget Sound in 1963 and his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Florida in 1966.
Career and research
editWith Ralph Cicerone, he identified the role of chlorine in ozone depletion.
Stolarski was at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center for 30 years. At NASA he was involved in satellite measurements of ozone (first with the TOMS, Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer, on the Nimbus 7 satellite). In 1986 they confirmed observations of an ozone hole in spring over Antarctica by Farmer, Gardiner and Shanklin of the British Antarctic Survey from 1985.[3]
In 2010, he became a research professor in the Morton K. Blaustein Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Johns Hopkins University.[4]
Death
editStolarski died on February 22, 2024, at the age of 82.[4]
References
edit- ^ Mohr, Karen. "Richard Stolarski Maniac Lecture | Earth". earth.gsfc.nasa.gov.
- ^ "Richard S. Stolarski Obituary 2024". Beall Funeral Home.
- ^ R. S. Stolarski, A. J. Krueger, M. R. Schoeberl, R. D. McPeters, P. A. Newman, J. C. Alpert Nimbus 7 SBUV/TOMS measurements of the springtime Antarctic ozone decrease, Nature, Band 322, 1986, S. 808–811
- ^ a b "Atmospheric scientist, ozone specialist Richard S. Stolarski dies at 82". The Hub. February 27, 2024.
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