Dr. Silvan Leinss is awarded the "Helmut Rott Prize" for outstanding doctoral thesis
Dr. Silvan Leinss is awarded the Helmut Rott Prize for his outstanding doctoral thesis "Depth, Anisotropy, and Water Equivalent of Snow Estimated by Radar Interferometry and Polarimetry".
Thereby, the Helmut Rott Prize distinguishes his work on phase differences measured by the ground-based radar instrument SnowScat and also his work on space-borne radar interferometry using the satellite formation TanDEM-X. His work on the structural anisotropy of snow is not only crucial for snow physics but also for radar observations of the cryosphere, as well as for the energy balance of the earth. He demonstrated that the snow water equivalent can be monitored continuously with differential radar interferometry, confirmed model predictions on the retreat of Gross Aletschgletscher in Switzerland and showed significant expertise in radar interferometry on snow. His work marks new directions for future satellite missions observing the cryosphere. The Helmut-Rott Prize distinguishes excellent dissertations in the field of remote sensing of the cryosphere, is sponsored by Helmut Rott and given by the friends of DLR.
