Heliophysics Science: Heliophysics: Solar Wind Connections with Magnetized Plasmas and Gases

About the role

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA’s missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology.

Description

Orbiting spacecraft observations are complemented by sounding rockets, ground based observations, and modeling to diagnose and understand the ionization, heating and flow of gases, driven by solar wind electromagnetic and kinetic energy fluxes connected via magnetic fields to ionospheres and atmospheres. Spacecraft data sets used include those from Wind, Polar, Geotail, Cluster, FAST, IMAGE, THEMIS, IBEX, and soon, MMS. Energy fluxes are traced from regions producing reconnected magnetic fields, into structured ionospheric flows and dissipation mechanisms. Resulting plasma outflows are tracked through the global circulation, where they provide feedback by mass loading and pressurizing those flows. For example, plasmaspheric material convects to the dayside magnetopause where in active times it dominates the plasma density there and loads reconnexion. We also explore the behavior of magnetized plasmas through our Global Ion Kinetic simulations, using single particle trajectory tracing, kinetic modeling, and multifluid magnetohydrodynamic models. Opportunities exist to develop new instruments, analyze existing data sets, and conduct modeling experiments.

Location

Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland

Field of Science

Heliophysics Science

Advisors

• Mei-Ching Fok
  mei-ching.h.fok@nasa.gov
  301-286-1083
• David Gary Sibeck
  David.G.Sibeck@nasa.gov
  301-286-5998
• George V. Khazanov
  George.V.Khazanov@nasa.gov
  301-286-9742

Eligibility

• U.S. Citizens;
• U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR);
• Foreign Nationals eligible for an Exchange Visitor J-1 visa status;
• Applicants for LPR, asylees, or refugees in the U.S. at the time of application with 1) a valid EAD card and 2) I-485 or I-589 forms in pending status

Questions

Please email npp@orau.org for questions about this opportunity.