ECE 468

• Electromagnetics, Optics and Remote Sensing

Same as AE 468 and ATMS 468.

Same as AE 468 and ATMS 468.

Gabriel Laufer, Introduction to Optics and Lasers in Engineering, Cambridge University Press.

The goals are:

1. to provide the necessary background in electromagnetics and radiation physics in order to study wave propagation of short wavelengths (<20 mm) in the atmosphere and through optical systems for detection.

2. to provide an understanding of basic optical systems and traditional detectors for passive (photometers, imagers, spectrometers, and interferometers) and active systems (lidar).

3. to understand and implement basic signal processing activities associated with optical remote sensing, including image processing.

4. to understand remote sensing platform traits including ground and spacecraft systems.

5. to have a basic understanding of the atmosphere and measurement parameters including composition, density, temperature, and wind (Doppler) and to experience a real world analysis problems.

A. By the time the students have completed their background study (Introduction) and Radiation Physics, they should understand:

1. electromagnetic plane wave propagation through dielectric media, refraction, and reflection.

2. atmospheric absorption effects.

3. wave transmission, absorption, and scattering (particle-Mie, atomic/molecular- Rayleigh and resonance).

4. concepts of constructive and destructive electromagnetic wave interference.

The above objectives meet program outcome (1).

B. By the time the students have completed their study of optical and detector systems, they should:

1. be able to calculate the etendue’ for an optical system.

2. understand resolution elements of an optical system.

3. have a basic understanding of the physical processes involved with detection and noise.

4. have a basic understanding of visible and infrared imaging technologies, and the associated electronics.

5. be capable of designing simple optical imaging systems and their design, and to understand and be able to design spectrometer and interferometers.

The above objectives meet program outcomes (1, 2, 6, 7).

C. By the time the students have completed their study of signal processing, they should

1. be able to process time series data through Fourier and spectral analysis methods.

2. be able to process image data for spatial information through Fourier and spectral analysis methods.

3. have basic understanding of image fields, pixel dynamic range, noise, filters, and related signal and image processing tools.

The above objectives meet program outcomes (1, 7).

D. By the time the students have completed their study of platforms, they should

1. understand and be able to compensate for platform movement in remote sensing designs.

2. have a basic understanding of orbital mechanics and related satellite platform design and signal processing considerations.

The above objectives meet program outcomes (1, 7).

E. By the time the students have completed their study of the atmosphere and atmospheric measurements, and their lab measurements study, they should

1. have a basic understanding of the atmospheric temperature and composition with altitude.

2. understand the measurement systems and inversion methods to recover atmospheric parameters.

3. understand, from laboratory experiences, the hands on issues of taking atmospheric data.

4. experience the end to end process of taking data, performing signal processing, and extracting geophysical information.

5. experience spatial, spectral, and temporal experiment passive methods.

The above objectives meet program outcomes (1, 2, 3, 6, 7).