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Dr. Istvan Ballai's main research interest is in linear and nonlinear MHD waves occurring in solar and interplanetary plasmas. Waves can carry energy and momentum; when transferred to inhomogeneous plasmas they can heat or accelerate the plasma therefore MHD waves may play an important role in explaining the observed high temperatures in the solar corona. Waves can transport information about the environment in which they propagate, so they serve as a perfect tool for plasma diagnostics. We use local and global coronal waves to find average values for magnetic field and transport coefficients in the solar corona.

Publications

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My research is primarily concerned with the mathematical modelling of physics of
- solar/space plasmas;
- sun-solar wind;
- solar-terrestrial systems.
The study of processes occurring in such systems is crucially important for understanding the Sun, predicting Space Weather and understanding the dynamics of space and laboratory plasmas. This includes mathematical modelling of solar magnetic flux tubes and processes that heat and maintain the coronal plasma at multi-million degree temperatures; studying fundamental plasma processes such as waves and instabilities in inhomogeneous media; determining the physical parameters of solar magnetic structures.

Publications

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Dr Rekha Jain is interested in physical processes of plasmas. Her recent research has been focussed on investigating, theoretically and observationally, various wave phenomena that occur on the Sun. More specifically,
- investigating the effects of magnetism on the solar oscillations;
- studying wave propagation in astrophysical atmospheres;
- Modelling and analysing resonant modes of magnetic loops in the Sun's corona;
- understanding how the Sun's outer atmosphere is heated to million degrees;
- modelling of magnetic reconnection and nanoflare heating;
- numerical simulation of forced magnetic reconnection.

Publications

I am interested in the energy transport and dissipation of various MHD waves modes on their journey up through the Sun's atmosphere. My models are tested using the latest highest spatial/temporal resolution ground- and space-based wave observations. More recently I have become interested in testing these MHD models in the laboratory plasma experiments.

Publications

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Mr. Abdulaziz Hamadi H Alharbi is working on waves and oscillations in partially ionized plasmas, with a special emphasis on the development and propagation of linear and nonlinear waves.
Supervisors: Dr. Istvan Ballai, Dr. Gary Verth, Dr. Viktor Fedun

Abdulrahman will be working on analysis of coupled shock waves in two-fluid plasmas, where the coupling will be provided by the collision between particles. Using a multi-scaling approach we will determine the nonlinear evolutionary equations of these shocks and determine their temporal evolution using a Cole-Hopf transform.
Supervisors: Dr. Istvan Ballai, Dr. Gary Verth, Dr. Viktor Fedun

Ms. Anwar Aldhafeeri is working on Conformal Mapping of The Linearized MHD Wave Equations.
Supervisors: Dr. Gary Verth, Dr. Viktor Fedun

Mr. Farhad Allian is working on MHD waves and plasma instabilities in the Solar atmosphere.
Supervisor: Dr. Rekha Jain

Mr. Matthew Lennard is working on problems related to the MHD wave propagation in the Solar atmosphere.
Supervisor: Dr. Viktor Fedun

Mr. Max Mcmurdo is working on problems related to the MHD wave propagation in the Solar atmosphere.
Supervisors: Drs. Gary Verth, Istvan Ballai and Viktor Fedun

Samuel (STFC funded student) is working on observational, numerical and analytical studies of the Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor in solar plasma. In particular:
- observationally identify regimes of appearance of the RT instability, its morphology and lifetime by analysing Solar Optical Telescope data (Ca II spectral lines) on board the Hinode satellite and ground-based data from the Swedish Solar Telescope (SST).
- numerically model jet like structures, with particular interest in processes related to the magnetic field strength and direction to analyse the appearance and development of the RT instability at the top part of the jet due-to effective acceleration. Additionally, investigate processes related to the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability taking place during the evolution of the jet.
- analytically obtain conditions for RT and KH instabilities in the presence of a magnetic field (for example modeled by using self-similar approach) and apply them to the observational and numerical data discussed in the previous points.
- analysis of wave excitation (MHD waves including Alfven) and their energy budget directly due to jet propagation.
Supervisors: Drs. Viktor Fedun and Gary Verth

In the framework of his PhD project, Yasir will study Rayleigh Taylor Instability (RTI) in the solar plasma. In particular:
- observationally identify regimes of appearance of the RTI, its morphology and lifetime by analysing Solar Optical Telescope data (Ca II spectral lines) on board Hinode satellite and ground-base data from Swedish Solar Telescope (SST).
- numerically model jet like structures, with particular interest in processes related to the magnetic field strength and direction to analyse appearance and development of RTI at the top part of the jet due-to effective acceleration.
Additionally, investigate processes related to the Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability taking place during the evolution of the jet.
- analytically obtain conditions for RT and KH instabilities in the presence of a magnetic field (for example modelled by using self-similar approach) and apply them to the observational and numerical data discussed in the previous points.
The project will provide a much better understanding of the plasma processes related to RT and KH instabilities and will be extremely useful for understanding the morphology of solar jets. The project is also important for data understanding which will be soon available for sola-space community from a new generation of high-resolution instruments i.e. DIKIST and EST.
Supervisors: Dr. Istvan Ballai, Dr. Gary Verth, Dr. Viktor Fedun

In the framework of the project Yuyang will study the physics and main properties of solar spicules, which are fundamentally important for the understanding of energy transport between the lower and upper layers of the solar atmosphere. The machine learning, deep learning and pattern recognition methods will be used for comprehensive analysis of observational data. He will develop a new algorithm to fully automate the process of spicule identification and tracking to facilitate a more robust statistical analysis of their properties (based on Solar-H-alpha and Ca-II spectral observations). These analyses will be based on the techniques mentioned above which will be complemented by computer vision, POD/DMD methods. Results of the project will lead to the better understanding of the origin of spicules and their generic properties i.e. length, width, life-time and behaviour (oscillations). By developing this automated detection and tracking system, it will both speed up the analysis processes and save time for further study. This research is extremely important for near future solar observations with the new Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST, USA), European Solar Telescope (EST, Europe) which are being constructed and aimed at resolving the solar coronal heating paradox. The UK and UoS academics in DKIST is supported by STFC.
Supervisors: Dr. Gary Verth, Dr. Viktor Fedun

Dr. Mykola Gordovskyy works in the field of solar physics with particular interests in particle acceleration in various solar magnetic field configurations.

Publications

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Dr Dave Jess main studies of the Sun concern its lower atmosphere which can be seen in optical wavelengths. I am predominantly interested in how the Sun's energy travels through its atmosphere, both in the form of flares and waves. To study this, Dave utilizes a wide range of instruments, including the Queen's University developed ROSA camera system, as well as the Royal Society funded Hydrogen-Alpha Rapid Dynamics camera (HARDcam), of which he is the Principal Investigator.

Publications

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Research: Magnetospheric Physics, magnetic reconnection and particle energization, analysis of satellite data.

Publications

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My current research is connected with the investigation of electromagnetic phenomena related to large earthquakes in the global lithosphere-atmosphereionosphere coupled system using simultaneous satellite and ground-based observations. The seismo-electromagnetic effects are the electric and magnetic perturbations caused by natural geophysical activities such as earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions. It includes: electromagnetic emissions in a large frequency range, perturbations of ionospheric layers, anomalies on the records of Very Low Frequency transmitter signals, and night airglow observations. Such phenomena are of great interest, because they may start several days or a few hours before the shock and can be considered as short term precursors. A main problem in using of this method is to distinguish the physical processes in the ionosphere, which are generated by lithosphere, atmosphere (i.e. planetary waves, cyclones) or solar activity (i.e. CME, solar flares, etc.).

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Observational Solar Physics, Numerical Simulations of the Sun, Plasma Physics, Magneto-Hydrodynamics, Astrophysics.

Publications

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Sergiy's main research interests and experience are in large-scale mathematical modelling of astrophysical processes, astrophysical plasma physics, computational fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), numerical radiative transport and spectropolarimetry with applications to the solar and stellar atmospheres.

Publications

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Sergiy's main research interests and experience are in data amnalysis and mathematical modelling of Very Low Frequency waves in the Earth-Ionosphere wave guide.

Research interests
- MHD turbulence and transport of magnetic fields, momentum and chemical species;
- Generation and evolution of magnetic fields (dynamos) and differential rotations;
- Anomalous transport and its reguation in laboratory plasmas;
- Non-equilibrium statistical theory, structure formation and self-organisation.

Publications

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I am interested in the mathematical modelling and analysis of MHD wave propagation in the various magnetic configurations of the solar atmosphere.

Publications

2015-2019
Supervisors: Dr Istvan Ballai and Prof R Von Fay-Siebenburgen

2016-2020
Supervisor: Dr. Rekha Jain

2013-2017
Supervisors: Dr G Verth, Prof R Von Fay-Siebenburgen, Dr V Fedun