GEOS 4395 Remote Sensing Geophysics (Undergraduate-level)
This course covers both the theory and application of remote sensing in the field of geophysics from space-borne or airborne platforms. The course places a strong focus on the latest and ongoing NASA/ESA Earth observation missions, such as GNSS, Grace (gravity), Sentinel-1(synthetic aperture radar), SWOT (altimetry), among others. Students will gain a thorough understanding of the observation process, including orbital mechanics, signal propagation and uncertainty analysis. Applications of satellite geophysical observations in tectonics, geodynamics, ocean and ice surface monitoring, hydrology and terrain modeling will be introduced throughout the course.
GEOS 5v08004 Imaging Radar: Principles and Geophysical Applications (Graduate-level)
In this course, students will explore the intricate processes involved in forming and manipulating radar images while gaining a profound understanding of their applications in solving complex geophysical problems. The first half of the course will be focused on radar image formation and interferometry. Topics include scattering from natural surfaces, range and azimuth processing algorithms, and time-series analysis. The second half of the course will focus on geophysical applications. Topics include past successful imaging radar missions from national/international space agencies, crustal deformation measurements of earthquakes, volcanic processes, and human-induced deformation such as groundwater withdrawal, oil, and gas extraction, and more.