Space Plasma Group

Heliosphere and Space Weather Group, Solar Physics Department, Astronomical Institute, ASCR
Group of Numerical Simulations of Heliospheric Plasmas, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, ASCR

Our projects are supported by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, the European Space Agency, the European Commission (FP7) and the Czech Science Foundation.

Our team:

See Directory for contact details

• Pavel M. Trávníček, Research scientist
• Petr Hellinger, Research scientist
• Marek Vandas, Senior research scientist
• Štěpán Štverák, Post-Doc
• David Herčík, PhD student
• Ondřej Šebek, PhD student
• Jaroslav Laifr, PhD student
• Martin Jílek, MSc student
• Roman Pavelka'', MSc student

Research:

We study linear and nonlinear processes in collisionless plasmas related to the space plasma (interaction of the solar wind and magnetospheric plasmas with magnetised and unmagnetised planets and moons) by means of numerical simulations, real data analysis and development of plasma diagnostic tools. Our investigation methods include processing and interpretation of simulated data together with data obtained in-situ by spacecrafts (Helios, Cluster II, Ulysses, Wind, Proba 2). Our group has been founded in 1998 as Department of Space Physics of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, ASCR. Since 2006 members of our team are also from Solar Department at Astronomical Institute, ASCR. In 2011 our gourp has formed at IAP the Group of Numerical Simulations of Heliospheric Plasmas.

International Colaboration:

Astronomical Institute, University Firenze, Italy; CESR-CNRS, Toulouse, France; Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, USA; RSSD-ESTEC, The Netherlands; Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Passadena, USA; LESIA-CNRS, Paris, France; University of California, Berkeley, USA; Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics (IGPP), University of California, Los Angeles, USA; Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, USA;

Tools and technology:

To provide relevant support to our research we develop (together with our industrial partners) high performance computer systems and devices for in-situ measurements of space plasmas. We develop sophisticated software tools for analysis of acquainted data.

On-going (and past) research projects grants/contracts:

• L-DEPP Payload definition study (2011-2012), ESA, ESTEC Contract N° 4000103352/11/NL/AF
• Langmuir Probe Experiment Study (2010-2011), ESA, ESTEC Contract N° 22904/09/NL/CBi
• Space Weather Integrated Forecasting Framework (2011-2013), Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), Grant agreement no: 263340
• Solar wind plasmas: numerical simulations and in situ observations, (2006-2010), sponsored by the Grant Agency of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, GAAV No. 300420602.
• Global-scale and meso-scale numerical modeling of space plasmas, (2005-2007), sponsored by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic, GACR No. 205/05/1011.
• Dual segmented Langmuir Probe (DSLP), (2003-2007), ESA PECS, contract No. 90112.
• Analysis of waves and turbulence in space plasmas, (2001-2005), US National Science Foundation grant, also sponsored by Grant Agency of the Czech Republic and the Czech Ministry of Education
• Data processing and simulation facility, numerical modelling, and interpretation of wave and particle observations, (2005-2008), ESA PECS, contract No.
• CLUSTER II: Data processing and simulation facility, numerical modelling, and interpretation of wave observations, (2000-2007), ESA PRODEX, contract No. 14529
• Low Current Multi-channel I-V converter for New Space Plasma Diagnostic Instrument, (2000-2004), ESA PRODEX, contract No. 14561.

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