About Us

Ira Leifer

Bubbleology Research International, Inc.

Solvang, CA 93463

++1 805 683 3333, ira.leifer@bubbleology.com www.bubbleology.com

Last Updated August. 8, 2018

Education

Ph.D. Atmospheric Sciences Georgia Institute of Technology, 1995.

M. S. Aeronomy University of Michigan, 1989

B. Sc. Physics, Astronomy SUNY at Stony Brook, 1984

Foreign Languages

Conversational Italian. Conversational French. Japanese third year level.

Honors and Synergistic Activities

2012 -present FOSTERRS Interagency Oil Spill Response Task Force Member

2010 JSOST Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Conference Panel Member

2010 -2011 US Govt., Deepsea Plume Modeling Team Member

2010 Panel Member Blue Ocean Film Festival

2010 US Govt., Mass Balance Calculator Team Member

2010 Deep Spill 2 Study Team Leader

2010 US Govt., Technical Flow Rate Team Member

2010 BBC “How the Earth Changed History, Episode. Human Planet.” Interview.

2008 History Channel Show “Catastrophe. Episode: Planet of Fire.” Interview.

2007 History Channel Show “Methane Explosion.” Interview.

2006, 2007 Yuan Lin Science Program, bubbleology presentation and lab experiment.

2006-2008 Marine Science Advisory Committee

2006 CNN Interview on hydrate destabilization and catastrophic seepage

2005 SB Museum of Natural History Geophysics Festival – bubbleology and seeps table.

2004 Participant in Discovery Channel Episode “Diving to Bermuda “ on Bermuda Triangle and Marine Seeps

2003 Summer Session Lecture/Mentor

2003 Gulf of Mexico, Hydrates Research Consortium Member.

2002 Participation in Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Bubble Festival.

2001-2004 Strathmore’s Who’s Who.

2001 Consulting Science Editor to Odyssey Science Magazine, Bubbleology issue – July.

1997 – 2000 Mentoring a doctoral student in researching bubble microphysics at the National University of Ireland, Galway.

2000 – present Development and maintenance of the www.bubbleology.com web site describing aspects of bubble research and hydrodynamics. The site has generated downloads and inquiries from all over the world including developing countries.

Employment

 

2014 – Present CEO Bubbleology Research International

2014 – 2014 Research Associate 1, Marine Sciences Institute and Institute of Crustal Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

201?-2014 Associate Researcher 3, Marine Sciences Institute and Institute of Crustal Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.

2008 – 201? Associate Researcher 2, Marine Sciences Institute and Institute of Crustal Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.

2006 – 2008 Associate Researcher 1, Marine Sciences Institute and Institute of Crustal Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.

2005 – 2006 Assistant Researcher 4, Marine Sciences Institute and Institute of Crustal Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.

2003 – 2005 Assistant Researcher 3, Marine Sciences Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.

2001 – 2003 Assistant Researcher I, Marine Sciences Institute and Chemical Engineering Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.

Sept 1999 – 2001 Post Doctoral Researcher, Chemical Engineering Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA.

Jun 1998-Aug 1999 Visiting Scientist, TNO Physics and Electronics Laboratory, The Hague, The Netherlands.

Jan 1996-Jun 1998 Post Doctoral Researcher, Martin Ryan Institute of Marine Science, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.

1993 – Dec 1995 NORCUS Graduate Research Assistant, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Atlanta, Georgia.

1992 – 1993 NORCUS Graduate Research Assistant, Battelle Marine Sciences Laboratory, Physical Oceanography, Sequim, Washington.

1990 – 1992 Graduate Research Assistant, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Atlanta, Georgia.

1985 – 1989 Graduate Research Assistant, University of Michigan, Atmospheric Oceanic and Space Sciences Department, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

1984 – 1984 Research Technician, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Low Temperature Physics Laboratory, Stony Brook, New York.

Active Research Areas

Arctic methane emissions processes. Methane, ammonia and other trace gases, and oil slick remote sensing. Atmospheric air pollution and methane measurements. Bubble chemico-hydrodynamics. Breaking wave bubble plumes. Bubble formation. Bubble observations (sonar, video) of marine hydrocarbon seep bubble plumes. Hydrocarbon seep gas and oil geochemistry. Field studies of oil slick evolution. Numerical modeling of bubble processes. Numerical modeling of oil slick evolution. Oil droplet and oily bubble hydrodynamics. Turbulence visualization and digital particle imaging velocimetry (DPIV). Slick microbial processes. Bubble music.

Major Cruise/Campaign Participation

COMEX Airborne Campaign 6-9/2014. Multi-aircraft NASA/ESA campaign to measure methane from S. California sources Lead PI.

RV Pelican. 10/2010. Hydrate observatory sonar deployment. MC118, Gulf of Mexico. Participant scientist.

North Sea 22/4b Expedition, 8/2010, Chief Scientist

Expedition Methane America!! 10/2010. Lead PI/Chief Scientist, Transcontinental surface methane measurements.

NASA ER2, Aerospace Twin Otter 5/2010. Airborne response to the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill, lead PI/Chief mission coordinating scientist

RV Cormorant and SeBASS Twin Otter, 4/2010. Hyperspectral methane plume characterization. Lead scientist, Coal Oil Pt CA.

RV Cormorant, 10/2009. In situ mass spectrometer and gas chromatograph characterization of dissolved hydrocarbon plumes from natural seepage. Coal Oil Pt, CA.

RV Kvichak, 9/2009. Bubble and bubble plume and biological characterization of marine seepage, Grays Harbor, WA.

RV Brooks McCall, 7/2009. Bubble measurements at hydrate seepage and plume characterization, Gulf of Mexico.

RV Jan Mayen, 5/2009. Bubble calanus fisheries technology. Norway

RV Zephyr, Coal Oil Pt, CA, 3/2008 – Seep methane in the water and atmosphere using sonar (USGS), field gas chromatograph measurements, and coordination with NASA overflight in-situ methane sampling – Chief Scientist.

RV Garibaldi, Summerland, CA 10/2005. Follow-up, quantification of oil emissions from natural seeps and abandoned oil wells – chief scientist.

RV Velero – Delta Submersible, Coal Oil Pt, CA 9/2005. Submarine cruise to study marine hydrocarbon seeps – Co-chief scientist.

RV Shearwater, Coal Oil Pt, CA, 3/2005 – Seep methane in the water column and atmosphere using sonar, in-situ FID measurements, and remote sensing techniques – Chief Scientist.

Garibaldi, Summerland, CA, 11/2003 – Quantification of oil emissions from natural seeps and abandoned oil wells.

Point Sur, Pt Conception, CA, 3/2002 – Location of marine hydrocarbon seeps.

Seward/Johnson RV Link, Gulf of Mexico, 7/2001 – Seep bubble visualization, tracking bubble plume.

RV/Edwin Link Gulf of Mexico, 8/2000 – Seep bubble visualization from submersible.

Spirit of Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara Channel – 11/2001 – Geochemical and bubble visualization of a diver accessible hydrocarbon seep – Chief Scientist.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

110. Hall, J., I. Leifer, D.W. Warren, T.L. Hayhurst, D.M. Tratt. (2018) Multi-Order Carbon Spectral Imager: A sensor concept for carbon cycle investigations. Advancing Earth and Space Science. Submitted.

109. Leifer, I., Chen, Robert F., T. McClimans, F. Muller-Karger, L. Yurganov. (2018) Satellite ice extent, sea surface temperature, and atmospheric methane trends in the Barents and Kara Seas, The Cryosphere Discussion, doi:10.5194/tc-2018-75.

108. Yurganov, L., F. Muller-Karger, I. Leifer. (2018), Methane variation over terrestrial and marine Arctic areas (2010-2016): IASI satellite data. Global Biological Cycles, Under Review, 2017GB005811.

 

107. Leifer, I., C. Melton, D.M. Tratt, K.N. Buckland, C.C. Chang, J. Frash, J.L. Hall, A. Kuze, B. Leen, C. Lieven, T. Lundquist, K. Shiomi, M. Van Damme, S. Vigil. (2018) Validation of trace gas husbandry emissions by fusion of surface mobile, stationary, and airborne remote sensing with in situ mobile surface data: Chino Dairy Complex, Los Angeles Basin, Environmental Pollution, 242B, 2011-2134. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.078.

106. Leifer, I., C. Melton, M.L. Fischer, M. Fladeland, W. Gore, L. Iraci, J. Marrero, J.-M. Ryoo, T. Tanaka, E. Yates (2018), Atmospheric characterization through fused mobile airborne and surface in situ surveys: Methane emission quantification from a producing oil filed, Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 11, 1689-1705. doi:10.5194/amt-1689-2018.

105. Krings, T., I. Leifer, S. Krautwurst, K. Gerilowski, M. Hortsjann, H. Bovensmann, M. Buchwitz, J.P. Burrows, R.W. Koyler, H. Jonsson, M.M. Fladeland, Reduced methane emissions from Santa Barbara marine seeps, Remote Sensing, 9(11), 1162. doi:10.3390/rs9111162.

104. Hu, C., L. Feng, J. Holmes, G. Swayze, I. Leifer, C. Melton, O. Garcia, I. MacDonald, M. Hess, F. Muller-Karger, G. Graettinger, R. Green, Remote sensing estimation of surface oil volume during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico: Scaling up AVIRIS observations with MODIS measurements, Remote Sensing, 9(11), 1162. doi:10.3390/rs9111160.

103. Leifer, I., A. Judd, J. Hildebrandt, Life Aquatic Chemosynthetic in the photic zone – Up the food chain? Fisheries and Oceanography, 4(3), 555636. doi:10.19080/OFOAJ.2017.04.555636.

102. Krautwurst, S., K. Gerilowski, H.H. Jonsson, D.R. Thompson, R.W. Koyler, A.K. Thorpe, M. Hortsjann, M. Eastwood, I. Leifer, S. Vigil, T. Krings, J. Borchardt, M. Buchwitz, M.M. Fladeland, J.P. Burrows, H. Bovensmann, 2016. Detected methane emissions from landfills in the Los Angeles Basin during the COMEX campaign by the Methane Airborne MAPper (MAMAP) instrument and an airborne greenhouse gas in situ analyzer. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 10(9) 3429-3452. doi:10.5194/amt-10-3429-2017.

101. Zhang, M., I. Leifer, C. Hu (2017) Challenges in methane column retrievals form AVIRIS NG imagery over spectrally cluttered surfaces: A sensitivity analysis. Transactions of Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 9(8), 835, doi:10.3390/rs9080835.

100. Leifer, I., D. Chernykh, I. Semiletov, N. Shakhova. (2017) Sonar gas flux estimation by bubble insonification: Application to methane bubble fluxes from the East Siberian Arctic Shelf seabed. The Cryosphere, 11(3), 1333-1350. doi:10.5194/tc-2016-156.

99. Sun, S., C. Hu, L. Feng, G.A. Swayze, J. Holmes, G. Graettinger, I. MacDonald, O. Garcia, I. Leifer (2016) Oil slick morphology derived from AVIRIS measurements of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Implications for spatial resolution requirements of remote sensors. Marine Pollution Bulletin 103(1/2), 276-285. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.003

98. Yurganov, L., I. Leifer (2016) Abnormal concentrations of atmospheric methane over the Sea of Okhotsk during 2015.2016 winter. Current Problems in Remote Sensing of Earth from Space (Sovremennye Problemy Distantsionnogo Zondirovaniya Zemli iz Kosmosa), 1(3) 231-234.

97. Yurganov, L., I. Leifer (2016) Estimates of methane emission rates from some arctic and sub-Arctic areas based on orbital interferometer IASI data. Current Problems in Remote Sensing of Earth from Space (Sovremennye Problemy Distantsionnogo Zondirovaniya Zemli iz Kosmosa), 13(2) 173-183.

96. Yurganov, L., I. Leifer, C. Lund-Myrhe, Seasonal and interannual variability of atmospheric methane over Arctic Ocean from satellite data, 2016. Current Problems in Remote Sensing of Earth from Space (Sovremennye Problemy Distantsionnogo Zondirovaniya Zemli iz Kosmosa), 13(2) 107-119.

95. Leifer, I., C. Melton, D.M. Tratt, J. Frash, M.X. Gupta, B. Leen, K.N. Buckland, P. Clarisse, P. Coheur, J. Frash, M.X. Gupta, P.D. Johnson, B. Leen, M. van Damme, S. Whitburn, L. Yurganov, Remote sensing and in situ measurements of methane and ammonia emissions from a megacity dairy complex: Chino, CA, Environmental Pollution, 221, 37-51.

94. Leifer, I., C. Melton, D.M. Tratt, K.N. Buckland, L. Clarisse, P. Coheur, J. Frash, M.X. Gupta, P.D. Johnson, Comparing imaging spectroscopy and in situ observations of Chino Dairy Complex emissions, 8^th Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing: Evolution in Remote Sensing, August 21-24 2016, Los Angeles

93. Leifer, I., C. Melton, J. Frash. M.L. Fischer, X. Cui, J. Murray (2016), Fusing mobile in situ observations and satellite remote sensing of chemical release emissions towards improved disaster response, Frontiers in Science, 4(59) 1-14.

92. James, R., P. Bousquet, I. Bussemann, M. Haeckel, R. Kipfer, I. Leifer, I. Ostrovsky, H. Niemann, J. Piskozub, G. Rehder, T. Treude, L. Vielstädte, J. Greinert, (2016). Effects of climate change on methane emissions from seafloor sediments in the Arctic Ocean: A review. Limnology and Oceanography, 61, 5281-5299. doi: 10.1002/no.10307.

91. Sun, S., C. Hu, L. Feng, G.A. Swayze, J. Holmes, G. Graettinger, I. MacDonald, O. Garcia, I. Leifer, Oil slick morphology derived from AVIRIS measurements of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Implications for spatial resolution requirements of remote sensors. Marine Pollution Bulletin 103(1-2) 276-285. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.003.

90. Thompson, D., I. Leifer, M. Eastwood, M. Fladeland, C. Frankenberg, K. Gerilowski, R. Green, B. Luna, A. K. Thorpe (2015), Real-time remote detection and measurement for airborne imaging spectroscopy: A case study with methane, Atmospheric Measurement Technology, 8, 1-46.

89. MacDonald, I.R., O. Garcia-Pineda, A. Beet, S. Daneshgar-Asl, L. Feng, D. French-McCay, G. Graettinger, D.J. Holmes, C. Hu, I. Leifer, F. Muller-Karger, A. Solow. G. Swayze. Natural and unnatural oil slicks in the Gulf of Mexico. J. Geophysical Research Oceans, 120, 8364-8380.

88. Leifer, I., A. Judd, The 22/4b Study, Preface, Journal of Marine Petroleum Geology, 68B, 705.

87. Leifer, I., A. Judd, The UK22/4b blowout 20 years on: Investigations of continuing methane emissions from sub-seabed to the atmosphere in a North Sea context Journal of Marine Petroleum Geology, 68B, 706-717.

86. Wiggins, S., I. Leifer, J. Hildebrandt, 2013. Long-term acoustic monitoring at the North Sea well site 22/4b. Journal of Marine Petroleum Geology, 68B, 776-788.

85. Wilson, D.S., I. Leifer, E. Maillard, 2013. Bubble megaplume process visualization by 3D multibeam sonar mapping. Journal of Marine Petroleum Geology, 68B, 753-765.

84. Nauw, J., P. Linke, I. Leifer, Bubble momentum plume as a possible mechanisms for an early breakdown of the seasonal stratification in the North Sea. Journal of Marine Petroleum Geology, 68B, 789-805.

83. Leifer, I., E. Solomon, J. Schneider von Deimling, G. Rehder, R. Coffin. 2013. The fate of bubbles in a large, intense bubble megaplume for stratified and unstratified water: Numerical simulations of 22/4b expedition field data. Journal of Marine Petroleum Geology, 68B 743-752.

82. Leifer, I., Seabed bubble flux estimation by calibrated video-survey for a large blowout seep in the North Sea, Journal of Marine Petroleum Geology, 68B, 743-752.

81. Schmale, O., I. Leifer, C. Stölle, J. Schneider von Deimling, S. Krause, K. Kieslich, A. Frahm, T. Treude, 2015. Bubble Transport Mechanism : Indications for a gas bubble-mediated innoculation of benthic methanogtrophs into the water columm. Continental Shelf Research, 103, 70-78.

80. Leifer, I., J. Murray, D. Street, T. Stough, E. Ramirez, S. Gallegos, B.K. Jones, 2015. The Federal Ocean Spill Team for Emergency Response Remote Sensing, FOSTERRS: Enabling remote sensing technology for marine disaster response, Chapter 7, 91-111.

79. Warzinski, R.P., R. Lynn, I. Hajasmaa, I. Leifer, F. Shaffer, B.J. Anderson, J.S. Levine, 2014. Dynamic morphology of gas hydrate on a methane bubble in water: Observations and new insights for hydrate film models. Geophysical Research Letters, 41(19), 6841-6847. doi: 10.1002/2014GL061665

78. Leifer, I., T. McClimans, S.H. Gjosund, E. Grimaldo, 2015. Fluid motions associated with engineered area bubble plumes. Applied Ocean Research, 04015015. doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)WW.1943-5460.0000292

77. Tratt, D.M., K.N. Buckland, J.L. Hall, P.D. Johnson, I. Leifer, K.R. Westberg, S.J. Young, 2014. Airborne visualization and quantification of discrete methane sources in the environment. Remote Sensing of Environment, 154, 74-88. doi:10.106/j.rse.2014.08.011

76. Refaat, T., S. Ismail, A.R. Nehrir, J.W. Hair, J. Crawford, I. Leifer, A. Fix, T. Shuman, 2013. Performance Evaluation of a 1.6-µm Methane DIAL System from Ground, Aircraft and UAV Platforms, Optics Express, 21(25), 30415-30432..doi: 10.1364/OE.21.030415

75. Shakhova, N., I. Semiletov, I. Leifer, A. Salyuk, D. Kosmach, C. Stubbs, D. Nicolsky, J. Fochesatto, V. Alexeev, Ö. Gustafsson, 2013. Ebullition and storm-induced methane release from the East Siberian Arctic Shelf. Nature Geoscience 7(1), 64-70. doi: 10.1038/ngeo2007

74. Leifer, I., D. Culling, O. Schneising, P. Farrell, M. Buchwitz, J.P. Burrows, 2013. Transcontinental methane measurements: Part 2. Mobile surface investigation of fossil fuel industrial fugitive emissions, Atmospheric Environments, 74, 432-441. doi: 10/1016/j.atmospenv.2013.02.014

73. Farrell, P., D. Culling, I. Leifer, 2012. Transcontinental methane measurements: Part 1. A mobile surface platform for source investigations, Atmospheric Environments, 74, 422-431. doi: 10/1016/j.atmospenv.2013.02.014

72. Thorpe, A.K., D.A. Roberts, E.S. Bradley, C.C. Funk, P.E. Dennison, I. Leifer, 2013. High resolution mapping of methane emission from marine and terrestrial sources using a cluster-tuned matched filter technique and imaging spectrometry. Remote Sensing of Environment. 134, 305-318. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2013.03.018

71. Leifer, I., D.M. Tratt, V.J. Realmuto, K. Gerilowski, J.P. Burrows, Infrared atmospheric trace gases imaging spectroscopy. EOS Forum, 93(5), 525. 11 Dec 2012. doi: 10.1029/2012EO500006.

70. Leifer, I., B. Lehr, D. Simcek-Beatty, E. Bradley, R. Clark, P.E. Dennison, Y. Hu, S. Matheson, C. Jones, B. Holt, M. Reif, D.A. Roberts, J. Svejkovsky, G. Swayze, J. Wozencraft, 2012. State of the art satellite and airborne marine oil spill remote sensing: Application to the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Remote Sensing of Environment, 124, 185-209. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2012.03.024

68. McClimans, T., I. Leifer, S.H. Gjøsund, E. Grimaldo, P. Daling, and F. Leirvik. 2012. Pneumatic Oil Barriers: The Promise of Bubble Rafts. Journal of Engineering for the Maritime Environment, Part M, 0(0), 1-17. doi:10.1177/1475090212450273

67. Bradley, E.S., D.A. Roberts, P.E. Dennison, R.O. Green, M. Eastwood, S.R. Lundeen, I.B. McCubbin, I. Leifer, Google earth and Google fusion tables in support of time-critical collaboration: Mapping the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill with the AVIRIS Airborne Spectrometer. 2011. Earth Science Informatics, 4(4), 169-179. doi: 10.1007/s12145-011-0085-4

66. Salmi, M., Johnson, P.H., I. Leifer, and J.E. Keister, 2011. Behavior of methane seep bubbles over a pockmark on the Cascadia Continental Margin, Geospheres, 7(6), 1273-1283. doi: 10.1130/GES00648.1

65. Bradley, E.S., I. Leifer, D.A. Roberts, P.E. Dennison, L. Washburn, 2011. Remote sensing of marine methane emissions with AVIRIS imaging spectrometer band ratios. Geophysics Research Letters, 38, L10702, doi:10.1029/2011GL046729

64. Joye, S.B., I. Leifer, I.R. MacDonald, J.P. Chanton, C.D. Meile, A. P. Teske, J.E. Kostka, L. Chistoserdova, R. Coffin, D. Hollander, M. Kastener, J.P. Montoya, G. Rehder, E. Solomon, T. Treude, T.A. Viillareal, 2011. Technical comment on “A persistent oxygen anomaly reveals the fate of spilled methane in the deep Gulf of Mexico” by Kessler et al. Science, 332(6033), 1033. doi:10.1126/science.1203307

63. Leifer, I., M. Hovland, T. Zemskaya, 2011. Two decades of community research on gas in shallow marine sediments. EOS, Transactions of the American Geophysical Union, 92(15), 128. doi:10.1029/2011EO150007

62. Patro, R.K., I. Leifer, 2011. Gas transfer velocity of single CO₂ bubbles, Eds. S. Komori, W. McGillis, and R. Kurose, In Gas Transfer at Water Surfaces-2010, Kyoto University Press, Japan, 249-261.

61. Valentine, D., J. Payne, I. Leifer, 2010. Chemical Oceanography and Geochemistry (Resources), Ch.3. In Updated Summary of Knowledge: Selected Areas of the Pacific Coast, Eds. B. Kaplan, C.J. Beegle-Krause, D.F. McCay, A. Copping, and S. Geerlofs. US Dept. of Interior, BOEMRE, Pacific OCS Region, Camarillo, CA. OCS Study BOEMRE 2010-014

60. Valentine, D., J. Payne, I. Leifer, 2010. Chemical Oceanography and Geochemistry (Impacts), Ch.17. In Updated Summary of Knowledge: Selected Areas of the Pacific Coast, Eds. B. Kaplan, C.J. Beegle-Krause, D.F. McCay, A. Copping, and S. Geerlofs. US Dept. of Interior, BOEMRE, Pacific OCS Region, Camarillo, CA. OCS Study BOEMRE 2010-014

59. Joye, S.M., I.R. MacDonald, I. Leifer, and V. Asper, 2011. Magnitude and oxidation potential of hydrocarbon gases released from the BP oil well blowout. Nature Geoscience, 4, 160-164, doi:10.1038/NGEO1067.

58. Grimaldo, E., I. Leifer, S.H. Gjøsund, R.B. Larsen, H. Jeuthe, S. Basedow, 2010 Field demonstration of a novel towed, area bubble-plume zooplankton (Calanus sp.) harvester. Fisheries Research, 107(1-3) 147-158. doi: 10.1016/j.fisheries.2010.10.018.

58. Lehr, B., S. Bristol, A. Possolo, A. Allen, M. Boufadel, T. Coolbaugh, P. Daling, M. Fingas, D. French-McCay, R. Goodman, R. Jones, A. Khelifa, P. Lambrt, K. Lee, I. Leifer, A. Mearns, E. Overton, J. Payne, Oil Budget Calculator Deepwater Horizon Technical Document, Coastal Response Research Center, 206 pp.

57. Leifer, I., Appendix 6: Riser pipe flow estimate, in Deepwater Horizon Release Estimate of Rate by PIV. Ed. Bill Lehr, Technical Flow Rate Group Report, US Dept of Interior. pp 67-106,

56. Bradley, E., I. Leifer, M. Moritsch, and D. Roberts, 2009. Long-term monitoring of a marine geologic methane source by a coastal air-pollution station. Atmosphere Environments 44, 4973-4981. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2010.08.010

55. Clark, R.N., Swayze, G.A., Leifer, I., Livo, K.E., Kokaly, R., Hoefen, T., Lundeen, S., Eastwood, M., Green, R.O., Pearson, N., Sarture, C., McCubbin, I., Roberts, D., Bradley, E., Steele, D., Ryan, T., Dominguez, R., and the Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) Team, 2010. A method for quantitative mapping of thick oil spills using imaging spectroscopy, USGS Open File Report 2010 –1167. pp. 51.

54. Clark, R.N., Swayze, G.A., Leifer, I., Livo, K.E., Lundeen, S., Eastwood, M., Green, R.O., Kokaly, R., Hoefen, T., Sarture, C., McCubbin, I., Roberts, D., Steele, D., Ryan, T., Dominguez, R., Pearson, N., Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) Team, 2010. A method for qualitative mapping of thick oil spills using imaging spectroscopy, USGS Open File Report 2010 -1101, pp 6.

53. Vazquez, A., I. Leifer, and R.M. Sanchez, 2010. Analysis of bubble growth phases based on the related dynamic forces. Chem. Eng. Sci. 65(13) 4046-4054, doi:10.1016/j.ces/2010.03.041

52. Shakhova, N., I. Semiletov, I. Leifer, P. Rekant, A. Salyuk, and D. Kosmach, 2010. Geochemical and geophysical evidence of methane release over the East Siberian Arctic Shelf. J. Geophys. Res., 115, C08007, doi:10.1029/2009JC005602

51. Leifer, I., 2010. Characteristics and scaling of bubble plumes from marine hydrocarbon seepage in the Coal Oil Point seep field, J. Geophys. Res., 115 C11, C11014, doi:10.1029/2009JC005844.

50. Leifer, I., and D. Culling, 2010. Formation of seep bubbles in the Coal Oil Point seep field. Geo-Marine Letters, 30(3-4), 339-353. doi:10.1007/s00367-010-0187-x

49. Leifer, I., M.J. Kamerling, B.P. Luyendyk, and D. Wilson, 2010. Geologic control of natural marine methane seep emissions, Coal Oil Point seep field, California. Geo-Marine Letters, 30(3-4), 331-338, doi:10.1007/s00367-010-0188-9

48. Roberts, D.A., E. Bradley, R. Cheung, I. Leifer, P. Dennison, and J. Margolis, 2009. Mapping methane emissions from a marine geological seep source using imaging spectrometry. Remote Sensing Environment, 114(3), 592-606. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2009.10.015

47. Solomon, E., M. Kastner, I. MacDonald, and I. Leifer, 2009. Considerable methane fluxes to the atmosphere from hydrocarbon seeps in the Gulf of Mexico. Nature Geoscience, 2, 561-565. doi:10.1038/NGEO574

46. Leifer, I., H. Jeuthe, S.H. Gjøsund, V. Johansen, 2009. Engineered and natural marine seep, bubble-driven buoyancy flows. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 52, 2769-2778. doi:10.1175/2009JPO4135.1

45. Rehder, G., Leifer, I., P.G. Brewer, G. Friederich, and E.T. Peltzer, 2009. Enhanced lifetime of methane bubbles within the deep ocean. Marine Chemistry, 114(1/2), 19-30. doi:10.1016/j.marchem.2009.03.004

44. Johansson, M., I. Leifer, L. Vamling, and L. Olausson, 2009. Black liquor falling film hydrodynamics – Part B: Evaporative conditions. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 52(11/12), 2769-2778. doi:10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2008.09.041

43. Del Sontro, T., I. Leifer, B.P. Luyendyk, and B. Broitman, 2007. Beach tar accumulation and transport mechanisms at Coal Oil Point, CA. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54, 1461-1471. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.04.022

42. Leifer, I., and K. Wilson. 2007. Tides and the emission of oil and gas from an abandoned oil well: Nearshore, Summerland, California. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54, 1495-1506. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.03.014

41. Leifer, I., and D.J. Tang, 2007. The acoustic signature of marine seep bubbles, J American Society of Acoustics Express Letters, 121(1), EL35-EL40, doi:10.1121/1.2401227

40. Woolf, D.K., I. Leifer, P.D. Nightingale, T.S. Rhee, P. Bowyer, G. Caulliez, G. de Leeuw, S.E. Larsen, M. Liddicoat, J. Baker, and M.O. Andreae, 2006. Modelling of bubble-mediated gas transfer; fundamental principles and a laboratory test. Journal Marine Systems 66, 71-91. doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2006.02.011

39. Leifer, I., G. Caulliez, and G. De Leeuw, 2006. Characteristics of bubble plumes, bubble-plume bubbles, and waves from wind-steepened wave-breaking. Journal Marine Systems 66, 60-71, doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2006.01.011

38. Leifer, I., B.P. Luyendyk, and K. Broderick, 2006. Tracking an oil slick from multiple natural sources, Coal Oil Point, California, Marine Petroleum Geol. 23(5), 621-630. doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2006.05.001

37. Best, A.M., M.D. Richardson, B.P. Boudreau, A.G. Judd, I. Leifer, A.P. Lyons, C.S. Martens, D.L. Orange, and S.J. Wheeler, 2006. Shallow gassy marine sediments and their impact on society and global climate. EOS, 87(22) 213. doi:10.1029/2006EO220001

36. Leifer, I., B. Luyendyk, J. Boles, and J.F. Clark, 2006. Natural marine seepage blowout: Contribution to atmospheric methane. Global Biogeochemcial Cycles, 20(3). doi:10.1029/2005GB002668

35. Leifer, I., and G. De Leeuw. 2006. Bubbles generated from wind-steepened breaking waves: Part 1. Bubble-plume bubbles. J. Geophys. Res., 111, C06020. doi:10.1029/2004JC002673

34. Leifer, I., G. Caulliez, and G. De Leeuw. 2006. Bubbles Generated from wind-steepened breaking waves: Part 2. Bubbles plumes, bubbles, and wave characteristics. J. Geophys. Res., 111, C06021. doi:10.1029/2004JC002676

33. Leifer, I., D. Roberts, J. Margolis, and F. Kinnamen, 2006. In-situ sensing of methane emissions from natural marine hydrocarbon seeps: A potential remote sensing technology, Earth Plan. Sci. Lett., 245, 509-522. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2006.01.047

32. Leifer, I., and J.R. Boles, 2006. Corrigendum to: Measurement of marine hydrocarbon seep flow through fractured rock and unconsolidated sediment, Marine and Petroleum Geology, 23, 401.

31. Leifer, I., and K. Wilson, J. Tarpley, R. Lewis, R. Imai, K. Mayer, and C. Moore, 2005. Factors affecting marine hydrocarbon emissions in an area of natural seeps and abandoned oil wells – Summerland, California. Proc. Internat. Oil Spill Conf., May 15-19, 2005, Miami, FL, EIS Digital Publishing, 14718A.

30. Leifer, I., T. Del Sontro, B. Luyendyk, and K. Broderick, 2005. Time evolution of beach tar, oil slicks, and seeps in the Coal Oil Point seep field, Santa Barbara Channel, California. Proc. Internat. Oil Spill Conf., May 15-19, 2005, Miami, FL, EIS Digital Publishing, 14718A.

29. Leifer, I., and J. Boles, 2005. Turbine tent measurements of marine hydrocarbon seeps on subhourly time scales, J. Geophys. Res., 110, C01006. doi:10.1029/2003JC002207

28. Leifer, I., and J. Boles, 2005. Measurement of marine hydrocarbon seep flow through fractured rock and unconsolidated sediment. Marine Petroleum Geol., 22(4), 551-568.

27. Leifer, I and K. Wilson. 2004. Quantified oil emissions with a video-monitored, oil seep-tent. Marine Technology Society Journal, 38(3), 44-53.

26. Leifer, I., J. Boles, J.F. Clark, and B.P. Luyendyk, 2004. Transient discharges from marine hydrocarbon seeps: spatial and temporal variability. Environ. Geol., 46(8), 1038-1052.

25. La Montagne, G., I. Leifer, S. Bergmann, L.C. Van De Werfhorst, and P.A. Holden, 2004. Bacterial diversity in marine hydrocarbon-seep sediments. Environ. Microbiol., 6(8), 799-808.

24. Clark, J.F., I. Leifer, L. Washburn, and B.P. Luyendyk, 2003. Compositional changes in natural gas bubble plumes: observations from the Coal Oil Point marine hydrocarbon seep field. Geo. Mar. Lett., 23, 187-193.

23. Roy, L.A., S. Steinert, S.M. Bay, D. Greensteain, Y. Sapozhnikova, O. Bawardi, I. Leifer, and D. Schlenk, 2003. Biochemical effects of petroleum exposure in hornyhead turbot (Pleuronichthys verticalis) exposed to a gradient of sediments collected from a natural petroleum seep in CA, USA. Aquatic Toxicology, 65(2), 159-169.

22. Leifer, I., G. De Leeuw, G. Kunz, and L. Cohen, 2003. Calibrating optical bubble size by the displaced mass method. Chem. Eng. Sci., 58(23/24), 5211-5216.

21. Leifer, I., J.F. Clark, B. Luyendyk, and D. Valentine, 2003. Identifying future directions for subsurface hydrocarbon migration research, EOS (American Geophysical Union Transactions), 84(37), 364-371.

21. Leifer I., B. Luyendyk, and K. Broderick, 2003. Tracking Shane Seep oil from the seabed to the sea surface, at Coal Oil Point, California. In Proceedings of the Coastal World Oceans 2002 Conference, Santa Barbara, CA, Oct 24- 27, 2002. In Press.

20. Leifer, I., G. De Leeuw, and L.H. Cohen, 2003. Optical measurement of bubbles: System‚ design and application. J. Atm. Ocean. Tech., 20(9), 1317-1332.

19. Leifer, I., and I. MacDonald, 2003. Dynamics of the gas flux from shallow gas hydrate deposits: Interaction between oily hydrate bubbles and the oceanic environment. Earth Plan. Sci. Lett., 210(3/4), 411-424.

18. Leifer I., and R. Patro, 2002. The bubble mechanism for transport of methane from the shallow sea bed to the surface : A review and sensitivity study. Cont. Shelf Res., 22, 2409-2428.

17. Leifer, I., and J. Clark, 2002. Modeling trace gases in hydrocarbon seep bubbles. Application to marine hydrocarbon seeps in the Santa Barbara Channel, Russian Geology and Geophysics {Original – Geologiya I Geofizika}, 43(7), 613-621.

16. MacDonald, I.R., I. Leifer, R. Sassen, P. Stine, R. Mitchell, and N. Guinasso Jr., 2002. Transfer of hydrocarbons from natural seeps to the water column and atmosphere, Geofluids, 2, 95-107.

15. Leifer, I., and A.G. Judd. 2002. Oceanic methane layers: A bubble deposition mechanism from marine hydrocarbon seepage. Terra Nova, 16, 417-424.

14. Boles, J.R., J.F. Clark, I. Leifer, and L. Washburn, 2001. Temporal variation in natural methane seep rate due to tides, Coal Oil Point area, California. J. Geophys. Res., 106C11, 27077-27086.

13. De Leeuw, G., G.J. Kunz, G. Caulliez, D.K. Woolf, P. Bowyer, I. Leifer, P. Nightingale, M. Liddicoat, T.S. Rhee, M.O. Andreae, S.E. Larsen, F.A. Hansen, and S. Lund, 2002. LUMINY: An Overview. In Gas Transfer and Water Surfaces, Eds. M. Donelan, W. Drennan, E.S. Salzman, and R. Wanninkhof, AGU Monograph, 127, 291-294.

12. Patro, R., I. Leifer, and P. Bowyer, 2002. Better bubble process modeling : Improved bubble hydrodynamics parameterisation. In Gas Transfer and Water Surfaces, Eds. M. Donelan, W. Drennan, E.S. Salzman, and R. Wanninkhof, AGU Monograph, 127, 315-320.

11. Leifer, I., and G. De Leeuw, 2002. Bubble measurements in breaking-wave generated bubble plumes during the LUMINY wind-wave experiment.In Gas Transfer and Water Surfaces, Eds. M. Donelan, W. Drennan, E.S. Salzman, and R. Wanninkhof, AGU Monograph 127, 303-309.

10. De Leeuw, G., and I. Leifer, 2002. Bubbles outside the bubble plume during the LUMINY wind-wave experiment. In Gas Transfer and Water Surfaces, Eds. M. Donelan, W. Drennan, E.S. Salzman, and R. Wanninkhof, AGU Monograph 127, 295-301.

9. Leifer, I., G. De Leeuw, and L.H. Cohen, 2000. Secondary bubble production from breaking waves : The bubble burst mechanism, Geophys. Res. Lett. 27(24), 4077-4080.

8. Leifer I., Patro, R., and P. Bowyer, 2000. A study on the temperature variation of rise velocity for large clean bubbles. J. Atm. and Ocean. Tech. 17(10), 1392-1402.

7. Leifer, I., J. Clark, and R. Chen, 2000. Modifications of the local environment by a natural marine hydrocarbon seep, Geophys. Res. Lett. 27(22), 3711-3714.

6. Asher, W.E., L.M. Karle, B.J. Higgins, P.J. Farley, I.S. Leifer, and E.C. Monahan, 1996. The influence of bubble plumes on air-seawater gas transfer velocities, J. Geophys. Res. 101C5, 12,027-12,041.

5. Leifer, I.S., Asher, W.E., and Farley, P.J., 1995. A validation study of bubble mediated air-sea gas transfer modeling, In Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Air-Water Gas Transfer Heidelberg University, Eds. B. Jähne and E.C. Monahan, Aeon Verlag, Hanau, Germany, 269-283.

4. Asher, W.E., L.M. Karle, B.J. Higgins, P.J. Farley, I.S. Leifer, and E.C. Monahan, 1995. The effect of bubble plume size on the parameterization of air-seawater gas transfer velocities. In Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Air-Water Gas Transfer, Heidelberg, Germany, Eds. B. Jähne and E.C. Monahan, Aeon Verlag, Hanau, Germany, 205-216.

3. Leifer, I.S., 1996. A validation study of bubble-mediated air-sea gas transfer modeling, Ph.D. Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 218 pp.

2. Asher, W.E., L.M. Karle, B. J. Higgins, P. J. Farley, E. C. Monahan and I.S. Leifer, 1995. The influence of bubble plumes on air-seawater gas transfer velocities, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 12,027-12,041.

1. Asher, W.E., P.J. Farley, B.J. Higgins, L.M. Karle, I.S. Leifer and E.C. Monahan, 1994. The influence of bubble plumes on air-sea gas exchange, EOS Nov. 1 Supplement 75 44, 369.

 

Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications

1. Leifer, I., Bubbleology, High school science magazine.

2. Leifer, I., G. Caulliez, and G. de Leeuw, 2005. Bubbles, bubble plumes, and breaking wind-wave characteristics. Solas Newsletter 1(2), 11.

3. Leifer, I., and K. Wilson, 2006. Oil beyond the swash zone. Coastal California.

4. Valentine, D., J. Payne, and I. Leifer, 2010. Chemical Oceanography (Resources), Chapter 3, In: Updated Summary of knowledge: Selected Areas of the Pacific Coast, B. Kaplan, C.J. Beegle-Krause, D.F.McCay, A. Copping, Eds., US Dept of Interior, BOEMRE Report #, 2010-014, pp 127-150

5. Valentine, D., J. Payne, R. Sweetman, I. Leifer, and C.J. Beegle-Krause, 2010. Chemical Oceanography (Impacts), Chapter 17. In: Updated Summary of knowledge: Selected Areas of the Pacific Coast, B. Kaplan, C.J. Beegle-Krause, D.F.McCay, A. Copping, Eds., US Dept of Interior, BOEMRE Report #, 2010-014, pp 359-366.

Research Experience

Experience was gained in developing and deploying a video based system for observing bubble plumes with Dr. Peter Bowyer as a postdoctoral researcher at the National University of Ireland, Galway. Responsibilities included circuit and physical design, purchasing, developing computer algorithms, managing technical staff, and trouble shooting. Experience in image processing and analysis of bubble plumes was also gained. During this time period, further modeling experience was gained as a result of additional model development in collaboration with Dr. William E. Asher.

Experience was gained in theoretical and computational modeling of bubble mediated air-sea gas transfer gained under research conducted by Dr. William E. Asher for U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Health and Environmental Research. Laboratory experience was gained in measuring air-sea gas transfer including gas chromatography. The primary focus was the development a computer model for predicting the bubble component of air-sea gas transfer. The model has been validated by comparison of theoretical predictions with experimental measurements. Model development continued at Georgia Institute of Technology under the guidance of Dr. Bob Roper and Dr. William E. Asher.

Experience was gained in molecular ion spectroscopy working under Dr. Fred Eisle, while a graduate student at Georgia Institute of Technology, prior to beginning work with Dr. William E. Asher. Research responsibilities primarily involved measurements and technical support.

At the University of Michigan, plasma physics in the upper atmosphere and magnetosphere was studied, while a graduate student. The study of plasma physics was continued at Georgia Institute of Technology through the completion of a minor in fusion physics.

Experience was gained in cryogenics under Dr. Chaz Archie in the Low Temperature Physics Laboratory, while an undergraduate senior at the State University of New York, Stony Brook.

Computational Skills

MACINTOSH, IBM DOS, UNIX, MATLAB, FORTRAN, BASIC.

Interests

Photography, linguistics, backpacking, electronics, public policy, metal work, economics, eagle scout.