Byongjun (Phil) Hwang

I am a geophysicist and remote sensing specialist researching the dynamics and thermodynamics of snow and sea ice in the Arctic. Since I completed my PhD from the University of Manitoba, Canada in 2008, my Arctic research has attracted research grants from UK NERC & Royal Society, EU, and U.S. Office of Naval Research. In these projects, I have developed and implemented innovative satellite remote sensing algorithms/techniques to derive sea ice parameters from radar satellite data; utilised high-precision GPS buoys to measure a small-scale deformation of sea ice; deployed and analysed autonomous buoys to measure under-ice melting and mixing of particle matters.

Currently, I am working with sea ice/climate modelling scientists within the NERC MIZ project to improve the marginal ice zone physics in climate models. I am also involved in the NERC Changing Arctic Ocean programme, providing sea ice data/analysis to the programme collaborators. I am leading a NERC MOSAiC project in which I investigate the year-long sea ice dynamics and its effect on sea ice breakup/melting in summer. I continue to investigate innovative remote sensing and autonomous sensor technologies to unveil the complex feedback mechanisms within the Arctic ocean-sea ice-atmosphere system and welcome collaboration and student research ideas in this area of research (currently one funded PhD position available).

Beside Arctic research, I have a wide range of research interests in Earth Observation to study changes in other natural environments, e.g., forests in Ethiopia, lakes in the high Arctic, and snowpack in high mountains in the UK, China and Central Asia. I am particularly interested in collaboration and student research ideas involving image analysis/machine learning, advanced satellite algorithms, and drone & autonomous sensor technology to improve Earth Observation capability for those natural environments.    

I regularly attend and present my research at the AGU, EGU, ESA and DLR meetings as well as major Arctic conferences. I am a member of AGU, IEEE, EGU and KOEAUK and regularly peer review the papers from IEEE, AGU, and EGU as well as other remote sensing/geophysical journals.

I teach Climate, Meteorology and Atmosphere Systems (SFG1014) and Research Skills (SFG1018).

Previous and current research grants:

• 2018-2021            UK NERC, MOSAiCFSD
• 2018-2021            UK NERC, Toward a marginal Arctic sea ice
• 2018-2022            UK NERC, Arctic PRIZE & Changing Arctic Ocean Projects Integration
• 2016                       ITOPF, Hyperspectral oil detection
• 2012-2017            U.S. Office of Naval Research, Marginal Ice Zone program
• 2014-2016            UK NERC, International Opportunity Funds
• 2014-2015            UK NERC, Technological Proof of Concept
• 2011-2015            EU FP7, Arctic Climate Change, Economy and Society (ACCESS)
• 2011-2013            UK Royal Society Research Grants, satellite SAR and autonomous buoys

Satellite data projects:

• German Aerospace Center (DLR) TerraSAR-X New-Mode-2013 AO 2013-2016
• German Aerospace Center (DLR) TerraSAR-X General Proposal (OCE2306) 2013-2015
• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), ALOS-2 RA/4 AO 2013-2015
• German Aerospace Center (DLR) TerraSAR-X General Proposal (OCE1107) 2012-2014
• European Space Agency Cat1 Project (7185) 2010-2011
• European Space Agency Cat1 Project (7171) 2009-2010
• German Aerospace Center (DLR) TerraSAR-X General Proposal (OCE0644) 2009-2011