Registration for the Spring 2023 run of GEOS 657 Microwave Remote Sensing is now OPEN!!
You can sign up by visiting https://ecampus.uaf.edu/registration-form/ or click the link above. On the registration page, search for “GEOS” in the class list, choose GEOS F657 Microwave Remote Sensing and enter the requested student information. Please note that University of Alaska Fairbanks tuition applies for this course. For tuition information please visit https://ecampus.uaf.edu/tuition/.

Without a doubt, radar remote sensing has  become a highly  important data source in the Geosciences. This is mostly due to the ability of  radar to penetrate clouds and operate independently of solar illumination. Beyond that, the appeal of radar sensors stems from their ability to easily identify changes, track surface deformation with cm-accuracy, and map large areas regularly and over long time scales. It is therefore not surprising that radar remote sensing is regularly used for the study  of earthquakes, volcanoes, and  glaciers, as well as for the monitoring of anthropogenic activities such as hydrocarbon extraction, and  groundwater pumping.

This class will introduce you to the theory and applications of microwave remote sensing and will empower you to integrate remote sensing into your own research work. You will learn the most popular  processing techniques and will experiment with a broad range of applications of active and passive microwave remote sensing data. The laboratory part of the course will provide hands-on experience in radar data processing and include the possibility of using these techniques for a student-defined term project in areas of geology, seismology, volcanology, cryosphere, hydrology, environmental sciences, etc. Advanced processing techniques such as InSAR, differential InSAR or polarimetric SAR are also included.

Radar is not always an easy topic to grasp. Hence, we will explain the principles of radar in steps, starting from the most general principles and drilling down to the more mathematical specifics. We will take advantage of existing material in books and on the internet (such as the  entertaining yet (somewhat) informative YouTube video below 😉 ).

Best, Franz

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: Learn more about UA’s notice of nondiscrimination.