Nicholas Dietrich

I’m a fifth year PhD student in the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department at CU (Fall 2019-current). I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Florida in Aerospace Engineering with minors in Math and Physics. In undergrad, I worked on multiple satellite projects including DebriSat which sought to improve satellite break-up models and LISA which seeks to measure low-frequency gravitational waves caused by massive cosmic events. In summer 2017, I was fortunate to have interned in Japan with Hitachi-Ge to design nuclear power plants. In summer 2019, I interned at Saber Astronautics to develop a mission control software for the Air Force to provide easy to learn visualization tools for space mission operations. Currently, I am investigating forecast improvements for thermospheric neutral densities to improve satellite orbit prediction.

Education:

M.S., Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, 2022

B.S., Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, 2019

Awards, Honors, and Fellowships:

• CU Boulder Aerospace Excellence Award, 2019
• CU Boulder College of Engineering Dean's Fellowship, 2019
• Future Investigator in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) Fellow, 2023-

Publications:

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, and C.-H. Hsu (2022), Specifying Satellite Drag Through Coupled Thermosphere-Ionosphere Data Assimilation of Radio Occultation Electron Density Profiles, Space Weather, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022SW003147.

Conference Presentations:

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, and C.-T. Hsu (2023), Physics-Based Approach for Neutral Density Specification Through Data Assimilation, CEDAR Workshop, June 25-30, San Diego, CA.

Dietrich, N., and T. Matsuo (2023), Investigating the Ionosphere-Thermosphere Storm Response Using Data Assimilation Reanalysis, CEDAR Workshop, June 25-30, San Diego, CA.

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, B. Dilorenzo, C.-Y. Lin, C. H. Lin, and T.-W. Fang (2023), Evaluating RO Constellation Designs Using Observing System Simulation Experiments: Data Impact of Electron Density Profiles on Ionospheric Specification (poster), CEDAR Workshop, June 25-30, San Diego, CA.

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, and C.-T. Hsu (2022), Estimating Upper Atmospheric Neutral Density with Ensemble Data Assimilation of Radio Occultation Observations, 103rd AMS Annual Meeting, January 8-12, Denver, CO.

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, and C.-T. Hsu (2022), Specifying Neutral Density and Satellite Drag Through Coupled Thermosphere-Ionosphere Data Assimilation of Radio Occultation Electron Density Profiles, SA42B-06, AGU Fall Meeting, December 11-16, Chicago, IL.

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, C.-Y. Lin, C. H. Lin, T.-W. Fang (2022), Evaluating Radio Occultation Constellation Designs using Observing System Simulation Experiments: Data Impact of Electron Density Profiles on Ionospheric Specification, SM25C-1995, AGU Fall Meeting, December 11-16, Chicago, IL.

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, and C.-T. Hsu (2021), Qualifying and Reducing Neutral Density Uncertainty for Precise Orbit Determination using Physics-Based Data Assimilations, Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, September 14-17, Maui, Hawaii.

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, and C.-T. Hsu (2021), Coupled Thermosphere-Ionosphere Assimilative Modeling of Global Neutral Densities Using COSMIC Radio Occultation Data (iPoster), CEDAR Workshop, June 20-25, Virtual.

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, and C.-T. Hsu (2021), Estimating Localization Parameters for Assimilating COSMIC Radio Occultation Data to Estimate Neutral Density, The International EnKF Workshop, June 7-9, Virtual.

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, and C.-T. Hsu (2020), Thermospheric Neutral Density Specification and Forecasting via Driver Estimation and Assimilation of COSMIC Radio Occultation Data, AGU Fall Meeting, Virtual.

Dietrich, N., T. Matsuo, and C.-T. Hsu (2020), Thermospheric Neutral Density Estimation via Assimilation of COSMIC-2 Radio Occultation Data (Prerecorded Video), CEDAR Workshop, Virtual.