By Dr. Linda Hayden The Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing Education and Research (CERSER) continued it’s IEEE-GRSS Distinguished Lecture Series by welcoming Dr. Richard Moore, Professor Emeritus of Computer and Electrical Engineering at the University of Kansas. Dr. Moore is a pioneer in the field of microwave-based satellite remote sensing and a prolific inventor of new remotesensing devices that helped revolutionize mapping and monitoring of the Earth’s surface. He was also a major contributor to understanding how microwave signals vary with surface characteristics. The Distinguished Lecture, co-sponsored by the NSF Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) was webcast to all CReSIS Partners. Dr. Moore gave a presentation on the history of microwave remote sensing titled “Microwave Remote Sensing from its Beginning to its Current State of the Art.” The morning began with a presentation of the Polar Grid Project and the upcoming research trip to Greenland. Polar Grid is an NSF MRI funded partnership of Indiana University and Elizabeth City State University to acquire and deploy the computing infrastructure needed to investigate the urgent problems in glacial melting. Indiana University joined this presentation via video conference. During the afternoon lecture, the guests were welcomed by Dr. Darnell Johnson, Chairperson of the Math & Computer Science Department. Dr. Moore was introduced by Dr. Malcolm LeCompte, advisor to the student GRSS chapter. Dr. Moore’s talk centered around the developments that took place in remote sensing both in the United States and other countries. He is credited with many of the terms used today in remote sensing and delivered intriguing insight into the everyday innovations of scientists and engineers during the growth of the field. Microwave remote sensing began with World War II military radar (active sensors) and Radio telescopes (passive sensors). The sensors, were initially carried on aircraft, but in 1968 was also carried on spacecraft. The sensors came in many forms, but an important characteristic for all of them is spatial resolution. The first Ground-Penetrating Radars (GPR) were used to study depth of polar ice caps. At the University of Kansas they developed coherent GPR (at 150 MHz) to get more sensitivity and better resolution in depth. This work continues today by CReSIS (involving ECSU) in both Greenland and Antarctica. The slides from this presentation can be found at: http://cerser.ecsu.edu/08events/080219dls/moore/ . After the completion of the lecture, the IEEE-GRSS Northeastern North Carolina Chapter held its spring meeting. Mr. Charles Luther, past president of the IEEE-GRSS, closed out the meeting by challenging the students excel in their fields by setting goals and maintaining their integrity.  Photo caption: Seated L-R are Dr. Andrea Lawrence of Spelman College, Dr. Malcolm Lecompte (ECSU) Dr. Richard Moore (distinguished lecturer), Mr. Charles Luther (GRSS National Past President), Dr. Linda Hayden (ECSU GRSS chapter President). Standing are ECSU graduate and undergraduate students along with Dr. William Porter (ECSU GRSS Vice- President). |
Microwave Remote Sensing from its Beginning to its Current State of the Art |