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Our research includes:

• the design, construction, and flight of space plasma sensors for space-borne experiments.
• the use of remote sensing and autonomous aerial vehicles to investigate Earth’s surface properties.
• the development and use of radio remote sensing instruments and techniques for studies of the upper atmosphere. 
• the development of software and analysis tools for data interpretation.
• the advancement of numerical models of the solar terrestrial environment.

The Center for Space Sciences (CSS) is composed of faculty, researchers, and graduate students affiliated with the University’s Department of Physics. The Center also provides challenging research projects for students with the opportunity to work with internationally renowned scientists.

Below are some of our missions and research posters.

Research

Ground-based Radar Studies of the Earth’s Ionosphere

Different types of sensors on satellites can provide important global measurements of the Earth’s ionosphere. For a given location, however, satellites have low temporal resolution and are limited to specific heights.

• Ground-based radar systems, on the other hand, can be used to measure height profiles of ionospheric parameters above a certain location with high temporal resolution.
• The so-called incoherent scatter radars are large, powerful radar systems used to measure properties of the upper atmosphere by measuring the scatter of radio waves by the ionospheric plasma.
• The Upper Atmosphere Remote Sensing Lab utilizes measurements made by the incoherent scatter radar of the Jicamarca Radio Observatory (Peru) to study the Earth’s ionosphere at low latitudes.

Studies of the Earth’s Ionosphere and Space Weather Using Small Low-cost Sensors

It is well-recognized that small, low-cost sensors can help advance our understanding of ionospheric behavior and impact on radio systems such as those used for communication and navigation.

• The Upper Atmosphere Remote Sensing Lab develops low-cost sensors that can be easily deployed and operated.
• In general, the sensors rely on signals of opportunity such as those transmitted by GPS satellites. The signals propagate through the ionosphere before being detected by the sensors on the ground. Effects of the ionospheric plasma on the amplitude and phase of these signals can be used to infer information about the state of the ionosphere.
• The sensors can also be used to quantify the effect of the ionosphere on radio signals and to estimate the impact ionospheric disturbances have on systems that rely on transionospheric signals

Numerical Modeling studies of the Earth’s Ionosphere

A Physics-based models of the ionosphere, as well as analytical techniques, are used to assess the validity of our current physical description of the ionosphere. These tools can be combined with measurements from science instruments to explain ionospheric trends and behavior.

• The Upper Atmosphere Remote Sensing Lab has developed models of the ionospheric electrodynamics. Electric fields in the upper atmospheric field play an important role in the morphology of the ionospheric plasma.
• Long-term data sets collected by the Jicamarca incoherent scatter radar were combined with Machine Learning techniques to develop empirical models of the ionospheric electric fields.
• Additionally, physics-based models of the ionospheric electrodynamics have been developed to assist with the interpretation of measurements provided by different types of sensors and satellite missions.