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Angie Crews
Principal Research Associate, Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder Center for National Security Initiatives
Friday, Jan. 16 | 10:40 A.M. | AERO 114

Abstract: Accurate weather forecasts are crucial to ensure that the nation is responsive and prepared for weather and climate disasters. Passive microwave radiometer measurements of temperature, humidity, and water vapor are critical for Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models, yet passive microwave radiometers are vulnerable to interference due to their detection of inherently weak natural emissions. In 2019, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) selected additional frequency bands from 24.24-27.5 GHz and 36.0-40.5 GHz that are adjacent to those commonly used by microwave radiometers for 5G mmWave applications. This causes the potential for 5G mmWave out-of-band interference and harmonics to affect spaceborne microwave radiometers and potentially degrade weather forecasts. Using the Denver metropolitan area as a case study, we analyze 5G mmWave operational networks and conduct a collection campaign to measure 5G mmWave signals and identify unique base stations. We then analyze on-orbit data from the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) instrument that is flown on spacecraft NOAA-20. We compare the on-orbit data to truth data generated from the Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM). The observation-minus-background (O-B) bias results are statistically analyzed to identify any indicators of radio frequency interference (RFI) over the Denver metropolitan area. In this talk, we present our initial results quantifying RFI in ATMS channels that are sensitive to 5G mmWave interference.

Bio: Dr. Angie Crews is a Principal Research Associate with Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØ’s Center for National Security Initiatives (NSI). ÌýShe has been a researcher at NSI since October of 2023. Prior to coming to NSI, Angie served in the Marine Corps as an EA-6B Electronic Countermeasures Officer (ECMO) and later as a Space Operations Officer. After transitioning to the Reserves, she earned her Ph.D. at MIT in Space Systems Engineering. Angie studied calibration and validation of miniaturized microwave radiometers for her thesis, and she also had the opportunity to contribute to flight CubeSat projects MicroMAS-2A, CLICK, and TROPICS. After graduating MIT, Angie spent four years managing the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL’s) Space Branch Portfolio.Ìý
Angie’s research interests include microwave radiometers, launch detection, SmallSats, and Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). Her recent research projects include: quantifying radio frequency interference (RFI) on spaceborne passive microwave radiometers, automating AI/ML analysis of commercial imagery for launch cycle initiation detection, analysis of satellite drag and orbit tracking in VLEO, and proliferated LEO (PLEO) time transfer. Angie has also served as a mentor for Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØBoulder’s Design for Defense course.Ìý