Prof. Knipp’s research focuses on the space environment and atmospheric and solar events that disturb it. She works with students to investigate methods for: 1) specifying satellite drag; 2) describing how structures on the Sun produce disturbances in near-Earth space; 3) improving scientific use of space environment measurements from DoD, NASA and international space missions; 4) inter-comparing measurements from research and commercial satellites with an eye toward making broader use of commercial satellite 'housekeeping' data to monitor environmental conditions in near-Earth space. 5) estimating the conductivity of Earth's upper atmosphere. She teaches CU’s graduate course on Aerospace Environments (ASEN 5335)and at an NSF-sponsored summer schools. She authored an upper division-graduate level textbook published in 2011: 'Understanding Space Weather and the Physics Behind It.' She is the Editor in Chief of the American Geophysical Union's Space Weather Journal/Quarterly.
keywords
Space environment, Space weather, solar wind-geospace coupling, satellite drag, data assimilation, space weather education
ASEN 5335 - Aerospace Environment
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020
Examines the components of the solar-terrestrial system and their interactions to provide an understanding of the re-entry and orbital environments within which aerospace vehicles operate. Includes the sun, solar wind, magnetospere, ionosphere, thermosphere, radiation belts, energetic particles, comparative environments (Mars, Venus, etc.), orbital debris, spacecraft charging, particle effects on systems, shielding, and satellite drag. Recommended prerequisite: Senior or graduate standing in engineering or related physical sciences.
ASEN 5940 - Engineering Research Internship
Primary Instructor
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Summer 2021
Grants credit to foreign visiting graduate students for conducting research within the Aerospace Engineering Sciences department. Credits can be transferred to the student's home institution. CU-Boulder students may also receive credit for conducting research outside of the university, either overseas or in the US.
