Faculty & Research

Sigrid Close

Sigrid Close

 
Title:Assistant Professor
Department(s):Aeronautics and Astronautics, Electrical Engineering by courtesy
Location:Durand 264
Mail Code:4035
Phone:650.725.2863       
E-mail: [email protected]

Research Statement

Prof. Close's research involves space weather detection and modeling for improved spacecraft designs, and advanced signal processing and electromagnetic wave interactions with plasma for ground-to-satellite communication systems. These topics fall under the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) umbrella that include environmental remote sensing using satellite systems and ground-based radar. Her current efforts are the MEDUSSA (Meteoroid, Energetics, and Debris Understanding for Space Situational Awareness) program, TALIS (Tomographic Array for Lightning and Ionospheric Studies) using ground-based and space-based RF sensors, and using ground-based radar data to characterize the meteoroid population and its threat to spacecraft. Future work includes using CubeSats for asteroid detection and characterization.

Research Projects
MEDUSSA: Meteoroid, Energetics, and Debris Understanding for Space Situational Awareness
TALIS: Tomographic Array for Lightning and Ionosphere Studies
Interplanetary Dust and Meteoroids
QB50
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Publications

Publication TitleAuthor(s)/Speaker(s)Open Document
Measurements of freely-expanding plasma from hypervelocity impacts N. Lee; S. Close; D. Lauben... 201201 - IJIE - Lee - RPA - preprint_5787.pdf
Analysis of electromagnetic and electrostatic effects of particle impacts on spacecraft Michael C. Kelley; Stephanie Pancoast; Sigrid Close... 201201 - ASR - Kelley - Cassini_5788.pdf
Investigating the Crumbs of Creation Sigrid Close
A medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbance observed from the ground and from space Dymond; K. F.; C. Watts... 201109 - RS - Dymond - TID_5670.pdf
A compressed sensing approach to observing distributed radar targets Ryan Volz and Sigrid Close
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Course NumberCourse TitleLink
AA242A Classical Dynamics
AA 244 Introduction to Plasmas
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Academic Honors & Awards

NSF CAREER Award, 2011-2016 Hellman Faculty Scholar, 2010
Arecibo Science Advisory Panel
National Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris Panel Member
Meteoroids 2010 Scientific Organizing Committee
National Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board Review of Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies Mitigation Panel Member
Elected Vice Chair Commission G (URSI)
Planetary Decadal Survey Interplanetary Dust
Cover of IEEE Spectrum 2008
1st Place Student Paper Competition International Union of Radio Science
Exceptional Efforts in Meteoroid Impact Study
Joe D. Marshall Award presented by AFTAC for Outstanding Technical Briefing
MIT Lincoln Scholar

News & Videos

HeadlineDate
Co-host on "Known Universe" on the National Geographic Channel 12/31/1969
Potentially Damaging Meteor Shower Highlights Risk to Spacecraft 12/31/1969
Meteoroid impacts may explain some satellite mysteries 12/31/1969
Tiny bits of debris are a big problem in space 12/31/1969
SETI Invited Lecture 12/31/1969
Mariner 4 12/31/1969
Saving Spacecraft 12/31/1969
Can we make it to Mars? 12/31/1969
Students fly in Zero-G 12/31/1969
Countdown to Armageddon 12/31/1969
Are our satellites in danger? 12/31/1969
Shooting Stars Can Shoot Down Satellites 12/31/1969
Countering NEOs 12/31/1969
National Research Council Space and Engineering Board Release 12/31/1969
Options for Deflecting Near-Earth Objects 12/31/1969