Martin Norgren
About Martin Norgren's research
If we take an object, such as a material, a component or a system, and the object is exposed to a known influence, the laws of physics can predict how the object will react. We then solve what is known as a direct problem. Inversely, we can determine certain properties of an object with unknown properties by observing how the object reacts to a known influence. We then solve an inverse problem. Examples of this include ECGs, radar, tomography and ultrasound.
Martin Norgren researches electromagnetic inverse problems. This has involved characterising materials with complex properties, finding sources of current inside the human brain, and determining the properties of snow and earth by using buried cables as probes. Current projects involve identifying deformations in electrotechnical components – such as transformers, for example – by illuminating the components with microwaves, and using measurements of electromagnetic fields in the electricity grid to ascertain the condition of the grid.
These projects provide insight within fields such as diagnosing epilepsy, predicting the amount of water in snow covering and the risk of avalanches, and developing smart electricity grids, which require thorough and continuous monitoring in order to see how the energy is transported and the condition of the grid.