Dr. Yupo Chan, a professor in the Department of Systems Engineering at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has received $24,900 from NASA to measure the earth’s atmosphere to monitor its health and future climate.  

Chan is working with Dr. Edmond Wilson, professor of chemistry who heads the Atmospheric and Space Research Team at Harding University, and Dr. Po-Hao Adam Huang, associate professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

The research team will map and monitor water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, hydroxyl radicals, oxygen, ozone, and oxides in the earth’s atmosphere using a solar and atmospheric measuring satellite called SAMSAT, a low-cost, miniature satellite used for space research.

The goal of the project is to establish a set of baseline data in the state of Arkansas that will show the present state of the earth’s atmosphere and predict future trends. The information is of great value to Arkansas and beyond. The data collected by the research team will be compared to more conventional forms of satellite data collection such as the NASA/NOAA Geostationary Operational  Environmental Satellite. The validation of this new and inexpensive data-collection method will show the accuracy and uniqueness of SAMSAT.

This is the second year that the research team has received funding for this project. This NASA grant is funded through the Arkansas Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, a program that provides seed funding for aerospace research in the state of Arkansas.

Contributing Editor Lydia Perry / Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Photo by Benjamin Krain