Purpose of the Position:
The purpose of this position is to carry out NASA sponsored research to improve our fundamental understanding of the superdiffusive shock acceleration (SDSA) of solar energetic particles (SEPs) at heliospheric shocks. The research methodology includes both modeling and observational analysis.
Duties / Responsibilities:
• Identify Energetic Storm Particle (ESP) events in spacecraft data in the inner heliosphere that feature solar SEP fluxes with superdiffusive transport characteristics.
• Fit analytical and semi-analytical solutions of tempered SDSA to the observed SEP fluxes to: (1) Deduce the level of superdiffusiveness at quasi-perpendicular shocks and quasi-parallel shocks. (2) Draw conclusions about the difference in the level of superdiffusiveness of quasi-perpendicular shocks compared to quasi-parallel shocks and upstream compared to downstream. (3) Search for quasi-perpendicular ESP events that feature an exponential rollover in SEP fluxes upstream that can be associated with a transition from superdiffusion to normal diffusion. (4) Determine the upstream SEP transport distance to the rollover region and attempt to find a plausible physical interpretation of this distance.
• Investigate the link between the level of superdiffusiveness of SEPs and intermittency of the associated observed magnetic turbulence (kurtosis values) upstream and downstream of near quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular heliospheric shocks. at inner heliospheric shocks.
• Assist the supervisor in research activities involving graduate students; Specific duties include guiding in developing and/or using analysis tools and computing codes for relevant research.
Minimum Requirements:
• Ph.D. in Space Science, Physics, or Astronomy or Astrophysics.
• 2 - 2 1/2 years of full-time verifiable research work experience in heliophysics or astrophysics.
• Proficiency in related computer software.
Desired Qualifications:
• Experience with solar wind spacecraft data analysis.
• Knowledge of energetic charged particle transport and diffusion theory in collisionless plasmas.
Published Salary (if available):
$55,000
