A. Jakob Flury. Professor for Precision Geodesy on Earth and in Space

Transcription

1 A. Jakob Flury Professor for Precision Geodesy on Earth and in Space Institut für Erdmessung (IfE, Institute of Geodesy) and Centre for Quantum Engineering and Space-Time Research (QUEST) Leibniz Universität Hannover Schneiderberg 50, Hannover, Germany phone , mobile , secretariat March 2013 Education 2002 PhD (Dr.-Ing., Geodetic Engineering), Technical University of Munich, Germany, Advisor: Reiner Rummel, Thesis: Gravity field functionals in mountain areas modeling accuracy, measurement distribution, and representation error (in German) 1996 MS (Dipl.-Ing., Geodetic Engineering), Technical University of Munich, Germany, Thesis: Statistical properties of topography-reduced gravity disturbances (in German) Relevant positions 2009 present Professor for Precision Geodesy on Earth and in Space, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany, Institut für Erdmessung (Institute of Geodesy), Faculty for Civil Engineering and Geodetic Science; member of Centre for Quantum Engineering and Space-Time Research (QUEST) at Leibniz Universität Research Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, Center for Space Research German Research Foundation Research Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, Center for Space Research Research Associate, Institute for Astronomical and Physical Geodesy, Technical University of Munich, Germany, head of the GOCE Project Office Germany for the German Space Agency (DLR) Research Assistant, Institute for Astronomical and Physical Geodesy, Technical University of Munich, Germany Awards German Research Foundation Research Fellow (2 years) Harbert Award for outstanding MS degree 1

2 Research Interests Space geodesy, observation of the Earth gravity field, gravity field satellite missions, GRACE, GOCE, concepts and sensor systems for future geodetic satellite missions, relativistic geodesy, dynamic reference frame, sensor analysis for inter-satellite ranging, space-borne accelerometers, geodetic space platforms, thermosphere density and winds, determination of gravity field parameters from satellite data, modeling spatial and temporal gravity field variations, spherical harmonics and other spherical basis functions, monitoring large scale mass change, mass balances, terrestrial observations of gravity field quantities, gravimetry with classical and quantum sensors, precision GNSS observations, geodetic astronomy, high-resolution geoid and gravity field modeling, precision height systems, gravitational potential of topographic masses, modeling of lithosphere and crust density. Research projects, cooperations in Hannover: 2013 European GRACE-Follow On Service Initiative, with A. Jäggi, U Bern Next generation satellite gravimetry (NGGM-D), with T. Gruber, TUM 2012 New solar radiation pressure model for the GRACE satellites, with R. Robertson (Virginia Tech) (Robertson et al. 2013) 2012 Concept for a German Science Foundation Collaborative Research Center Relativistic Geodesy and Gravimetry with Quantum Sensors (geo-q) 2011 Hannover Institute of Technology (HITec) laboratory facility for precision metrology (to be opened in 2014) Implementation of the Ruthe gravity meter laboratory, with L. Timmen, IfE Modernization of the German height system, validation activities, with U. Feldmann-Westendorf, LGLN Hannover (Krawinkel et al. 2013) 2010 GOCE accelerometer data and gravity field analysis, with Onera Gravity and mass changes from gphone gravity meter observations, with L. Timmen, IfE 2010 Tidal modeling for low Earth orbiters (Schilling 2011) Earth System Mass Transport Mission (e.motion) concept, with K. Danzmann, G. Heinzel, AEI, T. Gruber, TUM, R. Biancale, CNES, I. Panet, IPGP (Panet et al. 2013) 2009 Gravity field modeling with spherical harmonics and spherical radial basis functions, with M. Schmidt, DGFI 2009 GRACE attitude and pointing accuracy analysis, with U.D. Ko, UTCSR (Bandikova et al. 2012) 2009 GRACE accelerometer modeling and platform-induced noise sources, with N. Peterseim, TUM, F. Flechtner, GFZ (Peterseim et al. 2012) in Austin: GRACE gravity field determination with the mascon approach, with S. Bettadpur, UT, M. Steckler, Columbia University 2

3 GRACE accelerometer sensor analysis and impact on GRACE gravity field solutions (German Research Foundation) with S. Bettadpur, UT (Flury and Bettadpur 2007, Flury et al. 2008) in Munich: Dynamic ocean topography and Antarctic circumpolar current (German Research Foundation) with R. Rummel, TUM, J. Schröter, AWI, W. Bosch, DGFI Modeling the geoid-quasigeoid separation in mountains, with R. Rummel, TUM (Flury and Rummel 2008) Establishment of the gravity meter calibration system Zugspitze, with H. Wilmes, BKG, L. Timmen, LUH (Timmen et al. 2006, Flury et al. 2007b) Astronomic-topographic leveling with precise astrogeodetic deflections of the vertical (German Research Foundation) with C. Hirt, LUH (Hirt et al. 2006, Hirt and Flury 2008, Hirt et al. 2008) GRACE sensor analysis (BMBF) with B. Frommknecht, C. Gerlach, TUM (Gerlach et al. 2005, Frommknecht et al. 2006) Semi-analytic accuracy estimation for GRACE, GOCE, and future mission concepts, with C. Gerlach, TUM, N. Sneeuw, U Stuttg (Gerlach et al. 2005, Sneeuw et al. 2005) Enabling observation techniques for future geopotential missions (ESA), with EADS Astrium, R. Rummel, TUM, and others (Flury 2005, Flury and Rummel 2005) Mass transport and mass distribution in the Earth System, preparation of the German Research Foundation Priority Research Program SPP1257, with K.H. Ilk, Universität Bonn (Ilk et al. 2005) and others Precise height determination and geoid determination in the Alps, with C. Gerlach, TUM, M. Rothacher, GFZ (Flury 2002, Flury et al. 2007b) Participation in the European GOCE Gravity Consortium EGG-C for the preparation of GOCE gravity field determination Statistical properties of the gravity field from regional gravity, deflections of the vertical, and geoid data (Flury 2002, Flury 2006) Gravity field modeling in mountains, field campaigns on gravimetry, deflections of the vertical, leveling, GPS, inertial navigation, analysis of the gravitational potential of topographic masses, 3D-gravimetric-geologic modeling (German Research Foundation, Flury 2002, Hirt und Flury 2008) Grant support 2012 DLR grant Next generation satellite gravimetry (300 keuro, Co-PI, PI: Gruber, Technische Universität München) 2011 Federal/state grant for the Hannover Institute of Technology (HITec) laboratory building (29 MEuro, Co-I, PI: Ertmer, Leibniz University) 2011 QUEST grant Exploring the limits of pointing control for geodetic intersatellite ranging missions (44 keuro) 3

4 2010 QUEST grant Gravity meter laboratory Ruthe (45 keuro) LUH grant In-orbit system analysis of the GRACE sensor system (150 keuro) BMBF-Geotechnologien grant "Improved GRACE accelerometer modeling and impact on gravity field solutions" (60 keuro, Co-I, PI: Flechtner, GFZ) 2008 DFG travel grant 37th COSPAR Assembly 2007 DFG travel grant IUGG General Assembly DFG Research Fellowship "GRACE accelerometer sensor analysis and impact on GRACE gravity field solutions" (90 keuro) DFG project "Ocean topography and mass transport in the circumpolar current and weddell gyre" (240 keuro, Co-I, PI: Rummel, TUM) DFG Priority Research Program 1257 "Mass Transport and Mass Distribution in the Earth System" (11 MEuro, Co-I, PI: Ilk, UBonn) ESA study "Enabling observation techniques for future geopotential missions" (60 keuro, Co-I, PI: Rummel, TUM) DLR project "GOCE Project Office Germany" (450 keuro) Teaching in Hannover: S 2011 W W 2010, 2011 S 2010 S 2009 in Munich: W 2005, 2006 W S Height systems and geoid (seminar) Physical Geodesy Geodetic Astronomy Analysis of Satellite Gravity Data Geodetic Methods Introduction to Earth system science (with R. Rummel) GPS positioning Heights, gravity, geoid Graduate Students, Research Interns Nadja Peterseim (2010, now at TU München), Robbie Robertson (2011, now at VirginiaTech), Aruj Pant (2011), Manual Schilling (2012, now at IfE), Palkesh Goyal (2012), Jan Matschke (FWJ 2012), Majid Naeimi (current), Tamara Bandikova (current), Florian Wicke (current) Postdocs Markus Antoni (now at U Stuttgart) 4

5 Services, Committee Work 2010 Vice-chair, council of the QUEST research school 2009 Member, QUEST science board 2009 Member, QUEST search committees 2006 GGOS Workshop Towards a Consistent Geodetic Foundation for Earth Observations, Munich, head of local organizing committee 2006 Geodetic Week Munich, Germany, local organizing committee Member, Munich research initiative Extreme Earth 2005 Book editor Observation of the Earth System from Space Guest editor Earth, Moon and Planets vol 94(1-2) Future satellite gravimetry and Earth dynamics Advice for the German Space Agency (DLR) on gravity satellite missions Head of the GOCE Project Office Germany for the coordination of GOCE research, organisation of national GOCE workshops, outreach activities Referee for: Journal of Geodesy; Journal of Geophysical Research; Advances in Space Research; General Relativity and Gravitation; Earth, Moon and Planets; Studia Geodaetica et Geophysica; IAG Proceedings; Zeitschrift für Vermessungswesen; Zeitschrift für Vermessung und Geoinformation; Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia; Acta geodynamica et geomaterialia Referee for: Norwegian Research Council; Research Council Baden-Württemberg Refereed publications Krawinkel T, D Hücker, C Schikschneit, K Beermann, J Flury, S Vey, M Antoni, U Feldmann- Westendorff (2013) Sub-cm consistency of leveled normal heights, GNSS positions and quasigeoid in the test area Harz (in German), revised version submitted to Z f Vermessungswesen Panet I, Flury J, Biancale R, Gruber T, Johannessen J, van den Broeke M, van Dam T, Gegout P, Hughes CW, Ramilien G, Sasgen I, Seoane L, Thomas M (2013), Earth System Mass Transport Mission (e.motion): A concept for future Earth gravity field measurements from space, Surv Geoph 34: , doi: /s Bandikova T, Flury J, Ko UD (2012) Characteristics and accuracies of the GRACE inter-satellite pointing, Adv Space Res, 50: , doi: /j.asr Peterseim N, Flury J, Schlicht A (2012) Magnetic torquer induced disturbing signals within GRACE accelerometer data, Adv Space Res, 49: , doi: /j.asr Flury J, Rummel R (2011): On the computation of the geoid-quasigeoid separation (response to L Sjoeberg), J Geodesy 85: , doi: /s Flury J, Rummel R (2009) On the geoid-quasigeoid separation in mountains. J Geodesy 83: , doi: /s Peters T, Schmeer M, Flury J, Ackermann C (2009) Erfahrungen im Gravimeterkalibriersystem Zugspitze, Z f Vermessungswesen 134: Rummel R, Gruber T, Flury J, Schlicht A (2009) ESA's gravity field and steady-state ocean circulation explorer, Z f Vermessungswesen 134:

6 Flury J, Bettadpur S, Tapley B (2008) Precise accelerometry onboard the GRACE gravity field satellite mission, Adv Space Res 42: , doi: /j.asr Hirt C, Flury J (2008) Astronomical-topographic levelling using high-precision astro-geodetic vertical deflections and digital terrain model data. J Geodesy 82(4-5): , doi: /s x Hirt C, Feldmann-Westendorff U, Denker H, Flury J, Jahn CH, Lindau A, Seeber G, Voigt C (2008) Hochpräzise Bestimmung eines astrogeodätischen Quasigeoidprofils im Harz für die Validierung des GCG05, Z f Vermessungswesen 133(2): Flury J, Peters T, Schmeer M, Timmen L, Wilmes H, Falk R (2007) Precision gravimetry in the new Zugspitze calibration system, Proceed IGFS 2006, p Hirt C, Denker H, Flury J, Lindau A, Seeber G (2007) Astrogeodetic Validation of Gravimetric Quasigeoid Models in the German Alps - First Results. Proceed IGFS 2006, p Rummel R, Flury J, Gruber T (2007) GOCE Research in Germany: From Sensor Analysis to Earth System Science. Proceed 3rd Internat GOCE User Workshop, ESA SP-627 Flury J (2006) Short wavelength spectral properties of the gravity field from a range of regional data sets. J Geodesy 79(10-11): doi: /s y Flury J, Rummel R, Reigber C, Rothacher M, Boedecker G, Schreiber U (eds., 2006) Observation of the Earth System from Space. Springer, Berlin, 494 pp Frommknecht B, Fackler U, Flury J (2006) Integrated Sensor Analysis GRACE, in: Flury J, Rummel R, Reigber C, Rothacher M, Boedecker G, Schreiber U (eds., 2006) Observation of the Earth System from Space. Springer, Berlin, pp Timmen L, Flury J, Peters T, Gitlein O (2006) A new absolute gravity base in the German Alps. In: M. Hvoždara and I. Kohúh (eds.): Contributions to Geophysics and Geodesy, Vol.36, 2nd Workshop on Internat Gravity Field Research (special issue), pp Flury J (2005) Ice mass balance and ice dynamics from satellite gravity missions. Earth, Moon, and Planets 94(1-2):83-91, doi: /s Flury J, Rummel R (2005) Future satellite gravimetry for geodesy. Earth, Moon, and Planets 94(1-2):13-29, doi: /s Gerlach C, Flury J, Frommknecht B, Flechtner F, Rummel R (2005) GRACE performance study and sensor analysis. Proceed Joint CHAMP/GRACE Science Meeting Sneeuw N, Flury J, Rummel R (2005) Science requirements on future missions and simulated mission scenarios. Earth, Moon, and Planets 94(1-2): , doi: /s x Flury J (2004) The German GOCE user community. Proceed 2nd Internat GOCE Workshop, Frascati Flury J, Rummel R (2004) Mass transport and mass distribution in the Earth system. Proceed 2nd Internat GOCE Workshop, Frascati Sneeuw N, Flury J (2001) GOCE geodesy activities in Germany. Proceed Internat GOCE User Workshop, ESA Noordwijk, pp Other publications Brieden P, Müller J, Flury J, Heinzel G (2010) The mission option OPTIMA novelties and benefit. Geotechnologien Science Report #17 p Peterseim N, Schlicht A, Flury J (2010) Improved Acceleration Modeling and Modified Level 1 Processing for GRACE. Geotechnologien Science Report #17, p

7 Flury J, Gerlach C, Hirt C, Schirmer U (2009) Heights in the Bavarian Alps: Mutual validation of GPS, levelling, gravimetric and astrogeodetic quasigeoids, In: Geodetic Reference Frames, ed. by H.Drewes, IAG Symposia, vol. 134, Springer, p , Flury J, Bettadpur S (2007) Micro-Accelerations due to Heaters on board the GRACE Satellites Observed by the SuperSTAR Accelerometers, Rept Center for Space Resarch, Univ of Texas, Austin Ilk KH, Flury J, Rummel R, Schwintzer P, Bosch W, Haas C, Schröter J, Stammer D, Zahel W, Schmeling H, Wolf D, Götze HJ, Riegger J, Bardossy A, Güntner A, Gruber T (2005) Mass transport and mass distribution in the Earth system. Contributions of the new generation of satellite gravity and altimetry missions to the geosciences. 2nd ed., TU München, GFZ Potsdam Ilk KH, Flury J, Rummel R, Schwintzer P, Bosch W, Haas C, Schröter J, Stammer D, Zahel W, Schmeling H, Wolf D, Götze HJ, Riegger J, Bardossy A, Güntner A (2004) Mass transport and mass distribution in the Earth system. Contributions of the new generation of satellite gravity and altimetry missions to the geosciences. TU München, GFZ Potsdam Rummel R, Flury J, Haagmans R, Hughes C, Le Grand P, Schrama E, Sneeuw N, Vermeersen B, Woodworth P (2003) Scientific Objectives for Future Geopotential Missions. ESA report Rummel R, Flury J, Gruber T (2003) A Detailed Gravity Model for Earth Sciences derived from ESA's first Earth Explorer Mission GOCE. In: Geotechnologien Science Rept No 3, GFZ Potsdam Flury J (2002) Schwerefeldfunktionale im Gebirge: Modellierungsgenauigkeit, Messpunktdichte und Darstellungsfehler, am Beispiel des Testnetzes Estergebirge. Dissertation, Deutsche Geodätische Kommission Reihe C, Vol. 557 Flury J (1999) Local gravity field determination in the Estergebirge (Bavarian Alps). Proceed 2nd Symposium Geodynamics of the Alps-Adria Area, Zagreb, pp Selected talks and presentations Physics Colloquium U Bremen 17.Jan.2013: Die Vermessung des Gravitationsfeldes der Erde mit den Satellitenmissionen GRACE und GRACE Follow On DFG Round Table Hydrology and Geodesy 15.Nov.2012: geo-q: Relativistic Geodesy and Gravimetry with Quantum Sensors INTERGEO Hannover 9.Oct.2012: Gravitation und Massenänderungen im Erdsystem: Perspektiven neuer Sensorik am Boden und im Weltraum (invited talk) Saturday Morning Lecture Hannover 7.Jul.2012: Von Polareis, Erdbeben und Gravitation Die Vermessung der sich verändernden Erde isense Workshop Hannover 9.Jun.2012: Satellite Gravimetry with GRACE and GRACE-Follow On American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 9.Dec.2011: Unexpected signals and errors in the GRACE observations (invited talk) GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam 25.Oct.2011: New signals and new accuracy levels in gravity field determination Astrium Friedrichshafen, 28.Jun.2011: New results on GRACE accelerometry 7

8 QUEST Hannover 16.Jun.2011: Precision laser interferometry to measure the Earth s gravity field University of Berne, Switzerland, 24.May 2011: New signals and new accuracy levels in satellite gravimetry Leibniz Universität Hannover, November der Wissenschaften 19.Nov.2010: Polareis, Schwarze Löcher und Gravitationswellen - Hochpräzise Längenmessungen mit Laserinterferometern auf der Erde und im All PTB Optics Colloquium, Braunschweig 14.Jun.2010: Gravity Field Observation with New Technologies Revealing Earth System Dynamics. Leibniz Universität Hannover, Geodetic Colloquium 12.Jan.2010 (inaugural lecture): Gravity Field Observation with New Technologies Revealing Earth System Dynamics GRACE Science Team Meeting, Austin, Texas, 5.-6.Nov.2009: More results on high-resolution analysis of GRACE sensor data GGOS Workshop Graz, 30.Sep.-2. Oct.2009: Time Periods, Spatial Resolution, and Accuracy: From Geophysical Requirements to Mission Scenarios From Quantum to Cosmos 4, Bremen, Sep.2009: Earth Gravity Field Satellite Missions: Science Achievements and Technological Challenges Geodetic Week Karlsruhe, 22.Sep.2009: Perspektiven der Schwerefeldbestimmung in QUEST CryoSat2 User Workshop Bremerhaven, 7.Sep.2009: Ice Mass Balance from CryoSat2 and GRACE Workshop Satellite Dynamics, ZARM Bremen 18.Jun.2009: Satellite-Induced Pseudo-Noise and Other Lessons From GRACE Albert-Einstein-Institute seminar, 30.Apr.2009: Earth Gravity Field Satellite Missions as Precision Measurement Laboratories AGU Fall Meeting 2008: On the Geoid-Quasigeoid Separation in Mountain Areas 37th COSPAR Assembly, Montreal, July 2008: High resolution recovery of non-gravitational forces acting on the GRACE satellites U Bonn, Jan. 2008: Moderne Schwerefeldmodellierung: von der Erdsystemforschung bis zur Ingenieurgeodäsie AGU Fall Meeting 2007: High-Resolution Analysis and Modeling of GRACE Accelerometer Observations Joint GRACE Science Team Meeting und DFG-SPP1257 Kolloquium Potsdam, 2007: Analysis and Modeling of GRACE Level 1a Accelerometer Observations IUGG General Assembly, Perugia, 2007: Precise spaceborne accelerometry onboard the GRACE mission Texas A&M, Corpus Christi, 2007: High resolution gravity field determination U Texas, Center for Space Research Seminar, 2007: Gravimetry and other methods for high resolution gravity field determination AGU Fall Meeting 2006: GOCE before launch a mission complementary to GRACE U Calgary, 2006: Observation and modelling of the Earth's gravity field: from engineering to Earth science GRF2006 München: Heights in the Bavarian Alps: Mutual validation of GPS, levelling, gravimetric and astrogeodetic quasigeoid Workshop Satellite Geodesy, Wettzell, 2006: Satellite gravimetry: perspectives for geodesy and Earth sciences University of Life Sciences As (Norway), 2006: Will GNSS define future height systems? 8

9 Alfred Wegener Symposium, Bremerhaven, 2005: Global analysis of mass transport and mass distribution in the Earth system derived from satellite gravity and altimetry data / Future Satellite Gravimetry German Research Foundation Round Table Geoscience Young Scientists, 2005: Satellitengeodäsie Zukunftsperspektiven für die Geowissenschaften DLR Space day, Cologne, 2004: The GOCE mission IAG conference Gravity, Geoid and Space Missions, Porto 2004: Short wavelength spectral properties of the gravity field Joint CHAMP-GRACE Science Meeting, Potsdam 2004: The GRACE baseline error model revisited 2nd International GOCE-Workshop, Frascati 2004: Mass transports and mass distribution in the Earth system German GOCE-CryoSat Workshop, Friedrichshafen, 2003: Benefits of a precise GOCE geoid for sea ice freeboard determination / Mass transport and mass distribution in the Earth system Deutsche Geophysikalische Gesellschaft, Assembly Jena 2003: Die ESA Schwerefeldmission GOCE: Status der Entwicklung und Vorbereitung der wissenschaftlichen Nutzung EGS/EGU General Assembly, Nice 2002: Accuracy estimation of height anomalies revisited Freie Universität Berlin, 2002: Das GOCE Schwerefeldmodell und seine Integration in die Modellierung von Prozessen in der festen Erde Memberships American Geophysical Union (AGU) European Geophysical Union (EGU) International Association for Geodesy (IAG) Committee for Space Research (COSPAR) Steering committee of the DFG Priority Research Program 1257 "Mass Transport and Mass Distribution in the Earth System" ( ) Deutscher Verein für Vermessungswesen (DVW) 9

10 Research Statement With the dedicated gravity field satellite missions GRACE and GOCE, the observation of the Earth gravity field has developed into a powerful remote sensing tool providing a wealth of information on the evolution and dynamics of the Earth surface, and on the variable mass distribution within all parts of the Earth system solid Earth, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere from global to local scales. The gravity satellite missions are currently sensing ice sheet mass loss, change in continental water storage, ocean mass variation and solid Earth mass variation. Gravity results are unique and strongly complementary to geometric techniques such as GNSS networks, Radar, and Lidar. At this time, however, the spatial resolution of satellite gravity results is still rather coarse. My research aims at increasing the spatial resolution and accuracy of satellite gravity data, by developing new processing methods and by contributing to the design of next generation satellite gravity missions. This will open new perspectives for monitoring large scale mass change, including signals of climate change, and enable the detection of new mass signals from processes such as tectonics or deep ocean circulation change. In addition, geodetic reference frames will strongly benefit from better knowledge of spatial and temporal gravity variations. In my research group we are exploring new ways to achieve a more accurate understanding of GRACE and GOCE sensor data. Analyzing many years of extremely accurate ranging and accelerometer measurements, we discover and study new types of signal contributions and disturbances. Together with satellite platform engineers and experts on the orbital environment, we work on the physical understanding of such effects. We use the sensor data to investigate the forces acting on low Earth orbiters at a new accuracy level, and we develop new correction procedures for sensor data reprocessing. We use the fact that these satellites are flying precision measurement laboratories, carrying partly redundant sensor techniques, to investigate limitations of the current technology, to understand orbital measurement conditions, and to identify options for improved observation systems. For next generation gravity missions with even more precise sensors, much better modeling on these fields will be needed. In the next 5 years, one focus of the group will be on the development of a new processing system for very precise gravity and orbit parameter determination. Next generation gravity satellite missions will use new technologies (inter-satellite laserinterferometers and possibly matter-wave based accelerometers) to achieve much better measurement accuracies, resulting in a much better resolution of gravity and mass changes. I have been involved in collaborative gravity mission proposals to the German Space Agency (DLR) and to the European Space Agency (ESA). I recently contributed central parts to the European proposal for an Earth System Mass Transport Mission using laser-interferometric inter-satellite ranging. My group is contributing to the system design of the laser interferometer instrument to be flown on the US-German GRACE-Follow On mission scheduled for launch in We are preparing for new research opportunities opened up by this mission, building on and extending our research cooperation with US partners on GRACE (University of Texas at Austin, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, University of Colorado, Virginia Tech). I am also interested in extending our activities to Moon or planetary missions. This will 10

11 include data analysis of NASA s GRAIL Moon gravity mission as well as the design of new geodetic techniques for future missions. Beyond the level of sensors and technology, my research also aims at understanding and modeling of geophysical processes leading to large scale mass change in the Earth system. I was one of the initiators of the Priority Research Program Mass Transport and Mass Distribution in the Earth System of the German Research Foundation which includes projects on ice mass balance, ocean circulation, glacial isostatic adjustment, and large scale hydrology. My goals are to provide improved gravimetric mass change results for studies on global and regional mass balances, and to combine such results with other geodetic observations such as large scale deformation from GNSS networks. In my career, I have designed and carried out many measurement campaigns and research projects on geodetic observation techniques, and published results on these projects. I have established and investigated precision GNSS networks. I was responsible for many terrestrial gravimetry campaigns, including the establishment of a very precise gravity meter calibration system in Germany. I was involved in field campaigns of the Hannover zenith camera for the determination of very precise deflections of the vertical and geoid slopes. I have used these data for precise high-resolution gravity field modeling in mountain areas, for sub-cm accuracy geoid modeling, and to study the statistical signal properties of gravity anomalies. I plan to continue this work with projects on gravity field modeling and geodetic observation techniques for science and engineering applications. This could include projects on sensor development as well as on the modernization of geodetic reference frames and networks (together with organizations such as Unavco or National Geodetic Survey). My research approach is to combine engineering and science to exploit new precision technology and data analysis techniques to detect new types of signals on Earth system processes. I believe that this would be a very good fit to the overall research strategy of SESE. I also will look for opportunities to support other Earth and space exploration projects with precision geodetic data. With my research on satellite data and with my measurement campaigns I have succeeded to attract many good students from all engineering disciplines on undergraduate and graduate levels. Within SESE, I see many opportunities to extend this in exciting projects. 11

12 Teaching Statement Most of my teaching (and learning) background and experience is on engineering. I am committed to teach excellent engineering skills and an engineering attitude. My guidelines are to show students the power of engineering methods, and the fun to apply them to practical problems. When I select the content of my courses, I start from the question what skills or knowledge my students could have after the course which they did not have before. I experience this as a very helpful guideline to create interesting and relevant lectures and labs. I examine the content for threshold concepts which are challenging for the students but at the same time, once understood, help them to solve questions they could not solve otherwise. I find it important for my own learning and for that of my students that I present physical and technical concepts in a way that creates vivid images in the mind. I typically connect difficult (threshold) concepts such as problems in potential theory with several examples. This is not to make everything easy but to get students ready for more challenges. I often give short exercises to be discussed and solved immediately in class or sometimes as homework in between the more extensive lab assignments. In my classes such techniques work well and help to create an active and positive learning environment. My students tell me in the evaluations that they appreciate these methods. It helps for my teaching that I have carried out many measurement and modeling techniques myself, and I can draw on first-hand experience and material on this field. I am also currently experimenting with writing seminars to work with students on the quality of their reports. Undergraduate research projects are a very successful element of my teaching, as summer internships and during the semester. Topics include investigating research questions on satellite data and participating in geodetic measurement campaigns. These projects offer opportunities for deep and focused learning, and often result in very valuable research contributions. I want the students to develop skills to explore data very precisely, to produce high-quality measurements, and to understand unexpected signals and results. I had successful projects with students from a very diverse background, such as aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, geophysics, meteorology, and computer science, and from very different nations. To design a course or student research project, to bring out the big questions, to be creative on teaching techniques, and to experience in class which of the techniques actually work this is currently a time consuming but very rewarding experience for me, and I can draw a large amount of energy from that. I agree with research on teaching that the one who learns most in class is probably the teacher. This positive teaching experience inspires me to look for new contents, methods, and concepts for teaching and learning. I plan to further extend active learning techniques in class, and want to offer even more research elements. 12