GPS Signal Modeling and Performance Analysis for Enhanced Signal Tracking

Support of Data Fusion Corporation's research for the US Air Force to develop a receiver tracking architecture for GPS which efficiently overcomes near/far effects and severe multipath interference.  This includes developing a set of GPS test signals to aid in the initial algorithm development, working with DFC to define and evaluate appropriate performance measures, and assisting in the implementation of the proposed techniques within the framework of an existing GPS receiver platform.

Algorithms for Autonomous GPS Orbit Determination and Formation Flying

Collaboration with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in the development of an open architecture receiver based upon the GSFC PiVoT for use in HEO and GEO orbits.  Focusing on algorithm development and systems analysis in the key areas of acquisition strategy, signal tracking, and relative navigation.

Spaceborne GPS-Based Relative Navigation and Time Transfer

Research for the Naval Research Laboratory to develop innovative algorithms for precise, real-time relative navigation and time transfer of cooperative vehicles in LEO.  Involves three basic areas - dynamic modeling, measurement modeling, and estimator design.

Comparison of QuikSCAT and GPS-Derived Ocean Surface Winds (Co-PIs:  Dr. George Born, Dr. Attila Komjathy)

Research for NASA to provide a detailed comparison of QuikSCAT and GPS reflection-based ocean surface wind retrievals.  Includes completing the development of an algorithm for robust estimation of the ocean surface wind vector from GPS observations from multiple satellites with proximate glistening zones.

GPS Surface Reflection Applications Support

Technical assistance to Ball Aerospace to support research and proposal efforts related to applications of GPS surface reflections.

Emerging Military Navigation Technologies

Support of Draper Laboratory in conducting a study of Emerging Military Navigation Technologies in support of the US Air Force Joint Technology Center/System Integration Laboratory.

Real-Time Altimetry Project (JASON-1) (Co-PI:  Dr. Robert Leben)

As part of the JASON-1 Science Working Team, CCAR emphasizes the use of JASON-1 data for operational oceanographic activities.  These include generating global ocean surface current, wind, and wave maps, supporting scientific research vessels in hydrographic studies, and numerous real time and historical oceanographic studies.

TOPEX/Poseidon Calibration/Validation at Platform Harvest

In cooperation with JPL and the Tides and Sea Level branch of NOAA, producing high accuracy sea level measurements at offshore platform Harvest for the calibration of the TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter.  Also operating a laser sea level system at platform Harvest as a complementary and backup system to the NOAA acoustic and bubbler systems.

JASON-1 Outreach  (Co-PI:  Dr. Robert Leben)

JASON-1 and TOPEX/POSEIDON outreach tasks include real time web pages, applications web pages, and digital data distribution.  Funded by JPL.

Services and Support for TOPEX/PODTG

Development of methods for precision orbit determination (POD) for the TOPEX/POSEIDON and JASON-1 satellites.  Funded by JPL.

Merging Infrared Sea Surface Temperature with Satellite Altimetry to Map Ocean Currents in Two Coastal Domains

A new inverse method for calculating mesoscale surface currents that uses dynamical constraints to couple satellite infrared sea surface temperature (SST) with altimetric surface height data. The method is applied to eastern boundary (off the west coast of North America) and western boundary (the east coast of Australia including New Zealand) regions of the Pacific Ocean.  Funded by JPL.

Relationships Between the Bulk-Skin Sea Surface Temperature Difference, Wind and Net Air-Sea Heat Flux

A three-pronged research program to build and expand on earlier studies of relationships between skin sea surface temperature (SSST), bulk sea surface temperature (BSST), wind speed and the fluxes of heat and momentum at the air-sea interface.  Uses data sets from satellite, in situ campaigns and laboratory experiments.  Funded by NASA HQ.

In Situ Validation of Satellite Infrared Skin Surface Temperature Measurements

A project to validate the skin SST from MODIS including building a prototype "calibration radiometer" for the measurement of ship-based radiometric skin SST.  Funded by NASA HQ.

Infrared and Passive Microwave Radiometric Sea Surface Temperatures and their Relationships to Atmospheric Forcing (Co-PI: Sandra Castro)

Applying knowledge and a comprehensive treatment of the behavior of the temperature difference across the oceanic skin layer to determine the best method for blending thermal infrared and passive microwave measurements of the SST, thus improving coverage in regions with persistent cloud cover.  Funded by NASA.

Improving the Accuracy of Satellite Sea Surface Temperature Measurements by Explicitly Accounting for the Bulk-Skin Temperature Difference

Designing, building, and employing a prototype Ship of Opportunity Sea Surface Temperature Radiometer (SOSSTR) to generate a high quality and geographically widespread SSST data set suitable for the operational validation of satellite SSST observations.  Funded by NASA.

Deepwater Physical Oceanography Reanalysis and Synthesis of Historical Data

A collaborative effort between CU and NOAA to assess the accuracy of nowcast/forecasts of surface currents from a real-time nowcast/forecast system of the Gulf of Mexico by comparison with the surface current data derived from over-the-horizon surface wave radars (OHSWaR) on the Gulf Coast.  Also, to assess the impact of coupling the ocean model to a regional atmospheric model on the forecast skill for wintertime severe storms over the Eastern U.S.  Funded by the Texas Engineering Experiment Station at Texas A&M University.

Data-Assimilative, Nested Nowcast Forecast Models for the Mediterranean Sea:  The GOATS 2000 Experiment

Establishing a real-time nowcast/forecast capability for the Mediterranean Sea (and its subseas) for potential use in serving the military operational and civilian needs of the NATO community.  Funded by the Office of Naval Research.

Refinement and Verification of a Climatological Forecast Model of the Loop Current and Associated Eddies

Setting up a real-time nowcast/forecast system within the CU 1/12 degree high resolution Gulf of Mexico circulation model, and performing a thorough assessment of the model skill by comparison with available in-situ and remotely-sensed data, with the objective of arriving at a consistently reliable system for operational use by CASE (Climatology and Simulation of Eddies project) participants.  Funded by Marathon Oil Company.

Hindcasts of the Oceanic State in the Gulf of Mexico

Performing and providing hindcasts of the oceanic state in the Gulf of Mexico during 2000 and 2001, using a data-assimilative numerical model of the Gulf.  Funded by Exxon Mobil Development Company.

Dynamics of Semi-Enclosed and Coastal Seas:  Numerical Models and Altimetry (Co-PI: Dr. Robert Leben)

Examining the utility of altimetry in coastal and semi-enclosed seas, using data from the TOPEX and ERS-1 altimeters, to better simulate the dynamical processes occurring in these seas with the objective of developing a better understanding of the prevailing physical processes and a nowcast/forecast capability.  Funded by the Office of Naval Research.

Investigation into Caribbean Loop Current Intrusion Precursors Through Satellite Altimetry Analysis

Characterizing upstream conditions in the Caribbean Sea that are potential precursors to Loop Current penetration and eddy shedding in the Gulf of Mexico, using historical measurements of sea surface height from the TOPEX/Poseidon and ERS satellites.  Funded by Shell Global Solutions.

Altimeter Data Support for USF Gulf of Mexico Study

Providing maps of sea surface height anomalies and sea surface topography to the University of South Florida for blending with AVHRR and ocean color imagery and in situ data, in support of USF's Gulf of Mexico study.

MMS DeSoto Canyon Eddy Intrusion Study

Providing the Minerals Management Service with information and analysis to understand the physical oceanography of the NE Gulf of Mexico and applying this information to environmental assessments; elucidating the role of DeSoto Canyon as a route that facilitates eddy intrusions and as a conduit of mass exchange between the deep Gulf and the shelf.  Funded by Science Applications International Corporation.

Development and Analysis of Arctic Basin-Scale to Local-Scale Gridded Products in Support of Modeling Investigations During the SHEBA Period (Co-PI: Dr. Charles Fowler)

Providing and analyzing a suite of products tailored to the needs of climate modeling and evaluation for the SHEBA project.  Includes combining available data sets into a suite of multi-parameter, multi-scale products optimized for modeling applications, generating spatial and temporal summaries of these data as well as visualization products, and combining modeling and observations to generate additional products required for evaluating climate models on the space and time scales embodied by the SHEBA project.  Funded by the National Science Foundation.

Sea Ice Variability in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas:  Processes and Prediction (Co-PI: Dr. Charles Fowler)

Extending previous work in the analysis of western Arctic ice conditions, specifically in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, to understand the climatic conditions associated with the recent ice reductions, to improve our ability to predict the potential for extreme ice conditions, and to assess the likelihood that ice conditions in recent years might represent a shift to a new sea-ice regime in the western Arctic in response to broader-scale climatic change.  Funded by the National Science Foundation.

Validation of AMSR-E Polar Ocean Products Using a Combination of Modeling and Field Observations

Complements and enhances the planned AMSR Instrument Science Team efforts by combining additional detailed, in situ data collection with radiance modeling to validate products under a wide variety of weather and surface conditions.  Includes surface data collection at scales relevant for remote sensing validation, detailed mapping of surface and atmospheric conditions using Unpiloted Airborne Vehicles, and use of radiative transfer modeling to assess algorithm performance in the polar regions for the following standard products:  sea ice concentration, sea ice temperature, and snow depth on sea ice.  Funded by NASA Office of Earth Sciences.

Improving the Simulation of Sea Ice Lead Conditions and Turbulent Fluxes using RGPS Products and Merged RADARSAT, AVHRR, and MODIS Data (Co-PI: Dr. Charles Fowler)

Refining and testing the local-scale parameterizations used within an existing, detailed ice sheet lead model, identifying relationships between the local-scale lead characteristics needed as input to the lead model and large-scale sea ice conditions that can be simulated by climate models, and testing the improvement in the climate simulations when these relationships are used to implement the detailed lead flux calculations.  Funded by the NASA Polar Research Program.

A Study of Sea Level Change in the Northeastern U.S. Using GPS and Tide Gauge Data with Applications to Global Sea Level Change

Making GPS measurements of 3-dimensional crustal deformation in the northeastern U.S. and combining them with absolute gravity and tide gauge measurements to infer the viscosity of the lower mantle and thus improve current models of glacial isostatic adjustment, therefore enabling determination of the relative roles of crustal motion and sea level rise along the northeastern coast and development of an improved estimate of global mean sea level rise from the global tide gauge data set.  Funded by the National Science Foundation.

Future Advances in Global Gravity Field Modeling

Studying strategies for improving models of the global gravity field using a combination of GRACE satellite-to-satellite measurements, satellite altimeter measurements, airborne gravity measurements, and surface gravity measurements.  Funded by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency.

Using Global Terrestrial GPS Measurements to Unravel the Emerging Altimetric Record of Global Sea-Level Change

Research on improving the accuracy of vertical positions determined from the analysis of GPS receiver data, for the purpose of improving the daily processing of GPS data from receivers located near tide gauges around the world.  Funded by JPL.