Understanding Spaceflight Fields Measurements with Singular Spectrum Analysis
Dr. Matt Finley
Abstract: Recent advancements in scientific instrumentation and spacecraft telemetry have enabled the measurement of various physical phenomena with unprecedented precision and cadence. However, instrument performance can be severely limited by the platform on which the science instruments are deployed. This can become particularly problematic for small spacecraft (e.g., CubeSats and NanoSats) on which instrumental accommodation is necessarily constrained. This seminar will discuss some of the means by which spaceflight magnetic and electric fields measurements can be degraded by the host spacecraft and highlight several of the techniques that we have developed to improve the fidelity of these observations (on missions including CASSIOPE, Parker Solar Probe, Juno, and TRACERS) such that more robust scientific analysis can be performed. These techniques share a common theme: they utilize Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) as a means of decomposing complex geophysical signals, slowly varying trends, and platform interference. The mathematical details of this algorithm will be outlined alongside some of its potential pitfalls and avenues for future research.
Bio: Dr. Matthew G. Finley is an Assistant Research Scientist in the University of Iowa’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Finley rejoined the department in 2025 as a Co-Investigator on the TRACERS mission. His research interests include the design and deployment of novel interference mitigation technique for spaceflight fields instruments, the miniaturization of magnetic field sensors for CubeSat and NanoSat applications, and enabling operational scientific autonomy through the development of nonparametric data prioritization algorithms for spacecraft telemetry. Finley received his BS, MS, and PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Iowa in 2018, 2019, and 2021, respectively. Following the completion of his PhD, he transitioned from the field of optical metrology to space physics through an appointment as a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Miles Research Laboratory at Iowa in 2022, followed by an appointment as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Geospace Physics Laboratory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in 2023. When Matt isn’t at work he can be found enjoying live music, reading bad science fiction, and attempting to tame his once-feral cat, Huck (much to the amusement of his wife).
To participate in this event virtually via Zoom, go to https://uiowa.zoom.us/j/99573323976?pwd=chDzj0cNzZHBz0baiLyDyrfakZQr62.1&from=addon.