Dr. Ram Vasudev
Research Scientist
Atmospheric Laser
Spectroscopy Group
Jet Propulsion
Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove
Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109
Phone:
(818)-354-5371
Fax:
(818)-393-4445
E-mail:
rvasudev@jpl.nasa.gov
Professional
Background:
I came to JPL in
February 2001, after spending many years in Academia. I got my Ph.D. in
Chemical Physics from Dalhousie University in Canada. Subsequently, I worked as
a postdoc/research associate with eminent spectroscopists and photochemists,
such as the late Prof. John C.D. Brand at University of Western Ontario (laser
spectroscopy) and Prof. Richard N. Zare at Stanford University (laser
spectroscopy, photochemistry and chemical dynamics). I then spent many years in
Academia as a faculty member. My work in the last several years has been funded
by the National Science Foundation, Petroleum Research Fund, Research
Corporation, Department of Energy (DOE) and Westinghouse Savannah River Corp (a
DOE contractor). I eventually got tired of working at small universities, so
moved to JPL.
Research
Interests:
· Laser spectroscopy at visible, ultraviolet,
near-infrared and mid-infrared wavelengths
· Linear and nonlinear laser spectroscopy;
Cavity ring-down laser spectroscopy; Laser-induced fluorescence; Raman
spectroscopy; Polarization spectroscopy; Doppler spectroscopy; Multiphoton
spectroscopy; Photoionization spectroscopy/time-of-flight mass spectrometry;
Optogalvanic spectroscopy; Laser-induced breakdown (plasma emission)
spectroscopy
· Spectroscopy/photochemistry in supersonic
molecular beams
· Fundamental state-to-state photochemistry
and chemical dynamics/kinetics
· Application of laser spectroscopy to
environmental chemistry
· Application of infrared diode laser spectroscopy
to terrestrial and planetary atmospheric chemistry (current project);
application of cavity ring-down spectroscopy to planetary exploration (proposal
pending); detection of signatures of life through (a) laser spectroscopic
measurement of biogenic molecules and their isotopic composition (current
project, proposal pending); and (b) detection of key biological molecules such
as glycine and structurally related species (proposal pending).
Representative
Publications:
· H.D. Bist, J.C.D. Brand and R. Vasudev,
"The Resonance Raman Spectrum of Nitrogen Dioxide," J. Mol. Spec., 66,
399 (1979).
· R. Vasudev and J.C.D. Brand,
"Two-Photon Spectrum of Toluene Vapor," Chem. Phys., 37, 211 (1979);
R. Vasudev and J.C.D. Brand, "Two-Photon Excitation Spectrum of
Fluorobenzene Vapor," J. Mol. Spec., 75, 288 (1979).
· R. Vasudev and J.C.D. Brand,
"Excitation Spectrum of the Near Ultraviolet Bands of CS2," Can. J.
Chem., 58, 454 (1980); R. Vasudev, "Laser-Induced Fluorescence of
the ResB2 State of CS2 excited at 3547
A," Chem. Phys., 64, 167 (1982).
· R. Vasudev and W.M. McClain,
"Two-Photon Excitation of the C1B2 State of SO2,"
J. Mol. Spec., 89, 125 (1981).
· R. Vasudev and R.N. Zare, "Laser
Optogalvanic Study of HCO A State Predissociation," J. Chem. Phys., 76,
5267 (1982).
· E.E. Marinero, R. Vasudev and R.N. Zare,
"The E,F1S g+
Double-Minimum State of H2: Two-Photon Excitation of the Inner and
Outer Wells," J. Chem. Phys., 78, 6921 (1983).
· R. Vasudev, R.N. Zare and R.N. Dixon,
"Dynamics of Photodissociation of HONO at 369 nm: Motional Anisotropy and
Internal State Distribution of the OH Fragment," Chem. Phys. Lett., 96,
399 (1983); R. Vasudev, R.N. Zare and R.N. Dixon, "State-Selected
Photodissociation Dynamics: Complete Characterization of the OH Fragment
Ejected by the HONO A State," J. Chem. Phys., 80, 4863 (1984).
· R. Vasudev, "Anisotropies in
Laser-Induced Chemical Processes: Ejection of OH by the HONO A State," in
Advances in Laser Science (W.C. Stwalley and M. Lapp, editors), volume 1,
pp.549-554, Am. Inst. Phys., New York (1986). Based on an invited paper
presented at International Laser Science meeting in Dallas, Texas.
· J.H. Shan and R. Vasudev, "Influence
of Intramolecular Dynamics on State-to-State Photochemistry: Fragmentation of
the A State of Trans DONO," Chem. Phys. Lett., 141, 472 (1987);
J.H. Shan, V. Vorsa, S.J. Wategaonkar and R. Vasudev, "Influence of
Intramolecular Vibrational Dynamics on State-to-State Photodissociation: Trans
DONO (A) versus HONO (A)," J. Chem. Phys., 90, 5493 (1989).
· J.H. Shan, S.J. Wategaonkar and R. Vasudev,
"Vibrational State-Dependence of HONO's A State Lifetime," Chem.
Phys. Lett., 158, 317 (1989).
· J.H. Shan, S.J. Wategaonkar and R. Vasudev,
"State-Selected Dissociation of Cis HONO (A A"): Effect of
intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding," Chem. Phys. Lett., 160, 614
(1989).
· S.J. Wategaonkar, J.H. Shan and R. Vasudev,
"Fragmentation Dynamics of HONO's B State," Chem. Phys., 139,
283 (1989).
· R. Vasudev, "Absorption Spectrum and
Solar Photodissociation of Gaseous Nitrous Acid in the Actinic Wavelength
Region," Geophys. Res. Lett., 17, 2153 (1990).
· S.W. Novicki and R. Vasudev, "Doppler
Spectroscopy of the OH Fragment Ejected by trans HONO (A1A"):
Characterization of the A State Resonances and Determination of Internal Energy
Content of the NO Fragment," J. Chem. Phys., 95, 7269 (1992).
· R. Vasudev and S.W. Novicki,
"SubDoppler Polarization Spectroscopy of OH ejected by Vibrational
State-Selected trans HONO (A1A"): OH vector Correlations,
Energy Correlation Between Coincident OH,NO Pairs, and Energy Transfer
Pathways," Chem. Phys., 226, 201 (1998).
· S.W. Novicki and R. Vasudev,
"Photodissociation of HONO at 218 nm: Motional Anisotropy of the OH
Photofragment," Chem. Phys. Lett., 176, 118 (1991).
· R. Vasudev, S.J. Wategaonkar, S.W. Novicki
and J.H. Shan, "State-selected dissociation of trans HONO(A1A")
and DONO(A1A"): Effect of Intramolecular Vibrational Dynamics
on Fragmentation Rate, Stereochemistry and Product Energy Distribution," a
chapter in Isotope Effects in Gas-Phase Chemistry, J.A. Kaye (Editor), Am.
Chem. Soc., Washington (1992); Based on an invited paper presented at the
National ACS meeting in Atlanta.
· S.W. Novicki and R. Vasudev,
"Photodissociation of Methylhydroperoxide at 266 nm: Vector Correlations
and Energy Distribution in the OH Photofragment," J. Chem. Phys., 93,
8725 (1990).
· G. Zikratov, R. Vasudev, F-Y. Yueh and J.
Marra, "Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy of Hf-Doped Vitrified
Glass," Glass Technology, 40, 84 (1999).
· F.Y. Yueh, J.P. Singh, C.F. Su, R. Vasudev
and J. Marra, "Elemental Concentration Measurement of Vitrified Glass by
Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy," Environmental Issues and Waste
Management Technologies III, pp. 33-42 (1998).
· R.L. Cook, G.P. Miller, D.L. Monts, J.P.
Singh and R. Vasudev, "Recent Advances in Environmental Monitoring,"
Proceedings of Second International Symposium on Measuring Techniques for
Multiphase Flows, Beijing, China (1998).
· F.Y. Yueh, J.P. Singh, C.F. Su, R. Vasudev
and J. Marra, "Metal concentration measurement in vitrified glass by
laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy," Proc. Am. Ceramic Soc., Cincinnati,
Ohio, May 4-7 (1997).
· R. Vasudev, A. Usachev and W.R. Dunsford,
"Sensitive Detection of Toxic Compounds by Cavity Ring-Down
Spectroscopy," Environmental Science & Technology, 33, 1936
(1999).
· I. Tretiakov and R. Vasudev,
"Sensitive Detection of Chlorinated Compounds by Cavity Ring-Down
Spectroscopy," to be published.
· R. Vasudev, A. Usachev, W.R. Dunsford, J.P.
Singh, F.Y. Yueh and R.L. Cook, "Detection of Off-Gas Compounds by Cavity
Ring-Down Spectroscopy," AIAA 28th Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference,
Atlanta, GA, June 23-25 (1997).
----------------------------------------
Other
Interests/Hobbies:
Nature
photography; bird-watching; environmental issues; travel - especially to nature
photography destinations. I like to photograph birds, bugs/insects, wild
flowers, landscapes, … My current favorite southern/central California
locations are Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, San Jacinto Wildlife Area and
Eastern Sierra. I would like to check out Morro Bay and Carrizo Plain National
Monument in the near future. I will have my own photography website one of
these days. In the meantime, here are a few of my photos for your viewing
pleasure. Enjoy!
Great Blue Heron (Ardea
herodias) with fish (photographed 1997).GBH is a very common wading bird,
feeds in shallow water on fish, frogs and aquatic insects. The fish is swallowed
head first, as in this photo. This GBH took several minutes to swallow the
fish, for obvious reasons!
Grasshopper on Black-Eyed Susan
(photographed ~1997)
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia
hirta) is a hardy, herbaceous perennial that can be found all over the U.S.
in summer and belongs to the Daisy family. BES forms neat clusters, 1 to 3 feet
high. The oval/elliptic shaped leaves are 3 to 6 inches long. The single or
double flowers are 2 to 6 inches across and are colored yellow and sometimes
reddish-brown.
Anhinga at sunset, photographed
1998 (the photo has been modified to look like a magazine cover). Anhinga (Anhinga
anhinga) is common in freshwater swamps, marshes, lakes and rivers. One of
the best places to see this bird is the Everglades National Park. Also known as
the "snake bird," Anhinga feeds by diving into water, spearing prey
such as fish with its pointed bill, surfacing, tossing the prey and then
swallowing it, head first. It also feeds on aquatic insects, frogs and baby
alligators.
November, 2001