AOSC440

Prerequisite: PHYS171, PHYS161, or GEOG301, or with permission of instructor. The harsh environment of the vast polar regions makes them some of the most inaccessible places on Earth. With widespread environmental change already underway, satellite remote sensing provides the only means by which to obtain year-round observations of the polar climate system. The objective of this course is to provide students with an overview of polar remote sensing techniques, including the physical principles of active and passive sensors, orbits, electromagnetic radiation, atmospheric transmission, calibration and validation. We will focus on measurements of the polar oceans, sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, snow and permafrost, and examine the response of the cryosphere to climate change. Cross-listed with GEOG440. Credit only granted for AOSC440 or GEOG440.