Course syllabus

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Course-PM

 RRY057 Electromagnetic sensor systems lp3 VT26 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Space, Earth and Environment

Excercise classes: Tuesday 13.15-15

Lectures: Tuesday 15.15-17, Thursdays 13.15-15, and Fridays 13.15-15 

Laboratory exercises:  FTIR and RADAR

Resp teacher: Johan Mellqvist  (johan.mellqvist@chalmers.se), tel 0703088777

Start, Tuesday Jan 20, 2026, 13.15  Room EL42

Location:  see time edit

Contact details

Johan Mellqvist (examinator), johan.mellqvist@chalmers.se

Leif Eriksson (lectures), leif.eriksson@chalmers.se

Albert Monteith (lectures and lab excercise), albert.monteith@chalmers.se

Vladimir Conde/Johan Mellqvist  (lab exercise), vladimir.conde@chalmers.se

Eva Wirström (lectures)    eva.wirström@chalmers.se   

Guest lectures:

Annelie Wyholt, Volvo Cars AB (Automotive LIDAR and RADAR) 

Christoffer Widahl, Emerson  (Radar in industry applications)

Samuel Brohede, FluxSense AB, (Optical remote measurements  of gas emissions  from  oil and gas production)  

Course purpose

In recent years, the demand for electromagnetic sensors has increased dramatically,from applications in cars (e.g. collision sensors) to advanced satellite instruments that monitor changes in the environment, weather and climate. This development will continue, with the demand for both smaller and cheaper electromagnetic sensors, which can be mass produced, as well as advanced satellite sensors that measure accurately with high spatial resolution. These technologies create large amounts of complex data and it is very challenging to convert them into useful and reliable data. This requires good physical understanding as well as knowledge in signal processing and data management and here machine learning very useful. The aim of the course is to provide an overall understanding of the above parts, with special emphasis on the physical and instrumental principles that underlie the measurements. A basic understanding of the possibilities and limitations of different electromagnetic sensor types and knowledge of the main applications is also provided. This knowledge will enable work on the design of sensor systems and provide a basis for further studies in the subject.

Course literature

Literature:  W,G, Rees, 2013, Physical principles of Remote Sensing , 3rd edition (available at Chalmers store) handouts and compendia that are provided free of charge (found in folder files/ folder)

and Erwind Schanda , Physcial Fundamental of Remote sensing  ( (Free download from Chalmers domain)  

 

Course design

The course includes 14 lectures, 3 guest lectures, 7 problem solving classes and 2 laboratory exercises .

Learning objectives and syllabus

Learning objectives:

  • Distinguish and explain the most important physical processes that affect measurements in different wavelength ranges. This includes performing calculations for simpler model systems.
  • Get an overview and insight into different types of electromagnetic sensor systems and the platforms from which they can be used. 
  • Describe data evaluation, from measurement to geophysical product.
  • Provide examples of useful external data.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how data can be extracted from observations.
  • Discuss simple quantities that describe the measurements, such as coverage, resolution in time and space, and predominant random and systematic errors.

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.

Study plan

Examination form

Written/Oral  exam (form to be decided during course) (6 credit points ) and 2 compulsory laboratory exercises (Radar and Passive infrared measurements a)  (1.5 credit points). The final grade is solely based on exam results

 Academic integrity

 To make sure we get the best possible academic climate in the course, the course expects each student to respect the following points:
* Hand-in problems are individual. This means that each student should solve the problems,
write necessary computer code and report the result without direct help from fellow students or anyone else. Discussions about general topics related to the hand-in problems are encouraged between students.
* The projects are group work. This means the group together work towards a solution and
report the  findings in a joint report which is individual for each group (see above for meaning of individual).
* When reporting solutions in writing, copying text from books, Internet or from other sources(like your fellow students) without referring to the source is not an accepted behavior and is not allowed.
* Students whom are suspected not to respect the rules of academic integrity will be reported to the President of Chalmers and risk possible disciplinary actions.

COURSE SCHEDULE

WEEK 1 (Calendar Week 4)

Course Introduction
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-01-20 (Tuesday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: All
Content: Course overview and practicalities. Presentation of involved teachers.

Basic Concepts and Considerations
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-01-20 (Tuesday), 15:15 – 17:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist
Content:

  • Introduction and Chapter 1.

  • Theory of electromagnetic waves in free space: Polarisation, coherence, flux, and radiance.

  • Blackbody and solar radiation. Reading: Chapter 2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 2.6.

Interaction Between EM Waves and Matter
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-01-22 (Thursday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist
Content:

  • Complex refractive index, absorption length.

  • Surface reflections, BRDF.

  • Attenuation and the Beer-Lambert law. Reading: Book sections 3.1–3.3.

Remote Sensing, Radiation, and Complex Refractive Index
Problem Solving
Date/Time: 2026-01-22 (Thursday), 15:15 – 17:00
Location: EL41
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist

Properties of the Atmosphere
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-01-23 (Friday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL41
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist
Content:

  • Structure and composition of the atmosphere.

  • Impact of molecules, aerosols, clouds, precipitation.

  • Refraction, turbulence, and the ionosphere. Reading: Book sections 3.4 and 4.

WEEK 2 (Calendar Week 5)

Optical Remote Sensing Systems
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-01-27 (Tuesday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist
Content: Hardware used for optical remote sensing (ORS) measurements: spectrometers, lasers, photomultipliers, diodes, CCDs, prisms, diffraction gratings. Reading: Parts of book section 6 + extra material.

Spectroscopic Measurements Using IR and UV
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-01-29 (Thursday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist
Content:

  • Principles and applications from ground and space.

  • Industrial measurements, volcanic ash, planetary gas measurements. Reading: Parts of book section 6 + extra material.

Radiative Transfer
Problem Solving
Date/Time: 2026-01-29 (Thursday), 15:15 – 17:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist

Application of Lasers for Distance, Speed, and Concentration
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-01-30 (Friday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL41
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist
Content: LIDAR, demo of LIDAR sensor, wind LIDAR, topography, bathymetry, DIAL.

WEEK 3 (Calendar Week 6)

 

Basic Radar Systems 
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-02-03 (Tuesday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Leif Eriksson
Content: Radar principles, radar cross-section, radar equation, range resolution, scatterometry. Reading: Book sections 9.2–9.3

Optical Systems
Problem Solving
Date/Time: 2026-02-03 (Tuesday), 15:15 – 17:00
Location: Room EL41
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist

 

Imaging Radar
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-02-05 (Thursday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Leif Eriksson
Content: Real aperture radar, imaging geometry, geometric distortions, azimuth resolution, SAR principles. Reading: Book sections 9.4–9.5.

Radar   
Problem Solving
Date/Time: 2026-02-05(Thursday), 15:15 – 17:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Leif Eriksson

WEEK 4 (Calendar Week 7)

Passive Infrared Measurements (Group 1)
Lab Exercise
Date/Time: 2026-02-09 (Monday), 13:15–16:00
Location: ORS Laboratory, ED-4346
Instructor: Vladimir Conde

Short Range Radar
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-02-10 (Tuesday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL51
Instructor: Albert Monteith
Content: Preparation for lab exercise. Description of short-range radar for autonomous vehicles.

Passive Infrared Measurements(group 2) 
Lab Exercise

Date/Time: 2026-02-12 (Thursday) 9-11.45
Location: ORS Laboratory, ED-4346
Instructor: Vladimir Conde

Passive Infrared Measurements(group 3) 
Lab Exercise

Date/Time: 2026-02-12 (Thursday) 13.15-16.00
Location: ORS Laboratory, ED-4346
Instructor: Vladimir Conde

Passive Infrared Measurements(group 4) 
Lab Exercise

Date/Time: 2026-02-13 (Friday) 9-11.45
Location: ORS Laboratory, ED-4346
Instructor: Vladimir Conde

 

Industrial Leakage Measurements Using Optical Remote Sensing*
Guest Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-02-13 (Friday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL41
Instructor: Samuel Brohede (FluxSense)

WEEK 5 (Calendar Week 8)

Passive Infrared Measurements(group 5) 
Lab Exercise

Date/Time: 2026-02-16 (Monday) 13.15-16.00
Location: ORS Laboratory, ED-4346
Instructor: Vladimir Conde

Radar in Industry Applications 
Guest Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-02-19 (Thursday), 13:15 – 17:00
Location: Field Trip to Emerson
Instructor: Christoffer Widahl (Emerson)
Content: Applications of radar in industry.

Synthetic Aperture Radar and Applications  
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-02-20 (Friday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room ML15
Instructor: Leif Eriksson
Content: Speckle, range ambiguity, SAR interferometry, applications.

Radar and SAR
Problem Solving
Date/Time: 2026-02-20 (Friday), 15:15 – 17:00
Location: Room ML15
Instructor: Leif Eriksson

WEEK 6 (Calendar Week 9)

Satellite Imaging Systems and Surface Property Measurements
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-02-24 (Tuesday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist
Content: Satellite/airborne surveillance, spectral/spatial resolution, atmospheric correction.

Optical Systems II
Problem Solving
Date/Time: 2026-02-24 (Tuesday), 15:15 – 17:00
Location: Room EL41
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist

Radar (Group 1)
Lab Exercise
Date/Time: 2026-02-24 (Tue)  08:00–11:45
Location: ED EM Lab
Instructor: Albert Monteith

Radar (Group 2)
Lab Exercise
Date/Time: 2026-02-27 (Fri)  08:00–11:45
Location: ED EM Lab
Instructor: Albert Monteith

LIDAR for Self-Driving Cars 
Guest Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-02-27 (Friday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL41
Instructor: Annelie Wyholt
Content: Overview of sensors for active safety and autonomous driving at Volvo Cars.

WEEK 7 (Calendar Week 10)

Radar (Group 3)
Lab Exercise
Date/Time: 2026-03-03 (Tuesday), 08:00–11:45
Location: ED Mättekniklabb
Instructor: Albert Monteith

Microwave Measurement and Planetary Exploration
Lecture
Date/Time: 2026-03-03 (Tuesday), 13:15 – 15:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Eva Wirström

Microwave Measurement and Planetary Exploration II
Lecture 
Date/Time: 2026-03-05 (Thursday), 13:15 –15:00
Location: Room EL53 
Instructor: Eva Wirström  

Microwave Measurement

Problem Solving

Date/Time: 2026-03-05 (Thursday), 15:15 –17:00
Location: Room EL53
Instructor: Johan Mellqvist TBD

 

Radar (Group 4)
Lab Exercise
Date/Time: 2026-03-06 (Friday), 08:00–11:45
Location: ED Mättekniklabb
Instructor: Albert Monteith

WEEK 8 (Calendar Week 11)

Radar (Group 5)
Lab Exercise
Date/Time: 2026-03-09 (Monday), 08:00–11:45
Location: ED Mättekniklabb
Instructor: Albert Monteith

Course Wrap-Up
Final Session
Date/Time: 2026-03-10 (Tuesday), 13:15 –17:00
Location: Room MA
Instructors: Leif Eriksson & Johan Mellqvist

Exam
Date/Time: 2026-03-20 (afternoon)
Location: Johanneberg

Course summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due