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Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Yale University
New Haven, CT
United States of America

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Research Interests

General Circulation Modeling

General Circulation Models (GCMs) are computional models that solve the primitive equations of meteorology. Using GCMs allows us to simulate the complex states of planetary atmospehres and oceans, providing access to immense datasets of simulated variables, including winds, temperatures, and compositions. I work with the Titan Atmospheric Model (TAM) which was developed by my advisor, Professor Juan Lora, and built on the GFDL FMS system. During my PhD, I added new modules to the model to capture the seasonally varying radiative heating due to the seasonaly in atmopsheric composition, as well as stabilize the upper-most levels of the model. These allowed us to better simulate the middle atmosphere of Titan, and resulted in multiple publications.

Observational Astronomy

I've lead studies of Titan's atmosphere that used data from the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) on the Cassini spacecraft and the Texes Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) on Mauna Kea. With these datasets, I've made the first measurements of propene in the stratosphere, as well as the first detection of propadiene on Titan. By using different wavelengths of light, I've also made the deepest measurement of ethane in Titan's stratosphere, providing a useful constraint for photochemical and dynamical models.

Latest GOES-16 Image – Our planet ~20 minutes ago

First Author

1. 2023 "The Heat and Momentum Budgets of Titan's Middle Atmosphere"
   Lombardo, N. A. & Lora, J. M.
2. 2023 "Influence of Observed Seasonally Varying Composition on Titan's Stratospheric Circulation"
   Lombardo, N. A. & Lora, J. M.
3. 2019 "Detection of Propadiene on Titan"
   Lombardo, N. A., Nixon, C. A., Greathouse, T. K., Bézard, B., Jolly, A., Vinatier, S., Teanby, N. A., Richter, M. J., Irwin, P. J. G., Coustenis, A., Flasar, F. M.
4. 2019 "Ethane in Titan’s Stratosphere from Cassini CIRS Far- and Mid-Infrared Spectra"
   Lombardo, N. A., Nixon, C. A., Sylvestre, M., Jennings, D. E., Teanby, N., Irwin, P. G. J., and Flasar, F. M.
5. 2019 "Spatial and Seasonal Variations in C3Hx Hydrocarbon Abundance in Titan’s Stratosphere with Cassini CIRS Observations"
   Lombardo, N. A., Nixon, C. A., Achterberg, R. K., Sung, K., Jolly, A., Irwin, P. G. J., and Flasar, F. M.

Co-Author

1. 2023 "Equatorial Waves and Superrotation in the Stratosphere of a Titan General Circulation Model"
   Lewis, N. T., Lombardo, N. A., Read, P. T., Lora, J. M.
2. 2023 "Spitzer IRS Observations of Titan as a Precursor to JWST MIRI Observations"
   Coy, B. P., Nixon, C. A., Rowe-Gurney, N., Achterberg, R. K., Lombardo, N. A., Fletcher, L. N., Irwin, P. G. J.
3. 2022 "New Constraints on Titan’s Stratospheric n-Butane Abundance"
   Steffans, B.L., Nixon, C.A, Sung, K., Irwin, P.G.J., Lombardo, N.A., Pereira, E.
4. 2020 "N2 and H2 Broadened Isobutane Infrared Absorption Cross Sections and Butane Upper Limits on Titan"
   Hewett, D., Bernath, P. F., Wong, A., Billinghurst, B. E., Zhao, J., Lombardo, N. A., Nixon, C. A., Jennings, D. E.
5. 2019 "Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer Observations of Titan 2004-2017"
   Nixon, C. A., Ansty, T., Lombardo, N. A., Bjoraker, G. L., Achterberg, R. K., Annex, A. M., Rice, M., Romani, P. N., Jennings, D. E., Coustenis, A., Bézard, B., Vinatier, S., Lellouch, E., Teanby, N. A., Cottini, V., Flasar, F. M.