Research Grants

The Center for Remote Sensing serves as a focal point for basic and applied research on remote sensing of the physical and biological properties of the oceans and the coastal zone. The Center employs about a dozen faculty, staff, graduate students, and visiting scientists. Since 1972 it has trained about 200 specialists from 14 countries in various aspects of remote sensing, coastal management and the environmental sciences. Examples of typical research at the Center are:

Satellite Oceanography and Global Change

Upper ocean response to the Monsoon forcing in the South China Sea (ONR, NASA).
Coastal Remote Sensing (NOAA, Sea Grant).
Studies of sea surface elevation anomalies and El Nino events in the tropical Pacific Ocean using altimeter data (NOAA and NASA Global Change Program).
Air-sea interaction, upper ocean response and mixed layer studies using satellite data (ONR).
Space Shuttle and satellite SAR studies of ocean internal wave generation and propagation (ONR, NASA).
Remote sensing and modeling studies of the Western Pacific warm pool (TOGA).
Influence of sea water temperature on the strength of microwave backscattering (NASA).
Global climate change studies with radar scatterometer data (JPL).

Wetland/Estuarine Health and Coastal Management

Evaluating high resolution and hyperspectral sensors on satellites and aircraft for monitoring emergent wetland and SAV habitat changes at NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve Sites (NOAA/NERRS)
Determining long-term changes of wetland habitat and their impact on wildlife populations at the Milford Neck Wildlife Conservation Area (DNREC, The Nature Conservancy, Delaware Wildlands).
Integration of land use change and environmental indicators in a GIS data base to study the impact of non-point source pollutants on wetland/estuarine health (NOAA, NASA, DNREC).
Remote sensing of scrub/shrub ecotone to determine human impact on local sea level change(NOAA/NERRS)

Drift and Dispersion of Coastal Pollutants

Remote sensing and modeling of dissolved and particulate substances in estuaries for water quality studies (NOAA, NASA).
Intercomparison of eutrophication and light attenuation in estuaries, lakes and ponds using satellite data (NOAA, DNREC, EPA).
Studies of drift and dispersion of oil slicks and their capture by coastal fronts (EPA, NSF, Texaco, Inc.).
Determining sea surface currents using remotely sensed feature tracking methods (NOAA/SG).
Studies of subtidal circulation patterns in Delaware Bay using remotely sensed data (NSF).

For further information, contact:

Dr. Vic Klemas, Co-Director

Center for Remote Sensing

Graduate College of Marine Studies

University of Delaware

Newark, Delaware 19716

Phone: (302) 831-8256

E-mail: klemas@udel.edu

Dr. Xiao-Hai Yan, Co-Director

Center for Remote Sensing

Graduate College of Marine Studies

University of Delaware

Newark, DE 19716

Phone: (302) 831-3694

E-mail: xiaohai@udel.edu

back to the Center for Remote Sensing Page.

Last modified: November 8, 2004
Brian Dzwonkowski --- briandz@newark.cms.udel.edu