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Introduction
Welcome to the website of the Department of Earth and Space Science
and Engineering at York University. We consider ourselves a truly
multidisciplinary department within a multidisciplinary university.
As society looks towards the future, we continue the pursuit of
further understanding the Earth system and beyond with our focus
on Atmospheric Science and Meteorology, Earth Science and Geomatics
Engineering, and Space Science and Space Engineering. Please browse
our pages and do not hesitate to contact
us if questions arise.
Research and teaching activities span a broad range of atmospheric
science topics from aerosol chemistry, cloud microphysics and
small-scale turbulence, micro, meso and synoptic scale meteorology
to global scale phenomena affecting weather, climate, air quality
and the ozone layer. Studies of the atmosphere of Mars and other
planets are also undertaken.
Numerical modelling and atmospheric dynamics play a role in many
of the research studies and faculty are involved in modelling
of the atmosphere from the surface to the thermosphere on a variety
of temporal and spatial scales. For example, working with MSC,
global climate models are used to investigate the interaction
of air quality and climate, and MSC's multiscale weather forecast
model is being used to investigate air quality from global to
urban scales. It has also been adapted to produce Martian "weather
forecasts". Work is also done on supercomputers located at
other institutions. Field measurement programs are carried out
from time to time, locally and across Canada, including the Arctic.
In addition to full time faculty there are a number of postdoctoral
fellows, research associates, and assistants who contribute significantly
to our research. All faculty have active research programs and
opportunities arise for undergraduate involvement.
There are excellent opportunities for collaborative research with
the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) and with other
research groups both in Canada and abroad.
Department members have been active in the Canadian Meteorological
and Oceanographic Society (CMOS) and the Canadian
Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences (CFCAS).
York University is a member of the University Corporation
for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) who operate NCAR, the U.S.
National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.
Earth Science
Research activities in the Department include mantle convection,
core dynamics and Earth rotation, experimental and theoretical
geophysical fluid dynamics, remote sensing, synthetic aperture
radar, geodesy, geological applications of Geographical Information
Systems (GIS) and the development of new GIS techniques. These
research areas relate closely to the two options currently in
the Earth Science program: exploration geophysics, and geomatics.
[Applied Geophysics is currently not supported for financial reasons,
even though this program is highly regarded both internally and
externally, with the current president of the Ontario Association
of Professional Geoscientists being one of our graduates. At this
time new students are only being admitted to the geomatics option
because of the synergy with the Geomatics Engineering program
also offered by the Department of Earth and Space Science and
Engineering].
Geomatics is founded on the scientific framework of Geodesy,
the Earth Science sub-field concerned with the determination of
size, shape, physical surface and gravity field of the Earth,
in three-dimensional, time-varying space. Geodesy deals with the
establishment, maintenance and continuous development and enhancement
of national and global four-dimensional spatial reference frames
and the measurement and monitoring of geodynamic phenomena. It
makes use of conventional and space geodetic techniques in a globally
integrated observing system. Geomatics is the combination of several
disciplines dealing with geospatial information (i.e., information
tied to geographic or other spatial coordinates). It includes
global positioning systems (GPS, GLONASS, other), satellite imaging
and photogrammetry, remote sensing, computer vision and image
processing, geographic information systems (GIS), survey engineering,
land management, computer mapping, digital terrain modelling and
the wireless and web-based dissemination of geospatial data. Four
ESSE faculty are principal investigators in geomatics research
projects in one of Canada’s Networks of Centres of Excellence,
GEOIDE (Geomatics for Informed Decisions). The geomatics area
is considered one of the most important new growth sectors of
our economy. In a recent study, the US Department of Labour cite
geospatial technology as currently one of the three most important
emerging and evolving fields (along with biotechnology and nanotechnology).
Our first geomatics students graduated in June 2005. Local geomatics
industries and associations have offered scholarships and summer
employment opportunities to encourage this new area of study.
This all bodes well for graduates in this new area of Earth Science.
The Department builds on a long history with the instrumentation
and interpretation methods in Applied Geophysics. Several of the
world's leading geophysical instrument manufacturers including
Scintrex Ltd. and Geonics Limited are located in
the vicinity and now employ our graduates. In addition, major
contractors who perform geophysical surveys and interpret these
results including Geosoft Inc., Fugro Airborne Surveying
are also in the area and employ our graduates. More recently,
the expertise in geophysical methods for exploration of minerals
has been extended to the modern methods of environmental assessment,
and to delineation of buried infrastructure in the urban environment.
This recent development suggests that future urban and environment
issues will benefit greatly by the combined technologies associated
with geomatics and exploration geophysics. Examples are electromagnetic
systems to locate oil drums which have been used to bury toxic
substances or new methods such as ground penetrating radar (GPR)
for near surface exploration and environmental assessment; a former
student is playing a major role in this work at Sensors and
Software Inc. An Environmental Test site with a known array
of buried targets has been built at York University which is contributing
significantly to the external recognition of the Department of
Earth and Space Science and Engineering (ESSE) through its activities
in Applied Geophysics and Geomatics Engineering. Students have
opportunities to be exposed to the latest instruments because
of companies coming to use the site. Rapport with instrument companies
existed before the site was built, but interaction with them has
now increased with the publicity of the test site. Opportunities
for undergraduate students have been enhanced by the recognition
of York's commitment to Earth Science development.
Geomatics Engineering
Geomatics Engineering is concerned with the development of new technologies
for the acquisition, analysis, management and distribution of geospatial
data and with the creation and implementation of new decision-making
tools and applications based on the geospatial information. It involves
the design and development of new software tools and algorithms
to analyse, interpret and graphically represent the acquired data
in formats useful to the end-users. It also involves designing,
testing and mounting small portable sensors and transmitters on
satellites, aircraft, land-based vehicles and water-based vehicles.
Geomatics Engineering is a rapidly developing field with applications
in widely diverse fields. Geomatics Engineering uses terrestrial,
marine, airborne and spacecraft sensors that are referenced to a
national, highly accurate and globally consistent, three-dimensional
spatial reference frame to acquire data for a wide range of applications.
The same techniques used for in vehicle map navigation can be applied
in the fields of navigation and transport, and in retailing, urban
planning and management of the environment.
Please see the following presentation on the importance of Geomatics
in the emerging economy: "Geographic
Knowledge: The Key to Survival in the GeoEconomy"
The common feature linking these fields is their reliance on
geospatial data; owing to the extraordinary growth in the information
technology sector these data are being acquired and stored in
ever-increasing quantities. Graduates skilled in the management
of geospatial data are highly sought after in all fields dealing
with this explosive growth of data. Our graduating Geomatics Engineers
are all employed in the geomatics sector throughout Canada or
have been admitted to graduate studies at leading universities.
Geomatics Engineering facilitates economic growth and well-being
and safety of the citizens of the country. Geomatics technology
and techniques are used in a wide variety of fields such as forestry,
agriculture, geology, mining, oceanography, hydrography, environmental
management, urban planning, public utilities, transport, navigation,
defence, medical epidemiology, disaster management, geomarketing,
health emergency responses, and business and commerce.
Areas of study may include Geographical Information Systems (GIS),
remote sensing, geodesy, approximation and estimation theory,
global positioning systems, computer aided cartography, land surveying,
geodetic surveys, aerial photography, data mining, photogrammetry
and digital terrain modelling/analysis, spatial analysis, resource
modelling, spatial data storage, high-resolution satellite imagery,
web-based mapping, Internet data dissemination, data integration,
mobile computing data visualization, image processing and high
speed data transmission.
The Geomatics Instrumentation Lab is equipped with advanced geomatics
software, conventional instruments and satellite positioning field
systems of the latest technology. A sample of instruments and
key software includes:
4 Wild-T2 Theodolites
1 Wild-T3 Theodolite
8 Automatic levels (Zeiss, Nikon, Sokkia, Topcon)
1 Ni002 level and invar rods
4 Total Stations (Leica, Sokkia, Nikon)
1 Leica TC1800 total station
1 Leica TCA1800 (Robotic) total station
3 GPS Receivers (Trimble, 2 Leica 1200 RTK)
GEOLAB Network Adjustment Software
(courtesy of Microsystems Inc.)
AutoCAD Software
PCI Geomatica Software: Image Processing
and Photogrammetry
ESRI GIS software
Our students have access to the following high tech laboratories:
Engineering Design Lab
Geographical Information Systems Lab (GIS)
Geographical Information and Communication
Technology Lab (GeoICT)
CRESS Space Instrumentation Lab (CSIL)
Space Geodesy Lab
Earth Observations Laboratory (EOL)
Space Science
The Space Science research activities of faculty members in Earth
and Atmospheric Science largely focus on studies of the optical
aeronomy, dynamics and chemistry of the upper atmosphere and the
near Earth space environment. Optical aeronomy is a discipline
that deals with the effects of light on the atmosphere and the
generation of light by the atmosphere. This light can manifest
itself as the phenomena known as the airglow and the aurora (i.e.,
the Northern Lights). Our interest in these phenomena is both
fundamental and applied and much of the research activity is directed
towards developing remote sensing techniques that exploit the
airglow and aurora to measure temperatures, winds and the chemical
composition of the atmosphere using observations made from the
ground, rockets and particularly satellite platforms.
Members of the Department are actively involved in a number of
international space science projects such as the Canadian OSIRIS
instrument on the Swedish / Canadian / French / Finnish Odin Satellite.
Much of the analysis of observations made by OSIRIS, launched
on Odin in Feb 2001, is carried out at York. See www.osiris.yorku.ca
for more information on the ODIN Satellite. York Scientists are
also involved in the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) now
flying on Canada’s first Sci Sat-1 mission and the design
of the SWIFT instrument planned for launch in 2013. Strong links
exist with the Canadian Space Agency. Two of our faculty are members
of the Science Team for the NASA/CSA Phoenix mission in Mars,
which landed on Mars May 2008 and will transmit data during the
Northern Martian summer. They are heavily involved in instrument
design testing, modelling and project planning, and are also involved
in data analysis and interpretation (see
http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu).
Space Engineering
Space Engineering is based on the framework of applied mathematics,
physics and astronomy and computer science to perform system design,
fabrication, and integration of satellite communication systems,
remote sensing technology and scientific payloads; design and
management of complex hardware and data systems.
Space Engineering is a rapidly emerging field that has links
to many other disciplines including Geomatics Engineering, Computer
Engineering and Space Science, all of which are offered at York
University. Space Engineering is concerned with the development
of space technology that will increase our knowledge of the solid
Earth, oceans and atmosphere and evolution of our planetary system
and universe. Probing the Earth and its atmosphere from space
provides an efficient, cost-effective and rapid approach to discovering
natural resources, understanding the climate system and ocean
circulation.
Space Engineering in combination with Geomatics Engineering and
Computer Engineering enables the development of new technologies
and applications that accelerate economic growth and improve the
standard of living. Spaceborne sensors provide useful, and in
many cases real-time data that have a wide variety of applications
in weather prediction, in resource exploration, environmental
management, navigation, health and safety, and many others.
Areas of study may include, satellite missions, space stations
and deep space probes, propulsion systems, space exploration and
communication, space vehicles and orbit determination, sensors,
data acquisition, evaluation, processing and analysis. These studies
have strong laboratory components that are connected to international
projects which aim to explore and exploit our solar system. York
University is currently involved in a number of satellite missions
dedicated to studies of the atmosphere from space.
These missions in the past have included the Canadian OSIRIS
instrument (the Optical Spectrograph and IR Imager System) on
Sweden's Odin Satellite. OSIRIS has been making very high resolution
measurements of ozone in the stratosphere since its launch in
February 2001. Researchers at York are also working on their next
generation satellite instrument called SWIFT (the Stratospheric
Wind Interferometer For Transport Studies). SWIFT, planned for
launch in 2009, will measure both winds and ozone densities in
the stratosphere from about 20 to 45 kilometers above the Earth's
surface. An instrument called ARGO will share the same satellite
as SWIFT and this is also led by researchers at York. ARGO is
for Atmospheric Research by GPS occultation. It applies the basic
principals of Geomatics for atmospheric measurements.
York faculty are leading a project involving a laser radar (lidar)
and meteorological measurements on board the Phoenix Mars Lander,
which landed on Mars, May 2008.
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