Profile

I am interested in the effects of the space environment on camera sensors. The Sun and other sources in space create high energy particles such as protons and electrons, which cause damage to anything in space (we are protected on Earth by our magnetic field and atmosphere). This damage causes the scientific instruments to degrade and return less accurate data. By understanding exactly how this damage occurs, we can develop instrumentation which is more resistant to damage, as well as correct the data to make it more accurate when it comes down from space.

I do this by taking images in my lab, and analyzing the quality of the images – I then take the cameras to irradiation facilities around the world, where they bombard them with proton, electrons, gamma rays, or other particles that exist in space. I can then take the damaged cameras back to the lab and measure the degradation of the images. Through thorough testing we make recommendations to industry and scientists working with spacecraft data to improve their science.