Research

  • Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere Response to Electromagnetic Flux at the Poles

    Earth is our home and can be found in a solar system with a yellow dwarf named the Sun. Dan's project is to study what it means to live in an Earth-Sun system, particularly, he is contributing to our understanding of how does the dynamically varying Sun affect Earth? To do this, Dan is developing an algorithm that will make use of a globally distributed sensor network that can measure both how much energy enters Earth and how does this energy change wind patterns at the upper most layers of Earth's atmosphere. These layers are called the Ionosphere and Thermosphere and it is in this layer that many spacecraft, including Earth's astronauts in the International Space Station operate. The human race must fully understand this region to insure that the near Earth space environment can also be called our home.

    Support from NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship
    PI Seebany Datta-Barua
    September 2015 -- August 2017

  • Kilometer-spaced GNSS array for ionospheric irregularity monitoring

    This project takes advantage of a closely-distributed GNSS receiver array whose signals are both temporally and spatially correlated to monitor scintillation events and estimate quantities of ionospheric irregularities that produce them.

    Support from: National Science Foundation
    Seebany Datta-Barua (co-PI), Gary Bust (JHUAPL, co-PI)

  • Great Lake Surface Characterization with GNSS Reflectometry

    The objective of this effort is to advance novel methods of remotely sensing water and ice coverage on freshwater surfaces using reflected Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals. A ground-based experiment will be carried out on the Lake Michigan shoreline, the first documented study of lake ice and freshwater surface properties using GNSS reflectometry.

    Support from National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    PI Seebany Datta-Barua, Co-I Boris Pervan
    November 2015 -- October 2018

  • Exploring Lagrangian Coherent Structures in the Atmosphere



    Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCSs) are manifolds of maximum divergence or convergence in 2D or 3D time-varying flow fields. The study of LCSs has been used to predict material transport in numerous geophysical flows. In the arena of space science, coherent structures are most prominently visible in the form of aurorae. LCSs have been sought in models of the ionosphere and in stellar plasmas. To better understand possible interactions between coherent structuring in upper atmospheric plasmas with the neutral atmosphere, it is important to determine whether and how structuring appears in the atmosphere.

    Support from National Science Foundation CAREER Award and Research Experience for Undergraduates
    PI Seebany Datta-Barua