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Franz Meyer
Earth and Planetary Remote Sensing
Geophysical Institute
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK, 99775
Phone: +1-907-474-7767
Email: fmeyer @ gi.alaska.edu
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Franz Meyer

Research Professor, Earth & Planetary Remote Sensing, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Research Interests:

My main Research interest is the development of advanced SAR, InSAR, PS-InSAR, and PolInSAR techniques and their application to geophysical problems. One of my specific interests focuses on the understanding as well as the detection, modeling, and correction of tropospheric and ionospheric effects in single-pol, dual-pol, and quad-pol SAR and InSAR data. Application of SAR and InSAR to studies of surface deformation, coastal change, tropospheric and ionospheric mapping, and permafrost change is one of my additional focus areas.

Teaching:
 In my position as Research Professor with UAF, I am also responsible for teaching "Statistics and Data Analysis in Geology" at UAF. Besides that, I teach the courses "Principles and Applications of Synthetic Aperture Radar" and "SAR Interferometry and Related SAR Techniques" in collaboration with the George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.

Professional Experience:
From March 2007 until September 2008 I was employed as Remote Sensing Scientist at the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. From September 2003 until February 2007, I was with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as Senior Remote Sensing Scientist. I received my PhD in Engineering in 2004 for my work on "Advanced SAR Interferometry for the Observation of Polar Glaciers" (achieved distinction: “Magna Cum Laude” GPA 3.9). During my professional career, I gathered significant expertise in the theory and application of SAR image generation, SAR data quality analysis, SAR Polarimetry, SAR Interferometry and differential SAR Interferometry. Within these areas, I am engaged in the following research topics:
  • Studying and mapping the dynamics of the troposphere and the ionosphere based on SAR observations
  • Monitoring of natural hazards (volcanoes, earthquakes, glaciers, ...) with SAR Interferometry
  • Mapping of slow surface motion (land subsidence, landslides) using the Persistent Scatterer technique
  • Conception and design of SAR Interferometry techniques with focus on current and future SAR satellites (e.g. TerraSAR-X, ALOS PALSAR, TanDEM-X, Radarsat-2 ...)
  • Applying SAR for mapping coastal erosion and permafrost change
Within the last eight years, I taught a variety of subjects at the Technical University of Munich. Among them are SAR Image Generation, SAR Interferometry, Estimation Theory, Signal Processing, and Stereo-Photogrammetry. Besides SAR, I have a sound education in Stereo-Photogrammetry, Signal and Image Processing, Astronomical & Physical Geodesy, Mathematics, and Statistics .