Project

"Observations and modeling of Sun-Earth connections using Solar and EO satellites"

Supervisors: Prof. Jan-Peter Muller & Dr. Sarah Matthews

Over the last decade, a number of studies have concluded that there is a strong correlation between solar activity (sunspots, high energy cosmic ray flux) and low altitude cloud cover on the Earth. However, there is no evidence published on the mechanism for this interaction nor on any specific examples to demonstrate these Sun- Earth connections. Utilising data from multiple instruments onboard the NASA STEREO mission, observations of the aurora from the NASA POLAR and observations of cloud formation from 15-minute interval METEOSAT and every 90 minute polar observations from NASA's MODIS, MISR and ESA's MERIS and AATSR, a few case studies will be studied in detail to study the Sun-Earth connections of the effects of CMEs on cloud formation. A simple dynamical model of the CME's passage through the solar wind and the consequent interactions of charged particles with the neutral atmosphere and with water vapour will be utilised to try to emulate key features of the observations from the multiple satellite observations.

Qualifications

Type	Subject	Institution	Year of completion
Ph.D.	Sun-Earth Connections	University College London (UCL)	in progress
M.Phys.	Physics with Planetary and Space Physics	University of Wales, Aberyswyth (UWA)	2009
n/a	Space Studies Program (SSP)	International Space University (ISU)	2006
B.Sc.Arch.	Architecture	University College Dublin (UCD)	2004

Publications

Agenjo, A. et al. (2006). Luna Gaia - A closed-loop habitat for the moon (Report) International Space University: Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France

Outreach

British Science Association (Surrey Branch)
MSSL Open Day 2010 (Lego Wall-e / Mars Rover Tent)

Activities

Conferences
2011
August [8th-12th]	14th International Conference on Atmospheric Electricity (XIV ICAE)
March [16th]	IoP / RMetS event: "Clouds and Earth's radiation balance - observational evidence"
March [14th-16th]	RSPSoc Annual Student Meeting (ASM)
2010
September [1st-3rd]	RSPSoc 2010 Annual Conference - From the Sea-bed to the Cloud-tops
August [2nd-13th]	ESAs Earth Observation Summer School
April [12th-16th]	RAS National Astronomy Meeting (NAM) 2010
March [15th-17th]	RSPSoc Annual Student Meeting (ASM)

Awards

Poster Prize @ RSPSoc 2010 Annual Conference - From the Sea-bed to the Cloud-tops

One fact about me is...

I used to be an Architect!

Affiliated Organisations

This page last modified 30 June, 2011 by imaging@mssl

New Group Members

The Imaging group would like to welcome the new Ph.D. students, Arrow Lee, Wil Poole and Daoxi Zhang to the team.

Arrow will be working on reconstructing density and motion of the Solar atmosphere and Coronal Mass Ejections from a series of stereoscopic images captured by NASAs STEREO mission.

Wil will be working on Mars surface roughness mapping using multi-resolution imaging and MOLA beam broadening, for landing site selection and the study of surface formation and evolution mechanisms.

Daoxi will be working on understanding the potential and limitations of solar-induced and laser-induced flourescent imaging of cyanobacteria in freshwater and seawater.

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