Bio

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, which uses dust accelerators to understand the effects of hypervelocity particle impacts on spacecraft along with Particle-In-Cell simulations, and using ground-based radars to characterize the space debris and meteoroid population remotely. She also has active programs in hypersonic plasmas and plasma propulsion techniques for interplanetary travel. Her research through the EE department focuses on understanding the interaction of lightning with the ionosphere.

Academic Appointments

Honors & Awards

  • DoE CAREER Award, DoE (2013-2017)
  • Outstanding Professor in Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University (2013)
  • Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), White House (2012)
  • NSF CAREER Award, National Science Foundation (2011-2016)
  • Hellman Faculty Scholar, Hellman Fellows Program (2010)
  • Magazine Cover, IEEE Spectrum (2008)
  • Joe D. Marshall Award for Outstanding Technical Briefing, AFTAC (2007)
  • 1st Place Student Paper Competition, International Union of Radio Science (2002)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

  • Elected Chair Commission G, URSI (2015 - Present)
  • Guest Expert, PBS Chasing Pluto (2015 - Present)
  • Guest Expert, The Weather Channel (2015 - Present)
  • Scientific Organizing Committee, Meteoroids 2016 (2015 - Present)
  • Elected Vice Chair Commission G, URSI (2013 - 2015)
  • Member, Arecibo Science Advisory Panel (2011 - 2013)
  • Co-Host National Geographic Channel, Known Universe (2011 - 2011)
  • Guest Expert, PBS, Can We Make it to Mars (2011 - 2011)
  • Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris Panel Member, National Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (2011 - 2011)
  • Scientific Organizing Committee, Meteoroids 2010 (2010 - 2010)
  • NEO Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies Panel Member, National Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (2009 - 2010)

Contact

    • Tel: (650) 725-2863
  • Sherann Ellsworth Administrative Associate
    • Tel: (650) 723-3389

2015-16 Courses

Stanford Advisees

All Publications

  • Mean thermo spheric density estimation derived from satellite constellations ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH Li, A., Close, S. 2015; 56 (8): 1645-1657

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.asr.2015.07.022

    View details for Web of Science ID 000362604300008

  • Simulating plasma production from hypervelocity impacts PHYSICS OF PLASMAS Fletcher, A., Close, S., Mathias, D. 2015; 22 (9)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4930281

    View details for Web of Science ID 000362571800117

  • THE SOUTHERN ARGENTINA AGILE METEOR RADAR ORBITAL SYSTEM (SAAMER-OS): AN INITIAL SPORADIC METEOROID ORBITAL SURVEY IN THE SOUTHERN SKY ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL Janches, D., Close, S., Hormaechea, J. L., Swarnalingam, N., Murphy, A., O'Connor, D., Vandepeer, B., Fuller, B., Fritts, D. C., Brunini, C. 2015; 809 (1)

    View details for DOI 10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/36

    View details for Web of Science ID 000361653500036

  • An FDTD model of scattering from meteor head plasma JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS Marshall, R. A., Close, S. 2015; 120 (7): 5931-5942

    View details for DOI 10.1002/2015JA021238

    View details for Web of Science ID 000360381400051

  • Design and testing of miniaturized plasma sensor for measuring hypervelocity impact plasmas REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS Goel, A., Tarantino, P. M., Lauben, D. S., Close, S. 2015; 86 (4)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4917276

    View details for Web of Science ID 000353837700019

  • Plasma turbulence of nonspecular trail plasmas as measured by a high-power large-aperture radar JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES Yee, J., Close, S. 2013; 118 (24): 13449-13462

    View details for Web of Science ID 000329971100005

  • First Preliminary Results from US Round-Robin Tests IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE Vayner, B. V., Ferguson, D. C., Hoffmann, R. C., Wheelock, A. T., Likar, J. J., Prebola, J. L., Crider, D. H., Schneider, T. A., Vaughn, J. A., Hoang, B., Steele, K., Close, S., Goel, A., Crofton, M. W., Young, J. A., Bodeau, J. M. 2013; 41 (12): 3310-3322

    View details for DOI 10.1109/TPS.2013.2262639

    View details for Web of Science ID 000328703500003

  • Impact-Induced ESD and EMI/EMP Effects on Spacecraft-A Review IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE Garrett, H. B., Close, S. 2013; 41 (12): 3545-3557

    View details for DOI 10.1109/TPS.2013.2286181

    View details for Web of Science ID 000328703500032

  • Detection of electromagnetic pulses produced by hypervelocity micro particle impact plasmas PHYSICS OF PLASMAS Close, S., Linscott, I., Lee, N., Johnson, T., Strauss, D., Goel, A., Fletcher, A., Lauben, D., Srama, R., Mocker, A., Bugiel, S. 2013; 20 (9)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4819777

    View details for Web of Science ID 000325399400004

  • Curved pleat folding for smooth wrapping PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES Lee, N., Close, S. 2013; 469 (2155)

    View details for DOI 10.1098/rspa.2013.0152

    View details for Web of Science ID 000319387800012

  • The Meteoroid Input Function and predictions of mid-latitude meteor observations by the MU radar ICARUS Pifko, S., Janches, D., Close, S., Sparks, J., Nakamura, T., Nesvorny, D. 2013; 223 (1): 444-459

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.icarus.2012.12.014

    View details for Web of Science ID 000315977600032

  • Theory and experiments characterizing hypervelocity impact plasmas on biased spacecraft materials PHYSICS OF PLASMAS Lee, N., Close, S., Goel, A., Lauben, D., Linscott, I., Johnson, T., Strauss, D., Bugiel, S., Mocker, A., Srama, R. 2013; 20 (3)

    View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4794331

    View details for Web of Science ID 000317295200050

  • Plasma Turbulence of Non-Specular Trail Plasmas as Measured by a High Power Large Aperture Radar 2013 US NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF URSI NATIONAL RADIO SCIENCE MEETING (USNC-URSI NRSM) Yee, J., Close, S. 2013

    View details for Web of Science ID 000324678400033

  • Theory and experiments characterizing hypervelocity impact plasmas: Toward weatherproof spacecraft systems 2013 US NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF URSI NATIONAL RADIO SCIENCE MEETING (USNC-URSI NRSM) Lee, N., Close, S. 2013

    View details for Web of Science ID 000324678400032

  • Clustering and Confidence Intervals for Radar Target Identification and Estimation 2013 US NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF URSI NATIONAL RADIO SCIENCE MEETING (USNC-URSI NRSM) Volz, R., Close, S., Erickson, P. J. 2013

    View details for Web of Science ID 000324678400133

  • Inverse filtering of radar signals using compressed sensing with application to meteors RADIO SCIENCE Volz, R., Close, S. 2012; 47

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2011RS004889

    View details for Web of Science ID 000308891600001

  • Determining meteoroid bulk densities using a plasma scattering model with high-power large-aperture radar data ICARUS Close, S., Volz, R., Loveland, R., Macdonell, A., Colestock, P., Linscott, I., Oppenheim, M. 2012; 221 (1): 300-309

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.icarus.2012.07.033

    View details for Web of Science ID 000309620200027

  • Measurements of freely-expanding plasma from hypervelocity impacts INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMPACT ENGINEERING Lee, N., Close, S., Lauben, D., Linscott, I., Goel, A., Johnson, T., Yee, J., FLETCHER, A., Srama, R., BUGIEL, S., Mocker, A., Colestock, P., Green, S. 2012; 44: 40-49

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2012.01.002

    View details for Web of Science ID 000301473600005

  • Analysis of electromagnetic and electrostatic effects of particle impacts on spacecraft ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH Kelley, M. C., Pancoast, S., Close, S., Wang, Z. 2012; 49 (6): 1029-1033

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.asr.2011.12.023

    View details for Web of Science ID 000301636200001

  • Targeted Parameter Inflation Within Ground-Based Augmentation Systems to Minimize Anomalous Ionospheric Impact JOURNAL OF AIRCRAFT Seo, J., Lee, J., Pullen, S., Enge, P., Close, S. 2012; 49 (2): 587-599

    View details for DOI 10.2514/1.C031601

    View details for Web of Science ID 000302758400023

  • Meteoroid head echo polarization features studied by numerical electromagnetics modeling RADIO SCIENCE Vertatschitsch, L. E., Sahr, J. D., Colestock, P., Close, S. 2011; 46

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2011RS004774

    View details for Web of Science ID 000298748500002

  • Coherent matched filter signal-processing algorithms for probing the ionosphere using broadband RF data JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS Close, S., FLETCHER, A., Dunham, M., Linscott, I. 2011; 116

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2011JA016992

    View details for Web of Science ID 000297978200002

  • A medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbance observed from the ground and from space RADIO SCIENCE Dymond, K. F., Watts, C., Coker, C., Budzien, S. A., Bernhardt, P. A., Kassim, N., Lazio, T. J., Weiler, K., Crane, P. C., Ray, P. S., Cohen, A., Clarke, T., Rickard, L. J., Taylor, G. B., Schinzel, F., Pihlstrom, Y., Kuniyoshi, M., Close, S., Colestock, P., Myers, S., Datta, A. 2011; 46

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2010RS004535

    View details for Web of Science ID 000295609800001

  • Analysis of ALTAIR 1998 meteor radar data JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS Zinn, J., Close, S., Colestock, P. L., MacDonell, A., Loveland, R. 2011; 116

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2010JA015838

    View details for Web of Science ID 000289646400001

  • Comparison of methods of determining meteoroid range rates from linear frequency modulated chirped pulses RADIO SCIENCE Loveland, R., MacDonell, A., Close, S., Oppenheim, M., Colestock, P. 2011; 46

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2010RS004479

    View details for Web of Science ID 000288605200002

  • Development and error analysis of nonlinear ionospheric removal algorithm for ionospheric electron density determination using broadband RF data JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS Lay, E. H., Close, S., Colestock, P., Bust, G. 2011; 116

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2010JA015862

    View details for Web of Science ID 000287534800001

  • Polarization and scattering of a long-duration meteor trail JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS Close, S., Kelley, M., Vertatschitsch, L., Colestock, P., Oppenheim, M., Yee, J. 2011; 116

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2010JA015968

    View details for Web of Science ID 000286522900005

  • Electromagnetic pulses generated by meteoroid impacts on spacecraft JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS Close, S., Colestock, P., Cox, L., Kelley, M., Lee, N. 2010; 115

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2010JA015921

    View details for Web of Science ID 000285639300013

  • Dependence of radar signal strength on frequency and aspect angle of non-specular trails J. Geophys. Res. Close, S., Hamlin, T., Oppenheim, M., Cox, L., Colestock, P. 2008; 113: A06203

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2007JA012647

  • Meteor head echo radar data: Mass-velocity selection effects Icarus Close, S., Brown, P., Campbell-Brown, M., Oppenheim, M., Colestock, P. 2007; 186: 547-556
  • A new method for determining meteoroid mass from head echo data J. Geophys. Res. Close, S., Oppenheim, M., Durand, D., Dyrud, L. 2005; 110: A09308

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2004JA010950

  • A technique for calculating meteor plasma density and mass from radar head echo scattering Icarus Close, S., Oppenheim, M., Hunt, S., Coster, A. 2004; 168: 43-52
  • Scattering characteristics of high-resolution meteor head echoes detected at multiple frequencies J. Geophys. Res. Close, S., Oppenheim, M., Hunt, S., Dyrud, L. 2002; 107: 1295

    View details for DOI 10.1029/2002JA009253

  • Analysis of Perseid meteor head echo data collected using the Advanced Research Projects Agency Long-Range Tracking and Instrumentation Radar (ALTAIR) Radio Sci. Close, S., Hunt, S., Minardi, M., McKeen, F. 2000; 35: 1233-1240