A University of Iowa professor of chemical and biochemical engineering is leading a new NASA study to develop a cost-effective way to measure changes in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Specifically, the team led by Matthew McGill, a CBE professor and faculty affiliate of the Iowa Technology Institute, aims to reimagine laser-based, or lidar, remote sensing. Lidar is a proven method for studying how aerosols, clouds, and the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) change throughout the day.
“Providing detailed measurements of clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere is important,” McGill said. “Clouds regulate the Earth’s temperature, while aerosols impact air quality and human health.”
McGill, as principal investigator, was awarded a three-year, $4.5 million National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) grant titled, “Global Orbital Research with a Diurnal Observing Network (GORDON): Towards Realizing the Potential of Affordable Spaceborne Lidar.” The proposal is one of 11 selected through NASA’s Instrument Incubator Program.
Read how the College of Engineering has leveraged university P3 funds to expand space-based research on campus. Iowa Engineering turns P3 seed funding into $9.4M in NASA grants
The traditional approach to lidar remote sensing relies on cost-prohibitive satellite sensors. McGill’s proposal will demonstrate and define a series of small, inexpensive lidar sensors that can operate as a constellation. To demonstrate and validate the concept, a small prototype lidar will be developed and tested using aircraft from the university’s Operator Performance Laboratory.
Data collected from airborne flights will be used to train machine learning algorithms to provide real-time data products, which can be quickly assimilated into predictive models for air quality, human health, and for decision making, such as hazardous plume detection and monitoring. Demand for this type of information is rapidly increasing in both the civilian and defense communities.
The research team consists of scientists from the University of Iowa and NASA. An important aspect is the involvement of undergraduate and graduate students, who support instrument development, construction, testing, and demonstration.
“About 85% of the funds stay at the university, supporting instrument development, student costs, and aircraft flights,” McGill said.
“Engaging students in hardware development is the best way to actively encourage a next generation of instrument-oriented researchers and develop a pipeline of instrument-capable scientists and engineers," McGill noted in the grant proposal.
This NASA award highlights the far-reaching impact of the UI’s 2021, $3.6 million P3 investment to expand space-based research across campus, including the development of sensors, algorithms, and testing capabilities to elevate the role Iowa can play in NASA missions. The initiative also made it possible for the College of Engineering to recruit and hire McGill, an expert in instrument development with 25 years' experience at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Earlier this year, McGill secured a second P3 grant focused on advancing airborne and surface observations for Earth science research. The P3 project complements the recent NASA award for the GORDON project.