Project Description

This project supported by the National Science Foundation Distributed Arrays of Small Instruments (DASI) program will utilizes observations of meteors to measure the winds in the upper atmosphere. Tons of mass enters the atmosphere daily in the form of meteroids. Observations of meteor with radar can be used to infer properties of very high altitude winds in the atmosphere. Characterization of these winds is very important to understanding the dynamics of our atmosphere and how it responds to or creates space weather events, which can impacts radio communications, for instance. This project is to develop and deploy a novel new technology for detecting meteors using a system of multiple antennas and multiple receivers. Typically, a transmit - receive system consists of a single transmitter and a single or multiple receivers. The novel innovation here is the ability to deploy low cost antenna. The data from the multiple in - multiple out (MIMO) system will measure 3D data in the very complex region of the atmosphere. 

We are looking for a student who are interested in instrumentation, field deployments, have good software skills and have an interest in radio systems.

Special Requirement

Students should be able to spend 3-4 hours twice a week in our lab on east campus in the Smead Aerospace Building. Meeting times are flexible but should be between normal working hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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