Lt Col Levi Thomas, PhD
Adjunct Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering
Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering, 255-3636
BS, Aeronautical Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, 2006; MS, Aeronautical Engineering Air Force Institute of Technology, 2009; AA, Foreign Language, Defense Language Institute, 2011; PhD, Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2017. Maj Thomas’ research interests include laser measurement techniques and combustion. He has experience as an intelligence analyst in foreign air-to-air weapon systems, as a combustion research engineer testing detonation combustors, and as an exchange officer working with the German Aerospace Center. Previous research included laser-based velocity measurements in the “Ultra-Compact Combustor,” and high-speed temperature measurements in spray combustion using coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering spectroscopy.
Lt Col Thomas is a member of AIAA and the Combustion Institute.
Education
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, 2017
M.S. Aeronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2009
B.S. Aeronautical Engineering, US Air Force Academy, 2006
A.A. Foreign Language (German), Defense Language Institute, 2011
Awards
March 2018: ENY Field-Grade Officer of the Quarter
May 2018: Expert Marksman M4 & M9
June 2018: ENY Field-Grade Officer of the Quarter
Publications
Seminal/Recent/Most Notable Publications
Lowe A., Thomas L.M., Satija A., Masri A., and Lucht R.P., “5kHz Thermometry in Turbulent Spray Flames Using Chirped-Probe-Pulse Femtosecond CARS, Part II: Structure of Reaction Zones,” Combustion and Flame, CNF-D-18-00688 (in review).
Thomas L.M., Lowe A., Satija A., Masri A., and Lucht R.P., “5-kHz Thermometry in Turbulent Spray Flames using Chirped-Probe Pulse Femtosecond Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering, Part I: Processing and Interference Analysis,” Combustion and Flame, CNF-D-18-00287R1 (in review).
Lowe A., Thomas L.M., Satija A., Lucht R.P., and Masri A., “Chirped-probe-pulse femtosecond CARS thermometry in turbulent spray flames” Proc. Combust. Inst. (In Press). DOI: 10.1016/j.proci.2018.06.149.
Thomas L.M., Satija A., and Lucht R.P. "Technique developments and performance analysis of chirped-probe-pulse femtosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering combustion thermometry," Appl. Opt. 56, 8797-8810 (2017). DOI: 10.1364/AO.56.008797.
Dagaut P., Karsenty F., Dayma G., Dievart P., Hadj-Ali K., Mze-Ahmed A., Braun-Unkhoff M., Herzler J., Kathrotia T., Kick T., Maumann C., Riedel U., and Thomas L.M., “Experimental and Detailed Kinetic Model for the Oxidation of a Gas to Liquid (GtL) Jet Fuel,” Combustion and Flame 161-3, 835-847 (2014). DOI: 10.1016/j.combustflame.2013.08.015
Thomas L.M., Branam R.D., and Reeder M.F., “Flow Measurements Using Particle Image Velocimetry in the Ultra Compact Combustor,” International Journal of Aerospace Engineering, Vol. 2012. DOI: 10.1155/2012/756463.
LeBay K.D., Drenth A.C., Thomas L.M., Polanka M.D., Branam R.D., and Schmidt J.B., “Characterizing the Effects of G-Loading in an Ultra Compact Combustor via Sectional Models,” ASME Turbo Expo 2010, Glasgow, Scotland. June 2010. DOI: 10.1115/GT2010-22723.