CEDAR email: Sad news: Passing of Dr. Dennis Riggin

[Astrid Maute]

GATS-Inc. sorrowfully announces the passing of our friend and colleague Dr.
Dennis Riggin on August 17, 2017, following a long struggle with multiple
health issues.

Dennis was born on January 8, 1951 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and spent most of
his youth in Tucson, Arizona. Dennis’ first love was music, and he
initially studied viola at the University of Arizona before completing a B.
S. in Electrical Engineering in 1977. He pursued graduate studies on plasma
waves at Cornell University under the mentorship of Don Farley, earning a
Ph.D. in 1987. Following several years of federal employment, Dennis
pivoted from ionospheric physics to remote sensing of the mesosphere and
lower thermosphere (MLT). In 1993 he joined Dave Fritts’ research group at
the University of Colorado, and in 1997 migrated with them to Colorado
Research Associates, a division of Northwest Research Associates, Inc. His
responsibilities there included installation, operation and management of
medium frequency (MF) radar systems in Hawaii, the Cook Islands, and
Antarctica. Dennis utilized the new MF radar winds for many innovative
studies of gravity waves, tides, and planetary waves. With the launch of
the TIMED, EOS and TRMM missions between 2001 and 2008, Dennis’ work
increasingly focused on understanding the forcing and evolution of MLT
waves embedded within global-scale systems such as the quasibiennial
oscillation and the El Niño Southern Oscillation. In 2012 Dennis joined the
new Boulder division of GATS-Inc., established by Dave Fritts. At the time
of his death, he was actively researching the causes of explosive 2-day
wave amplification during solstice. Dennis also had long-term
collaborations and several visiting professor appointments with Toshitaka
Tsuda’s radar group at Kyoto University in Japan.

Dennis was a man of far-ranging interests and abilities. He was a talented
viola player, and performed for years with Boulder area orchestras and
ensembles.  He regularly attended Chamberre in the Rockies, a program for
mature amateur and professional musicians. Dennis had a great love and
reverence for the Japanese culture. He was conversant in the language, and
enjoyed sushi above all other cuisine. He practiced Buddhism for a number
of years, and was a student of Iyengar yoga. At the time of his death he
was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Boulder.

Dennis had a patient and gentle demeanor, and a kind spirit. He will be
fondly
remembered and greatly missed by all of his coworkers, and many in our
community.

Dennis is survived by his mother, Rosella Heinrichs, sister Cynthia Riggin,
niece
Morgan Benson, and former spouse Leslie Cooksy. People are encouraged to
send
condolences and remembrances to:
Mrs. Rosella M. Heinrichs
8111 E Broadway Blvd. # 469
Tucson, AZ 85710

Remembrances may also be posted to http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-
memorial/obituary.aspx?n=RIGGIN-Dennis&lc=2558&pid=186429038&mid=7529153

Respectfully,
Dave Fritts, Larry Gordley, and Ruth Lieberman
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