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Getting to BYU

Current MERS Members

  • Faculty:
  • Staff:
  • Ph.D. Students:
    • Harrison Garrett
    • Nathan Porter
  • Master's Students:
    • Ben Fogg
    • Matthew McKinney
    • Levi Powell
    • Alex McBride
    • Trevor Wisemann
  • Undergraduate Students:
    • Jason Christensen
    • Porter Davis
    • Daily Hannah
    • Spencer Hanna
    • Nate Roberts
    • Carter Wray

Past Students

  • Post-Docs:
    • Dr. Aaron Paget. Faculty at Coast Guard Academy.
    • Dr. Jon W. Wallace. Wavetronix.
    • Dr. Salvador Guitierez. Faculty at Plattsburgh State University of New York Computer Science Dept.
  • Past Ph.D. Students:
    • Eric Widdison, Graduated: Dec. 2023, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Passive Positioning Using Linear Multilateration" (4 MB PDF*)
      • Air Force
    • Richard Lindsley, Graduated: Dec. 2015, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Enhanced-Resolution Processing and Applications of the ASCAT Scatterometer" (9 MB PDF*)
      • RSS in Santa Rosa, CA.
    • Craig Stringham, Graduated: Dec. 2014, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Developments in LFM-CW SAR for UAV Operation" (23 MB PDF*)
      • Capella.
    • Michael I. Duersch, Graduated: Aug. 2013, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Backprojection for Synthetic Aperture Radar" (8 MB PDF*)
      • Consulting
    • Keith M. Stuart, Graduated: Dec. 2012, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Application of SeaWinds Scatterometer Data to the Study of Antarctic Icebergs" (4.7 MB PDF*)
      • Sandia in Albuquerque, NM.
    • Michael Owen, Graduated: Dec. 2010, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Scatterometer Contamination Mitigation" (34 MB PDF*)
      • Lincoln Laboratory, MA.
    • Brent Williams, Graduated: Aug. 2010, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Signal Processing Methods for Ultra High Resolution Scatterometry" (11 MB PDF*)
      • NASA/JPL in Pasadena, CA.
    • Evan Zaugg, Graduated: Apr. 2010, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Generalized Image Formation for Pulsed and LFM-CW Synthetic Aperture Radar"
      • Artemis, Inc. in NY.
    • Derek Hudson, Graduated: Dec. 2009, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Improving Accuracy in Microwave Radiometry via Probability and Inverse Problem Theory" (3.7 MB PDF*)
      • NASA/GSFC in MD.
    • Congling Nie, Graduated: Apr. 2008, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Wind/Rain Backscatter Modeling and Wind/Rain Retrieval for Scatterometer and Synthetic Aperture Radar" (26.4 MB PDF*)
      • Micron in Lehi, UT.
    • Haroon Stephen, Graduated: Aug. 2006, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Microwave Remote Sensing of Saharan Ergs and Amazon Vegetation" (8.7 MB PDF*)
      • University of Nevada Las Vegas in NV.
    • Ivan Ashcraft, Graduated: Dec. 2004, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Microwave Remote Sensing of the Greenland Ice Sheet" (3.6 MB PDF*)
      • imSAR, Springville, UT
    • Floyd Millet, Graduated: Dec. 2004, Advisor: Dr. Karl Warnick
      • Dissertation Title: "Improving Electromagntic Bias Estimates" (3.4 MB PDF*)
      • Lockheed, CA
    • David Draper, Graduated: Dec. 2003, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Wind Scatterometry with Improved Ambiguity Selection and Rain Modeling" (9.5 MB PDF*)
      • Ball Aerospace, Boulder, CO
    • Peter Yoho, Graduated: Dec. 2003, Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Improved Performance of Satellite Scatterometer Through Calibration, Design, and Analysis" (5.2 MB PDF*)
      • Lincoln Labs
    • Michael W. Spencer, Graduated: Dec. 2001. Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "A Methodology for the Design of Spaceborne Pencil-Beam Scatterometer Systems" (7.2 MB PDF*)
      • CalTech/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
    • Jon W. Wallace, Graduated: Dec. 2001, Advisor: Dr. Mike Jensen
      • Dissertation Title: "Modeling Electromagnetic Wave Propagation in Electrically Large Structures"
      • Wavetronix
    • Douglas Thompson, Graduated Aug. 2001. Advisor: Dr. David Arnold
      • Dissertation Title: "Innovative Radar Interferometry" (10.8 MB PDF*)
      • Recipent of an NSF Fellowship, 1997.
      • Sandia National Labs, NM
    • Quinn P. Remund, Graduated: Aug. 2000. Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Multisensor Microwave Remote Sensing of the Cryosphere" (33.5 MB PDF*)
      • Recipent of a Rocky Mountain Space Grant
      • Ball Aerospace, CO
    • Paul E. Johnson, Graduated: Aug. 1999. Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Uncertainties in Oceanic Microwave Remote Sensing: the Radar Footprint, the Wind-Backscatter Relationship, and the Measureemnt Proabability Density Function" (7.2 MB PDF*)
      • Recipent of a NASA Gobal Change Fellowship, 1997.
      • Recipent of a Rocky Mountain Space Grant Consortium Fellowship.
      • Ball Aerospace, CO
    • David S. Early, Graduated: May 1998. Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "A Study of the Scatterometer Image Reconstruction Algorithm and its Application to Polar Ice Studies" (3.9 MB PDF*)
      • Recipent of a NASA Global Change Fellowship, 1993.
    • Karl Warnick, Graduated: April 1997. Advisor: Dr. David Arnold
      • Dissertation Title: "A Differential Forms Approach to Electromagnetics in Anisotropic Media" Differential forms (8.8 MB PDF*)
      • Recipent of an NSF Fellowship, 1994.
      • Completed postdoc at Illinois, now Professor at BYU.
    • Ryan Reed, Graduated: April 1996. Advisor: Dr. David Long
      • Dissertation Title: "Statistical Properties of the Sea Scattered Radar Return" (5.8 MB PDF*)
      • Raytheon, Tucson, AZ.
  • Selected Past Master's Students:
    • Jacob Stratford, Radar Processing Techniques for Using the LimeSDR Mini as a Short-Range LFM Radar, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2023. (3.5 MB PDF*)
    • Tayler Livingston, Comparison of Compact Very High Frequency (VHF) Antennas for Small Airborne Ground Penetrating Radar, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2023. (8 MB PDF*)
    • Joshua Kjar, ASCAT Wind Estimation at 2.5 km Resolution Supported by Machine Learning Rain Detection, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2022. (2.7 MB PDF*)
    • James Smith, Systems Engineering of the Global L-Band Observatory for Water Cycle Studies, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2022. (3.7 MB PDF*)
    • Patrick Walton, Concepts for Rapid-refresh, Global Ocean Surface Wind Measurement Evaluated Using Full-system Parametric Extrema Modeling, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2021. (5.9 MB PDF*)
    • Spencer Low, An Exploration of Soil Moisture Reconstruction Techniques, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2021. (9.2 MB PDF*)
    • Nick Kohls, Software Defined Radio Short Range Radar, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2021. (11.1 MB PDF*)
    • Andrew Monk, Exploration into the Use of a Software Defined Radio as a Low-Cost Radar Front-End, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2020. (2.5 MB PDF*)
    • Greg Schachterle, Improved Analysis Techniques for Scatterometer Wind Estimation, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2020. (4.7 MB PDF*)
    • Ryan Bartley, Ku-Band Ultra-High Resolution Radar Tomography of an Alpine Snowpack, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2020. (15 MB PDF*)
    • Evan Chrisney, Scatterometer Cross Calibration Using Volume Scattering Models for Amazon Rainforest Canopies, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2019. (2.3 MB PDF*)
    • Nolan Hutchings, Ultrahigh Resolution Scatterometer Winds, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2019. (11.4 MB PDF*)
    • Evan Chrisney, Scatterometer Cross Calibration Using Volume Scatterineter Models for Amazon Rainforest Canopies, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2019. (2.4 MB PDF*)
    • Jordan Brown, An Exploration of Neural Networks in Enhanced Resolution Remote Sensing Products, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2019. (3.8 MB PDF*)
    • Garrett McDonald, Adjustment of RapidScat Backscatter Measurements for Improved Radar Images, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2018. (8.1 MB PDF*)
    • Sam Bury, The Estimation of the Spatial Response Function for a Remote Sensing Pencil Beam Scatterometer Applied to the RapidScat Scatterometer, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2018. (565 kB PDF*)
    • Jordan C. Hill, Extension of the QuikSCAT Sea Ice Extent Data Set with OSCAT and ASCAT Data, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2017. (5.2 MB PDF*)
    • Jeffery S. Budge, Estimation of Size and Rotations of Icebergs from Historical Data Utilizing Scatterometer Data, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2017. (1.3 MB PDF*)
    • John C. Niedfeldt, RapidSCAT Slice Spatial Response Function Contour Parameterization, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2016. (35 MB PDF*)
    • F. Dayton Minor, Calibration of RapidScat Instrument Drift, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2016. (2.8 MB PDF*)
    • David B. Lindell, Arctic Sea Ice Classification and Soil Moisture Estimation Using Microwave Sensors, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2016. (30 MB PDF*)
    • Nathan M. Madsen, Calibration and Validation of the RapidScat Scatterometer Using Natural Land Targets, Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2015. (7.3 MB PDF*)
    • Jeffrey R. Blodgett, Analysis, Validation, and Improvement of High-Resolution Wind Estimates from the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT), Master's Thesis, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2014. (11 MB PDF*)
    • Mark Crockett. EE Master's Apr. 2014. "Target Motion Estimation Techniques Single-channel SAR" (30 MB PDF*)
    • John Barrus. EE Master's Dec. 2013, "Intercalibration of QuikSCAT and OSCAT Land Backscatter" (50.9 MB PDF*)
    • Benjamin Dilsaver. EE Master's Aug. 2013, " Experiments with GMTI Radar Using Micro-Doppler" (13.3 MB PDF*)
    • Joseph Winkler. EE Master's Aug. 2013, "An Investigation into Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) Using a Single-Channel Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)" (60.2 MB PDF*)
    • Kevin Moon. EE Master's Aug. 2012, "Investigations of the Dry Snow Zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet Using QuikSCAT" (4.2 MB PDF*)
    • Kyra Moon. EE Master's Aug. 2012, "Windowed Factorized Backprojection for Pulsed and LFM-CW Stripmap SAR" (1.4 MB PDF*)
    • Steven Reeves. EE Master's Aug. 2011, "Sea Ice Mapping Using Enhanced Resolution Advanced Scatterometer Images" (9.4 MB PDF*)
    • Weston Hullinger. EE Master's Aug. 2011, "Mitigation of Sea Ice Contamination in QuikSCAT Wind Retrieval" (2.4 MB PDF*)
    • Josh Bradley. EE Master's Aug. 2011, "Extending the QuikSCAT Data Record with the Oceansat-2 Scatterometer" (55 MB PDF*)
    • Justin Penner. EE Master's Apr. 2011, "Development of a Ground-Based High-Resolution 3D-SAR System for Studying the Microwave Scattering Characteristics of Trees" (6.7 MB PDF*)
    • Aaron Swan. EE Master's Aug. 2011, "Multi-year Arctic Sea Ice Classification Using QuikSCAT" (5.5 MB PDF*)
    • Brian Gunn. EE Master's Aug. 2010, "Scatterometer Image Reconstruction Tuning and Aperture Function Estimation for the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer aboard the Earth Observing System" (14 MB PDF*)
    • Stephen Preston. EE Master's Aug. 2010, "Design and Feasibility Testing for a Ground-based, Three-dimensional Ultra-High-Resolution, Synthetic Aperture Radar to Image Snowpacks" (4 MB PDF*)
    • David Madsen. EE Master's Apr. 2010, "Coherent Change Detection for Synthetic Aperture Radar" (15 MB PDF*)
    • Trevor Paulsen. EE Master's Apr. 2010, "Low Cost/High Prevision Flight Dynamics Estimation Using the Square-Root Unscented Kalman Filter" (5 MB PDF*)
    • Faozi Said. EE Master's Aug. 2009, "An Evaluation of QuikSCAT UHR Wind Product's Effectiveness in Determining Selected Tropical Cyclone Characteristics" (46 MB PDF*)
    • Matthew Edwards. EE Master's Apr. 2009, "Design of a Continuous Wave Synthetic Aperture Radar System with Analog Dechirp" (4 MB PDF*)
    • Matthew Tolman. EE Master's Dec. 2008, "A Detailed Look at the Omega-K Algorithm for Processing Synthetic Aperture Radar Data" (14 MB PDF*)
    • Benjamin Lambert. EE Master's Aug. 2008. "Monitoring the Antarctic Ice Sheet from Space" (5.1 MB PDF*)
    • Seth Nielsen. EE Master's Aug. 2007. "A Wind and Rain Backscatter Model Derived from AMSR and SeaWinds Data " (1.2 MB PDF*)
    • Ryan Halterman. EE Master's Dec. 2006. "Observation and Tracking of Tropical Cyclones using Resolution Enhanced Scatterometry" (4.0 MB PDF*)
    • Brandon Hicks. EE Master's Dec. 2005. "Melt Detection and Estimation in Greenland using Tandem SeaWinds and QuikSCAT Scatterometers" (21 MB PDF*)
    • James Nagel. EE Master's Aug. 2006. "A Prototype Platform for Array Feed Development" (2.0 MB PDF*)
    • Jeffrey R. Allen. EE Master's Aug. 2005. Thesis: "An Analysis of SeaWinds Simultaneous Wind/Rain Retrieval in Severe Weather Events." (22.8 MB PDF*)
    • Clayton Davis. EE Master's Dec. 2004. Thesis: "Understanding and Improving Moment Method Scattering Solutions." (2.3 MB PDF*)
    • Michael I. Duersch. EE Master's Dec. 2004. Thesis: "BYU Micro-SAR: A Very Small, Low-Power, LFM-CW Synthetic Aperture Radar." (14 MB PDF*)
    • Spencer Haycock. EE Master's Dec. 2004. Thesis: "Frequency Estimation of Linear FM Scatterometer Pulses Received by the SeaWinds Calibration Ground Station." 5.4 MB PDF*)
    • Lukas Kunz. EE Master's Dec. 2004. Thesis: "A New Method for Melt Detection on Antarctic Ice-Shelves and Scatterometer Calibration Verification." (21 MB PDF*)
    • David Duncan. EE Master's Aug. 2004. Thesis: "Motion Compensation of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar." (5.4 MB PDF*)
    • Hyrum Anderson, EE Master's Aug. 2003. Thesis: "Polar Sea Ice Mapping for SeaWinds." (8.8 MB PDF*)
    • Jeremy Luke, EE Master's Aug. 2003. Thesis: "High Resolution Wind Retrieval for SeaWinds on QuikSCAT." (4.9 MB PDF*)
    • Ryan L. Smith, EE Master's Dec. 2002. Thesis: "Micro Synthetic Aperture Radar Using FM/CW Technology." (9.8 MB PDF*) Wavetronix.
    • Jed Pack, EE Master's April 2002. Thesis: "Algorithms for Snowmelt and Accumulation Monitoring on the Greenland Ice Sheet."
    • Jarom J. Ballatyne, EE Master's April. 2002. Thesis: "Using Spaceborne Microwave Sensor to Track Large Antarctic Icebergs." (12.7 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant.
    • Arden A. Anderson, EE Master's Aug. 2001. Thesis: "Analysis and Usage of the QuikSCAT Calibration Ground Station." (4.3 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant.
    • Andrew S. Fletcher, EE Master's Aug. 2001. Thesis: "An Implementation of Field-Wise Wind Retrieval for SeaWinds on QuikSCAT." (1.6 MB PDF*)
    • Richard B. Lundgreen, EE Master's Aug. 2001. Thesis: "Method of Motion compensation of YINSAR Data." (5.4 MB PDF*)
    • Brett T. Walkenhorst, EE Master's Aug. 2001. Thesis: "Development of a Radio Telescope Receiver for Rsearch in Radio Frequency Interference Mitigation."
    • Jonathan L. Waite, EE Master's Aug. 2001. Thesis: "Detecting Track Hazards Using an Interferometric Radar." Advisor:
    • David A. Zaugg, EE Master's Aug. 2001. Thesis: "A Ku-band Altimeter for use in Earth Remote Sensing Applications."
    • Matthew E. Willis, EE Master's April 2000. Thesis: "Algebraic Reconstruction Algorithms for Remote Sensing Image Enhancement." (1.3 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant.
    • Jeffery C. Beard, EE Master's April 2001. Thesis: "Railroad Hazard Detection System Using an Interferometric Radar."
    • Donald E. Crockett, EE Master's April 2001. "A Ku-band Altimeter for Improved Estimation of Electromagnetic Bias in Radar Altimetry."
    • James E. H. Dyal, EE Master's Dec. 1999. Thesis: "TRMM Sigma-0 Vegetation Signatures and Other Studies." (9 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant.
    • Gardner Watt, EE Master's Aug. 1999. Thesis: "Vegetation Classification Using Seasonal Variation os Scatterometer Data at C-Band and Ku-Band." (1.7 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant.
    • Benjamin E. Barrowes, EE Master's Aug. 1999. Thesis: "YSCAT Backscatter Distributions." (2.9 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant. Ph.D. MIT.
    • Justin D. Smith, EE Master's Aug. 1999. Thesis: "Studies to Improve Estimation of the Electromagnetic Bias in Radar Altimetry."
    • Stephen L. Richards, EE Master's Aug. 1999. Thesis: "A Field-wise Wind Retrieval Algorithm for SeaWinds." (5.1 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant.
    • James Bates, EE Master's Dec. 1998. Thesis" The Phase Gradient Autofocus Algorithm with Range Dependen Stripmap SAR." (3.7 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant.
    • Charles G. Brown, EE Master's Dec. 1998. Thesis: "A Field-Wise Wind Retrieval Algorithm for the NASA Scatterometer." (3.1 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant.
    • Adam Robertson, EE Master's Dec. 1998. Thesis: "Multi-Baseline Interferometric SAR for Iterative Height Estimation." (7.5 MB PDF*) RMSGC grant.
    • Amy E. Gonzalas, EE Masters's May 1998. Thesis: "An Assessment of the NASA Scatterometer Ambiguity Removal Technique." (862 kB PDF*)
    • Thomas Karlinsey, EE Master's Dec. 1998. Thesis: "The Analysis and Design of a Broadband Constant Beamwidth Reflector Dish Antenna." RMSGC grant.
    • C. Jay Wilson, EE Master's Mar. 1998. Thesis: "Calibration of and Attitude Error Estimation for a Spaceborne Scatterometer Using Measurements over Land." (6.5 MB PDF*)
    • Ryan Jensen, Geography Master's Aug. 1997. Thesis: "Two Cloud-Removal Algorithms Tested for Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) Data."
    • Randy St.John, EE Master's Feb. 1997. Thesis: "Education and the Internet: A Vision for the Future."
    • Travis Oliphant, EE Master's Dec. 1996. Thesis: "New Techniques for Wind Scatterometry." (4.1 MB PDF*) Obtained a Ph.D. from Mayo. NSF Fellowship Recipient while at BYU.
    • Andy Greenwood, EE Master's Aug. 1995. Thesis: "Azimuth Modulation of the Radar Backscatter at Near-Normal Incidence." (3 MB PDF*) Obtained Ph.D. at Illinois.
    • R. Scott Collyer, EE Master's Dec. 1994. Thesis: "Dependence of the Normalized Radar Cross Section of Ocean Waves on Bragg Wavelength--Wind Speed and Direction Sensitivity." (3.2 MB PDF*)
    • Warren Davis, EE Master's Dec. 1993. Thesis: "Enhanced Resolution Imaging from Remotely Sensed Microwave Data." (3.8 MB PDF*) At Varian.
    • Douglas Daum, EE Master's Dec. 1994. Thesis: "Application of Enhanced Resolution Imaging to SSM/I Data." (4.6 MB PDF*) Ph.D. at MIT.
    • Paul E. Johnson, EE Master's Dec. 1994. Thesis: "Backscatter Sensitivity to the Parameters of a Two-Dimensional Scattering Model." Moved on to Ph.D. at BYU.
    • Brian Jarrett, EE Master's Dec. 1994. Thesis: "BYU SAR: A Low Cost Compact Synthetic Aperture Radar." (3.4 MB PDF*)
    • Charles Hedelius, April 1993. Thesis: "Development of a Wire Wave Guage Array for Measuing Wind-Generated Water Waves." (30 MB PDF*)
    • David Luke, EE Master's (non-thesis) April 1993. Went to HP. Now at startup company. NSF Fellowship Recipient while at BYU.
    • Gary Skouson, EE Master's Dec. 1992. Thesis: "Calibration of Seasat Scatterometer Using Tropical Rainforest." (37 MB PDF*) At Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
    • Peter Whiting, EE Master's Aug. 1992. Thesis: "Resolution Enhancement of Seasat Scatterometer Data." (2.8 MB PDF*) Ph.D. at Kansas.

*Please note: selected PDF files are provided as a convenient public service under fair-use copyright restrictions. Dissertations and Theses are copyrighted intellectual property which belong to the author and Brigham Young University. You may download and print one copy for noncommercial scholarly purposes. Further copying or other use requires written authorization from the author and/or his advisor at Brigham Young University. Redistribution of electronic copies is not permitted.

Last revised: Aug 2023