Sigrid Close
Assistant Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering
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
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Assistant Professor, Aeronautics and Astronautics
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Assistant Professor (By courtesy), Electrical Engineering
Honors & Awards
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DoE CAREER Award, DoE (2013-2017)
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Outstanding Professor in Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University (2013)
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Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), White House (2012)
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NSF CAREER Award, National Science Foundation (2011-2016)
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Hellman Faculty Scholar, Hellman Fellows Program (2010)
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Magazine Cover, IEEE Spectrum (2008)
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Joe D. Marshall Award for Outstanding Technical Briefing, AFTAC (2007)
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1st Place Student Paper Competition, International Union of Radio Science (2002)
Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations
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Elected Chair Commission G, URSI (2015 - Present)
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Guest Expert, PBS Chasing Pluto (2015 - Present)
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Guest Expert, The Weather Channel (2015 - Present)
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Scientific Organizing Committee, Meteoroids 2016 (2015 - Present)
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Elected Vice Chair Commission G, URSI (2013 - 2015)
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Member, Arecibo Science Advisory Panel (2011 - 2013)
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Co-Host National Geographic Channel, Known Universe (2011 - 2011)
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Guest Expert, PBS, Can We Make it to Mars (2011 - 2011)
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Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris Panel Member, National Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (2011 - 2011)
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Scientific Organizing Committee, Meteoroids 2010 (2010 - 2010)
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NEO Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies Panel Member, National Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (2009 - 2010)
2015-16 Courses
- Classical Dynamics
AA 242A (Aut) - Introduction to Plasma Physics and Engineering
AA 244A (Win) - Introduction to the Space Environment
AA 251 (Spr) -
Independent Studies (6)
- Directed Research and Writing in Aero/Astro
AA 190 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum) - Independent Study in Aero/Astro
AA 199 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum) - Practical Training
AA 291 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum) - Problems in Aero/Astro
AA 290 (Aut, Win, Spr, Sum) - Special Studies and Reports in Electrical Engineering
EE 391 (Win, Spr, Sum) - Special Studies or Projects in Electrical Engineering
EE 390 (Win, Spr, Sum)
- Directed Research and Writing in Aero/Astro
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Prior Year Courses
2014-15 Courses
- Advanced Plasma Physics and Engineering
AA 244B (Spr) - Classical Dynamics
AA 242A (Aut) - Introduction to Plasma Physics and Engineering
AA 244A (Win)
2013-14 Courses
- Classical Dynamics
AA 242A (Aut) - Introduction to Plasma Physics and Engineering
AA 244A (Win)
2012-13 Courses
- Advanced Plasma Physics and Engineering
AA 244B (Spr) - Classical Dynamics
AA 242A (Aut) - Introduction to Plasma Physics and Engineering
AA 244A (Win)
- Advanced Plasma Physics and Engineering
Stanford Advisees
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Postdoctoral Faculty Sponsor
Alexander Crew -
Master's Program Advisor
Ashton Meginnis
All Publications
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Mean thermo spheric density estimation derived from satellite constellations
ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH
2015; 56 (8): 1645-1657
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.asr.2015.07.022
View details for Web of Science ID 000362604300008
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Simulating plasma production from hypervelocity impacts
PHYSICS OF PLASMAS
2015; 22 (9)
View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4930281
View details for Web of Science ID 000362571800117
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THE SOUTHERN ARGENTINA AGILE METEOR RADAR ORBITAL SYSTEM (SAAMER-OS): AN INITIAL SPORADIC METEOROID ORBITAL SURVEY IN THE SOUTHERN SKY
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL
2015; 809 (1)
View details for DOI 10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/36
View details for Web of Science ID 000361653500036
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An FDTD model of scattering from meteor head plasma
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
2015; 120 (7): 5931-5942
View details for DOI 10.1002/2015JA021238
View details for Web of Science ID 000360381400051
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Design and testing of miniaturized plasma sensor for measuring hypervelocity impact plasmas
REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
2015; 86 (4)
View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4917276
View details for Web of Science ID 000353837700019
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Plasma turbulence of nonspecular trail plasmas as measured by a high-power large-aperture radar
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
2013; 118 (24): 13449-13462
View details for Web of Science ID 000329971100005
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First Preliminary Results from US Round-Robin Tests
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE
2013; 41 (12): 3310-3322
View details for DOI 10.1109/TPS.2013.2262639
View details for Web of Science ID 000328703500003
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Impact-Induced ESD and EMI/EMP Effects on Spacecraft-A Review
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE
2013; 41 (12): 3545-3557
View details for DOI 10.1109/TPS.2013.2286181
View details for Web of Science ID 000328703500032
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Detection of electromagnetic pulses produced by hypervelocity micro particle impact plasmas
PHYSICS OF PLASMAS
2013; 20 (9)
View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4819777
View details for Web of Science ID 000325399400004
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Curved pleat folding for smooth wrapping
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
2013; 469 (2155)
View details for DOI 10.1098/rspa.2013.0152
View details for Web of Science ID 000319387800012
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The Meteoroid Input Function and predictions of mid-latitude meteor observations by the MU radar
ICARUS
2013; 223 (1): 444-459
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.icarus.2012.12.014
View details for Web of Science ID 000315977600032
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Theory and experiments characterizing hypervelocity impact plasmas on biased spacecraft materials
PHYSICS OF PLASMAS
2013; 20 (3)
View details for DOI 10.1063/1.4794331
View details for Web of Science ID 000317295200050
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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)
2013
View details for Web of Science ID 000324678400033
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Theory and experiments characterizing hypervelocity impact plasmas: Toward weatherproof spacecraft systems
2013 US NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF URSI NATIONAL RADIO SCIENCE MEETING (USNC-URSI NRSM)
2013
View details for Web of Science ID 000324678400032
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Clustering and Confidence Intervals for Radar Target Identification and Estimation
2013 US NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF URSI NATIONAL RADIO SCIENCE MEETING (USNC-URSI NRSM)
2013
View details for Web of Science ID 000324678400133
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Inverse filtering of radar signals using compressed sensing with application to meteors
RADIO SCIENCE
2012; 47
View details for DOI 10.1029/2011RS004889
View details for Web of Science ID 000308891600001
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Determining meteoroid bulk densities using a plasma scattering model with high-power large-aperture radar data
ICARUS
2012; 221 (1): 300-309
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.icarus.2012.07.033
View details for Web of Science ID 000309620200027
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Measurements of freely-expanding plasma from hypervelocity impacts
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMPACT ENGINEERING
2012; 44: 40-49
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ijimpeng.2012.01.002
View details for Web of Science ID 000301473600005
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Analysis of electromagnetic and electrostatic effects of particle impacts on spacecraft
ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH
2012; 49 (6): 1029-1033
View details for DOI 10.1016/j.asr.2011.12.023
View details for Web of Science ID 000301636200001
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Targeted Parameter Inflation Within Ground-Based Augmentation Systems to Minimize Anomalous Ionospheric Impact
JOURNAL OF AIRCRAFT
2012; 49 (2): 587-599
View details for DOI 10.2514/1.C031601
View details for Web of Science ID 000302758400023
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Meteoroid head echo polarization features studied by numerical electromagnetics modeling
RADIO SCIENCE
2011; 46
View details for DOI 10.1029/2011RS004774
View details for Web of Science ID 000298748500002
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Coherent matched filter signal-processing algorithms for probing the ionosphere using broadband RF data
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
2011; 116
View details for DOI 10.1029/2011JA016992
View details for Web of Science ID 000297978200002
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A medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbance observed from the ground and from space
RADIO SCIENCE
2011; 46
View details for DOI 10.1029/2010RS004535
View details for Web of Science ID 000295609800001
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Analysis of ALTAIR 1998 meteor radar data
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
2011; 116
View details for DOI 10.1029/2010JA015838
View details for Web of Science ID 000289646400001
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Comparison of methods of determining meteoroid range rates from linear frequency modulated chirped pulses
RADIO SCIENCE
2011; 46
View details for DOI 10.1029/2010RS004479
View details for Web of Science ID 000288605200002
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Development and error analysis of nonlinear ionospheric removal algorithm for ionospheric electron density determination using broadband RF data
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
2011; 116
View details for DOI 10.1029/2010JA015862
View details for Web of Science ID 000287534800001
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Polarization and scattering of a long-duration meteor trail
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
2011; 116
View details for DOI 10.1029/2010JA015968
View details for Web of Science ID 000286522900005
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Electromagnetic pulses generated by meteoroid impacts on spacecraft
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS
2010; 115
View details for DOI 10.1029/2010JA015921
View details for Web of Science ID 000285639300013
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Dependence of radar signal strength on frequency and aspect angle of non-specular trails
J. Geophys. Res.
2008; 113: A06203
View details for DOI 10.1029/2007JA012647
- Meteor head echo radar data: Mass-velocity selection effects Icarus 2007; 186: 547-556
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A new method for determining meteoroid mass from head echo data
J. Geophys. Res.
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 2004; 168: 43-52
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Scattering characteristics of high-resolution meteor head echoes detected at multiple frequencies
J. Geophys. Res.
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. 2000; 35: 1233-1240