Dr. Chu is currently focusing on exploring the Earth’s atmosphere, space, and beyond with LIDAR observations, theoretical studies, and numerical modeling. Her research involves the studies of advanced spectroscopy principles and photonics, development of innovative lidar technologies and instrumentation, and investigations of fundamental physical, chemical, and dynamical processes in the Sun-Earth system. Using atmospheric metal species as tracers, her research is exploratory and has led to many science discoveries, especially on the studies of cosmic dust, space-atmosphere interactions, and wave dynamics. Dr. Chu’s ultimate goals are to discover and understand the universal processes that make a planetary atmosphere habitable and sustainable for life as well as to provide innovative lidar solutions to human exploration. Her group’s research is multi-disciplinary in nature, covering a wide spectrum from spectroscopy study and lidar instrumentation to lidar deployment all over the world, to sophisticated data analysis, numerical model development, and atmosphere-space sciences. Dr. Chu is the Principal Investigator on the McMurdo lidar projects that have been observing the Earth’s atmosphere and space for about 15 years in Antarctica. Her group has achieved numerous lidar technology breakthroughs and groundbreaking science discoveries, especially in the Antarctica exploration, for which Dr. Chu was awarded a CEDAR Prize Lecture Award in 2019, an AOGS Distinguished Lecture in 2024, and many of her students have won numerous (~20) prizes and awards from various conferences and sources. These lidar research and science exploration have been a cradle of top PhDs, producing the best crop of young scientists and engineers.
keywords
lidar remote sensing, space-atmosphere interactions, thermosphere-ionosphere metal layers, atmospheric science, space physics, atomic and laser spectroscopy, quantum physics, laser physics, laser technology, photonics, quantum electronics, environmental sciences, whole atmosphere lidar
ASEN 3113 - Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022
Focuses on the applications of the first and second laws of thermodynamics to control volumes and teaches the fundamental concepts of different modes of energy and heat transfer. Learn to use these concepts in gas dynamics, high-speed vehicle spacecraft design, environmental systems, and energy analysis.
ASEN 3300 - Aerospace Electronics and Communications
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Spring 2021 / Fall 2023
Provides the fundamentals of electronics and communications widely used in aerospace engineering. Includes analog instrumentation electronics, data acquisition, digital electronics and radio communication.
ASEN 6265 - Fundamentals of Spectroscopy for Optical Remote Sensing
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2024
Provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of quantum physics, atomic spectroscopy, molecular spectroscopy and laser spectroscopy. Exposes students to the spectroscopy applications in modern optical and laser remote sensing. Assists students to develop the fundamental knowledge and skills for independent learning.
ASEN 6365 - Lidar Remote Sensing
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2023 / Fall 2024
Provides a comprehensive, yet easily understandable, up-to-date understanding of lidar principles, technologies and applications. Contains approaches for quantitative lidar simulation, lidar sensitivity and error analysis, lidar data retrieval, lidar system design and performance analysis. Gives students opportunities to see and operate real state-of-the-art lidar systems and make connections to lidar experts in the nation and world.
ASEN 6949 - Master's Candidate for Degree
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024
Registration intended for students preparing for a thesis defense, final examination, culminating activity, or completion of degree.
