Remote sensing (satellite and ground-based) is increasingly being used as a technique to probe the Earth's atmosphere, ocean and land surfaces. Probing of other planets is accomplished largely by satellite remote sensing. Given national priorities in such areas as climate and global change, the interest in remote sensing will only increase with time.

Graduate students, research staff, and faculty work on a wide variety of topics, ranging from the theory of remote sensing, to its application.

These applications include: use of satellite remote sensing to determine ocean surface temperature and heat fluxes; use of surface radar to improve the determination of clouds and precipitation from satellite; determination of surface biological characteristics and productivity from satellite; mapping of land use from satellite; mapping of surface landform and topographical features; searching for locations of buried artifacts; use of surface radar to determine upper atmosphere wind motions; and aircraft remote sensing to assess the validity of satellite retrieval algorithms of surface and atmospheric characteristics.

Certificate Requirements

A Certificate in Remote Sensing will be awarded based on a written request by the student to the Remote Sensing Graduate Chairman, provided that the following requirements have been met:

  1. Four courses are required totaling at least 12 credits, with grades of B or better.
  2. Two courses from one of the following topical areas:
    • Data Analysis
    • Instrumentation and Measurement Techniques
    • Remote Sensing Theory
  3. One course in each of the two remaining topical areas
  4. At least one semester of Remote Sensing Seminar (currently listed as ASEN 5210 and ATOC 7500).

Data Analysis Courses:

  • ASEN 5307 Engineering Data Analysis
  • ASEN 6337 Remote Sensing Data Analysis
  • ASTR 5550 Observations, Data Analysis, and Statistics
  • ECEN 5004 Environmental Signal Processing
  • ECEN 5254 Remote Sensing Signals and Systems
  • ECEN 5612 Noise and Random Processes
  • ECEN 5652 Detection and Extraction of Signals from Noise
  • GEOG 5103 Intro to Geographical Information Systems
  • GEOG 5203 GIS and Spatial Modeling
  • GEOG 5303 GIS Programming for Spatial Analysis

Instrumentation & Measurement Techniques Courses:

  • ASEN 5168 Remote Sensing Instrumentation Design
  • ASEN 5245 Radar and Remote Sensing
  • ASEN 6091 GNSS Receiver Architecture
  • ASEN 6365 Lidar Remote Sensing
  • ASTR 5760 Astrophysical Instrumentation
  • ECEN 5134 Electromagnetic Radiation and Antennas
  • ECEN 5274 Radar Science and Techniques
  • PHYS 5160 Fundamentals of Optics and Lasers
  • ASEN 6050 Space Instrumentation
  • GEOG 5100 Adv. Measurements in Snow Measurement

Remote Sensing Theory Courses:

  • ATOC/ASEN 5235 Intro to Atmos Rad Trans & Remote Sens
  • ASEN 6265 Fundamentals of Spectroscopy
  • ATOC/ASTR 5560 Radiative Processes in Planetary Atmosphere
  • ECEN 5264 Electromag Absorption, Scattering & Propagation
  • GEOL/GEOG 5093 Remote Sensing of the Environment
  • GEOG 5100 Advanced Remote Sensing
  • PHYS/ASTR 5150 Plasma Physics

Enrollment and Awarding

*Note: A grade of B or higher is required in all courses to earn a certificate.

Informational resources

Contact

Aerospace Engineering Sciences Graduate Program Advisor Maureen Craig.