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Schmidt, Sebastian

Associate Professor

Positions

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Research

research overview

  • Sebastian Schmidt works on atmospheric remote sensing and radiative energy budget studies from aircraft, space, and the ground. He specializes in spectrally resolved measurements of shortwave radiation, three-dimensional radiative transfer calculations, and the design of instruments and sampling strategies for improving our understanding of the radiative processes in complex scenes. Currently, he and his group are working on spectral retrieval algorithms for cloud-aerosol layers, trace gases, as well as on new hardware for airborne irradiance measurements. He is involved with all aspects of aircraft field experiments from proposal development to conducting field operations. His graduate students participate in instrument and algorithm development and travel to field deployments. Sebastian Schmidt is the lead of Airborne Science within the CU LASP Atmospheric Radiation Group. He also leads the development of a space-borne multi-angle camera subsystem for the NASA Libera mission at LASP.

keywords

  • atmospheric remote sensing, aircraft instrumentation, airborne satellite validation, atmospheric radiation science, cloud remote sensing, aerosol remote sensing, radiation energy budget, UAS/UAV instrumentation, aircraft experiments for climate and weather research

Publications

selected publications

Teaching

courses taught

  • ASEN 5235 - Introduction to Atmospheric Radiative Transfer and Remote Sensing
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2023
    Examines fundamentals of radiative transfer and remote sensing with primary emphasis on the Earth's atmosphere; emission, absorption and scattering by molecules and particles; multiple scattering; polarization; radiometry and photometry; principles of inversion theory; extinction- and emission-based passive remote sensing; principles of active remote sensing; lidar and radar; additional applications such as the greenhouse effect and Earth's radiative energy budget. Recommended prerequisite: one year of calculus-based physics and math up through differential equations. Same as ATOC 5235.
  • ATOC 1050 - Weather and the Atmosphere
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022
    Introduces principles of modern meteorology for nonscience majors, with emphasis on scientific and human issues associated with severe weather events. Includes description, methods of prediction, and impacts of blizzards, hurricanes, thunderstorms, tornadoes, lightning, floods, and firestorms.
  • ATOC 4500 - Special Topics in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018
    Acquaints students at the upper division level with current research in atmospheres, oceans, and climate. Topics may vary each semester. May be repeated up to 18 total credit hours within the degree as long as the topic is different. Students may register for more than one section of this course in the same semester. Recommended prerequisites and corequisites: will vary depending on topic. Recommended restriction: students with 57-180 credits (Juniors or Seniors).
  • ATOC 4815 - Scientific Programming, Data Analysis and Visualization Laboratory
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2019 / Fall 2023
    Teaches programming in python, as well as analysis skills for accessing, analyzing and visualizing data that are commonly used in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Basic data analysis includes curve fitting and re-gridding/aggregation of satellite observations or meteorological data for global climatologies. The course content is primarily conveyed through hands-on code development. A final project, involving the independent analysis and visualization of a scientific data set, integrates skills acquired throughout the course. Recommended requisites: prior experience with Python or a basic programming course such as CSCI 1300 or equivalent, basic knowledge of calculus and algebra. Same as ATOC 5815.
  • ATOC 4830 - Remote Sensing Lab
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2021 / Spring 2024
    Fundamentals of remote sensing of the atmosphere and ocean including fundamentals of atmospheric radiation and inverse methods for deriving geophysical variables from measurements. Principles of satellite and ground-based active (lidar and radar) and passive remote sensing methods, instrumentations, and applications. Lectures will include both descriptive and quantitative approaches to the subject material and include in-class demonstrations and measurements and data from the ATOC Skywatch Observatory and NASA satellites. Recommended prerequisites: one year of calculus and one year of physics with calculus.
  • ATOC 5235 - Introduction to Atmospheric Radiative Transfer and Remote Sensing
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2023
    Examines fundamentals of radiative transfer and remote sensing with primary emphasis on the Earth's atmosphere; emission, absorption and scattering by molecules and particles; multiple scattering; polarization; radiometry and photometry; principles of inversion theory; extinction- and emission-based passive remote sensing; principles of active remote sensing; lidar and radar; additional applications such as the greenhouse effect and Earth's radiative energy budget. ATOC graduate core course. Department enforced prerequisites: one year of calculus-based physics, and math up through differential equations. Same as ASEN 5235.
  • ATOC 5815 - Scientific Programming, Data Analysis and Visualization Laboratory
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2019 / Fall 2023
    Teaches programming in python, as well as analysis skills for accessing, analyzing and visualizing data that are commonly used in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Basic data analysis includes curve fitting and re-gridding/aggregation of satellite observations or meteorological data for global climatologies. The course content is primarily conveyed through hands-on code development. A final project, involving the independent analysis and visualization of a scientific data set, integrates skills acquired throughout the course. Same as ATOC 4815.
  • ATOC 6020 - Seminar in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018 / Fall 2018 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
    Studies an area of current research in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Students read selected papers from the literature. Students and faculty give presentations and participate in discussions. May be repeated for a total of 6 credit hours within the degree. May be repeated for a total of 3 credit hours within a semester.
  • ATOC 7500 - Special Topics in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018
    Acquaints students with current research in atmospheres, oceans, and climate. Topics may vary each semester. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours. Students may register for more than one section of this course in the same semester. Formerly ATOC 7500.

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