Spectral imaging of Moon polarization

Advisor: Joe Shaw

This project adds spectral variation to previous research in which we used carefully calibrated polarization imaging systems to measure the spatially resolved polarization state of moonlight across a broad panchromatic spectral band. This project will give a student the opportunity to collaborate with faculty and graduate students in calibrating a multi-wavelength polarization imager and using it to obtain images that characterize the polarization state of light from the moon as a function of both wavelength and moon phase. This research will be conducted in support of a broader project goal of developing low-cost polarization imaging systems for remote sensing of cloud thermodynamic phase (i.e., identifying if clouds are composed of liquid water or ice).
The ideal student will have basic knowledge of and interest in learning more about optical measurements and imaging systems for remote sensing. Data analysis will be conducted with a combination of tools that generally include Matlab and Python.

You can read about a related REU project in 2023 .