Robert Treuhaft


Education: 
  • B. S., Physics, Yale University (1976)
  • M.S., Physics, University of California at Berkeley (1978)
  • Ph.D., Physics, University of California at Berkeley (1982)

Research Interests: 
  • Remote sensing of forests to evaluate their function in the global carbon cycle
  • Electromagnetic modeling applied to the science of terrestrial remote sensing
  • Global forest biomass measurement from interferometric SAR and lidar
  • Quantum computing
  • Tropical forest field ecosystem measurements
  • Polarimetric scattering of electromagnetic waves from ocean surfaces for GNSS remote sensing
  • Relativistic Planetary Deflection
  • Tropospheric propagation

Professional Experience: 
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California-Principal Member Technical Staff, 1982-present
  • Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California-Adjunct Professor of Physics, 2007-2009

Selected Awards: 
  • JPL Raise the Bar Award (PI): Quantum Computing for Parameter Estimation and Remote Sensing of Surfaces, with the Google AI Quantum Lab (2019)
  • JPL Voyager Bonus Award, for sustained innovation and technology development of remote sensing of biomass in tropical rain forests (2017)
  • Terrestrial Ecology Program Grant (Co-I): Time-Series Measurements of Biomass Change from InSAR (TanDEM-X), MODIS, and LiDAR Observations (2016-2018)
  • Innovative Spontaneous Concept award from JPL Chief Scientist and Technologist (PI): Quantum Computing Applied to Classical Problems (2016)
  • Terrestrial Ecology Program grant (PI): Tropical Moist Forest Structure and Biomass Estimation from Bistatic InSAR at X-band (TanDEM-X), Lidar, and Field Mesurements (2012-2014)
  • Remote Sensing Theory grant (PI): Theory for DESDynI Fusion: Estimating Forest Biomass by Combining Fourier Components of Lidar and Interferometric SAR, (2012-2014)
  • GNSS Remote Sensing Science Team grant (CoI): Critical Issues for GNSS-Reflections Remote Sensing (2012-2014)
  • Carbon Monitoring System Science Definition Team (PI): Data Fusion, Error Analytsis, and a Global Biomass Product (2011-2012)
  • Terrestrial Ecology Program Grant (Co-I): Estimating Vegetation Structure from SRTM Correlation Data grant (2011-2013)
  • Terrestrial Ecology Program grant (PI): The Performance of Structure and Biomass Estimation from InSAR 3-D Vegetation Missions over Tropical Forests (2009-2012)

Selected Publications: 

  1. Y. Lei , R. Treuhaft , F. Gonçalves, “Automated estimation of forest height and underlying topography over a Brazilian tropical forest with single-baseline single-polarization TanDEM-X SAR interferometry,” Remote Sensing of Environment, 252, 112132, 2021.

  2. Y. Lei, R. Treuhaft, M. Keller, M. dos Santos, F. Gonçalves, M. Neumann, “Quantification of selective logging in tropical forest with spaceborne interferometry,” Remote Sensing of Environment, 211, 167-183, 2018.

  3. R. N. Treuhaft, Y. Lei, F. G. Gonçalves, M. Keller, J. R. dos Santos, M. Neumann, and A. Almeida, Tropical-Forest Structure and Biomass Dynamics from TanDEM-X Radar Interferometry, Forests 8(8), 277, doi: 10.3390/f8080277, 2017.
  4. R. N. Treuhaft, F. G. Gonçalves, J. R. dos Santos, M. Keller, M. Palace, S. N. Madsen, F. Sullivan, and P. M. L. A. Graça, Tropical-Forest Biomass Estimation at X-band from the Spaceborne TanDEM-X Interferometer, IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, 12, 239-243, 2015.
  5. R. N. Treuhaft, F. G. Gonçalves, B. D. Chapman, M. Neumann, J. R. dos Santos, and P. M. L. A.Graça, Relationships between remotely sensed forest structure and biomass: Fourier structure from lidar and InSAR and penetration at microwave frequencies, Revista Brasileira de Cartografia 65/4, 747-755, 2013.
  6. R. N. Treuhaft, S. T. Lowe, and E. Cardellach, Formulating a vector wave expression for polarimetric GNSS surface scattering, Progress in Electromganetics Research B, 33, 257-276, 2011.
  7. R. N. Treuhaft, F. G. Gonçalves, J. B. Drake, B. D. Chapman, J. R. dos Santos, L. V. Dutra, P. M. L. A. Graça, and G. H. Purcell, Biomass estimation in a tropical wet forest using Fourier transforms of profiles from lidar or interferometric SAR, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L23403, doi:10.1029/2010GL045608, 2010.
  8. R.N. Treuhaft, B. D. Chapman, J. R. dos Santos, F. G. Gonçalves, L. V. Dutra, P. M. L. A. Graça, and J. B. Drake, Vegetation profiles in tropical forests from multibaseline interferometric synthetic aperture radar, field, and lidar measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 114, D23110, 2009.
  9. S.V . Ollinger, R. N. Treuhaft, B. H. Braswell, J. E. Anderson, M. E. Martin, M-L. Smith, “The Role of Remote Sensing in the Study of Terrestrial Net Primary Production,” Chapter in book, Methods of NPP Measurement, Oxford Press, in press.
  10. R. N. Treuhaft and P. R. Siqueira, “The Calculated Performance of Forest Structure and Biomass from Interferometric Radar,” Waves in Random Media, 14, S345-S358, 2004, invited.
  11. R. N. Treuhaft, B. E. Law, and G. P. Asner, “ Forest attributes from radar interferometric structure and its fusion with optical remote sensing,” BioScience, 54 , 561-571, 2004, invited.
  12. R. N. Treuhaft, G. P. Asner , B. E. Law, “Structure-based forest biomass from fusion of radar and hyperspectral observations,” Geophysical Research Letters30, 1472-1475, 2003.
  13. R. N. Treuhaft, Asner, G. P., Law, B. E., and van Tuyl, S. “Forest leaf area density profiles from the quantitative fusion of radar and hyperspectral data,” J. Geophys. Res., 107(D12): 4568-4580, 2002.
  14. R. N. Treuhaft, S. T. Lowe, C. Zuffada, and Y. Chao, “2-cm GPS altimetry over Crater Lake,” Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 23, December 2001.
  15. R. N. Treuhaft and P. R. Siqueira, “Vertical Structure of Vegetated Land Surfaces from Interferometric and Polarimetric Radar,” Radio Science, 35, p. 141-177, 2000.
  16. R. N. Treuhaft, S. N. Madsen, M. Moghaddam, and J. J. van Zyl, "Vegetation Characteristics and Surface Topography from Interferometric Radar," Radio Science, 31, p. 1449-1485, 1996.
  17. R. N. Treuhaft and S. T. Lowe, "A Measurement of Planetary Relativistic Deflection," Astronomical Journal,102, p. 1879-1888, November 1991. (Reviewed in Science News, November 9, 1991 and in Nature, November 21, 1991).
  18. R. N. Treuhaft and G. E. Lanyi, "The Effect of the Dynamic Wet Troposphere on Radio Interferometric Measurements," Radio Science, 22, p. 251-265, 1987.
Robert Treuhaft
Address: 
4800 Oak Grove Dr.
Pasadena, CA 91109