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Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences
(CASS)

The Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences is recognized both nationally and internationally as a progressive research center with advanced space and upper atmospheric research programs. Today, CASS scientists are tackling the adverse consequences of space weather. Space weather is a result of solar storms that affect satellites, human activities in space, the exploration of the Moon and Mars, communications systems, GPS accuracy, as well as major ground-based technological systems.

Graduate student research opportunities include: development of the largest public atmospheric LIDAR system to track the upper atmosphere’s response to “global change;” worldwide observational campaigns to track the fleeting upper atmospheric sprites and elves phenomena associated with “upward propagating lightning bolts;” the development of the nation’s first ionospheric data assimilation model for the Air Force; the challenge of analyzing thousands of parallel data streams in near-real time to track “space weather,” especially those responsible for outages in the Federal Aviation Authority’s (FAA) Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS); and more.

Undergraduates similarly have unique opportunities in the above areas, more to get first-hand exposure to “doing research.” CASS has a long heritage in providing undergraduates their first research experience.

Did You Know?

• Utah State University has carried out space science research since 1969 through CASS.

• CASS supports graduate students to conduct space research in association with dissertation work.

• CASS scientists have active collaborations with international and national space researchers in over 30 countries.

• CASS Scientists operate two observatories in northern Utah, fielding both optical and radio instruments to remote sense the upper atmosphere and ionosphere.

• Scientists and their students in CASS publish more than forty papers annually.

• The first ionospheric data assimilation model to be used by the US Air force on behalf of the Department of Defense is GAIM, which is being developed in CASS.

	Ionospheric Electric Fields From Satellites & Radars – Bela G. Fejer
The main focus of this research is the study of global ionospheric electro-dynamic and plasma wave processes from high to equatorial latitudes and the development of empirical predictive models using very large databases of observations from ionospheric radars, optical probes, and satellites. These studies provide an in-depth training on ionospheric physics, on the effective use of optimum analysis techniques for the empirical modeling of very large and complex radar and satellite databases, and on the use of novel data analysis techniques.
	Solar Physics – Jan J. Sojka
Sunspot is a solar observatory in southern New Mexico to which our graduate students in space science go for summer observing programs carried out in collaboration with scientists of the National Solar Observatory. The topics of interest include the initiation of solar flares and coronal mass ejections, and their propagation to the Earth, where they cause space weather phenomena.
	Atmospheric Lidar Observatory (ALO) – Vincent B. Wickwar
Lidar is a radar-type technique that uses powerful lasers and large telescopes. Since 1993, the ALO has measured temperatures, densities, and waves in the mesosphere and looked for evidence of global warming. The ALO is currently being upgraded to make it the most powerful lidar in the world.
	Physics-Based & Data Assimilation Modeling – Robert W. Schunk
Global physics-based numerical models and data assimilation models of the near-Earth space environment have been developed and are being used to study space weather phenomena. This program produced an operational, ionospheric, data assimilation model for the Air Force called Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements (GAIM).
	Upper Atmosphere All-Sky Low Light Level Observations – Michael J. Taylor
This research effort focuses on the development and utilization of imaging systems and novel infrared cameras to study atmospheric optical phenomena. These include noctilucent clouds, aurora, meteor storms, and lightning-induced optical transients termed “sprites” and “elves”. In current operation are CCD imagers at Bear Lake Observatory, Utah; Haleakala Crater, Hawaii; Halley Station, Antarctica; and ALOMAR Observatory, Norway.
	Bear Lake Observatory – Michael J. Taylor, Director
Interested?
Center for Atmospheric and Space Sciences (CASS) Utah State University 4405 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-4405 (435) 797-2962	Department of Physics Utah State University 4415 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-4415 (435) 797-2857
Think Utah State University www.usu.edu