» Research

Global agricultural production has increased with the developments of agricultural systems and technology, such as new cultivar, nutrient, pesticide, and investments in irrigation systems. In the coming decades, demands for agricultural products will continue growing due to population increases and changes in diet and other industrial demands such as biofuel production. Therefore, it is crucial to assess agricultural productivity under climate change in the future for food security. The agricultural research group conducts research on the impact of climate change and variability in agricultural productivity using multiple crop models and multiple regional climate models.

Climate change has impacted multiple sectors in the Southwestern United States through increased wildfires, declining water supply, reduced agricultural yields, health consequences, insect outbreaks, and flooding and erosion in coastal areas. Our research group’s goal is to improve our understanding of the risks and to help provide information to various stakeholders in order to better prepare for climate change conditions.

ECHO’s scientists use both optical and radar satellite products to estimate live fuel moisture, a key input variable to wildfire risk assessment.

ECHO’s science team conducts research in earthquake signal observations and monitoring. With a web of multiple satellites, we can now detect the anomalies of emitted signals from the different geospheres in the near-space. Data collected by satellite sensors and the network of ground-based monitoring sites, particularly gamma radon sensors, can be examined to find relationships with coupled models such as LAIC for possible earthquake-related signals. Researchers at ECHO have been collecting ground-based EM (VLF, VHF, ELF) data at multiple locations and performing data processing via integrating ground data and models with satellite observations. ECHO’s scientists are collaborating with an international research team from the Institute of Geodynamics in Greece, NOA, and also work in collaboration with earthquake and satellite experts in Taiwan, China, Japan, and Italy using space-based sensor-web technologies.

Aerosols play a critical role in the state of human health and in climate change through their effect on the radiative energy budget. Our research group works to better understand the optical properties of aerosols to estimate their radiative forcing and effects on human activities. Our team members are currently working on retrieving aerosol optical depth (AOD), particle size, and radiative absorptivity from Satellite data.

Quantum mechanics has opened new horizons for science, technology, and possible quantum extensions beyond physics in biology, brain dynamics, well being, etc. The universe at its foundation is quantum mechanical, even though it appears classical, and there may be an underlying common philosophical framework as to the role of consciousness in the universe. Three Universal Laws—Integrated Polarity (Complementarity), Recursion (Universality), and Creative Interactivity—apply everywhere and in all fields. Quantum mechanics bring in the role of observation & participation, the “hard” problem of qualia, the quality of experiences. The role of mind in participation and understanding the results of quantum measurements is paramount.  As such, the “Theory of Everything” has to include biology, brain dynamics, and the nature of Consciousness. Unification will involve a new science wherein physics, biology, mental studies, and philosophy will all have a common foundation. Mathematics may provide linkage for the nature of Reality and role of Consciousness.

In experimental neuroscience we study 5 HT3 receptors, which play important roles in the pathogenesis and treatment of nausea and vomiting, as well as the regulation of peristalsis and pain transmission, and α7 nACh, which appears to be critical for memory, working memory, learning, and attention. An electrophysiology approach is to detect those receptors from animal models using the two electrode voltage clamp technique. Our computational neuroscience approach is to build computer models using the experimental data to run simulations to support the experimental results and extend to further studies. A computer model of epilepsy using GENESIS (General Neural Simulation System) is used to investigate 1) the influences of the location of inhibitory interneuronal synapses on bursting activity in a simplified pyramidal model and 2) the effect of fast and slow GABAergic inhibition on bursting activity in a model of simplified multicompartmental pyramidal neurons. The insights gained from these multicompartmental neuronal networks can provide important guides for models of large neural networks using even more simplified individual neurons.