Leif Eriksson

Leif Eriksson is a Professor at Chalmers University of Technology, specializing in Radar Remote Sensing within the Department of Space, Earth and Environment. His career at Chalmers began in 2004, and he was promoted to Professor in 2022 after serving as Group Leader (2012–2017) and Head of Faculty Assembly (2017–2020). His research focuses on developing advanced methods for environmental monitoring using radar data, particularly synthetic aperture radar (SAR) from satellites and aircraft.

• Leadership Roles: Group Leader (Radar Remote Sensing), Faculty Assembly Head
• Key Collaborations: Rymdstyrelsen, EU Horizon, VINNOVA, European Space Agency

Research Interests:
Dr. Eriksson’s work spans forest biomass estimation, sea ice dynamics, and ocean surface current/wind retrieval. He integrates SAR data with in situ observations and climate models to study:

• Forest degradation (clear cuts, storm damage) via multi-temporal SAR
• Sea ice concentration, drift patterns, and thickness in Arctic regions
• Wind vectors and surface currents using interferometric SAR techniques
• Applications for maritime navigation safety and polar shipping optimization

Article Trends:
His recent publications emphasize SAR’s role in transport infrastructure monitoring (e.g., Iron Ore Line degradation), pan-Arctic landfast ice stability, and multi-frequency SAR fusion for enhanced sea ice observations. Collaborative work with teams across Europe and the U.S. highlights interdisciplinary approaches to climate and marine research.

Projects & Grants:
Dr. Eriksson leads or contributes to projects such as:

• CAISA (2022–2024): Air-ice-sea data assimilation
• EONav (2016–2019): Copernicus data for maritime navigation
• SEDNA (2017–2020): Safe Arctic shipping
• Forest Biomass Monitoring (2017–2018): Spaceborne SAR applications

His work is supported by Rymdstyrelsen, EU Horizon, and industry partners like Trafikverket.

Labs & Teams:
He is central to the Radar Remote Sensing Group at Chalmers, collaborating with institutions like Lund University and international bodies such as ESA. His research often involves satellite campaigns (e.g., TanDEM-X, Sentinel) and field studies in polar regions.