Wei Liu
I am a research scientist at the Stanford-Lockheed Institute for Space Research.
I did my postdoc in the RHESSI
group at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
working with Drs. Brian Dennis
and Gordon Holman.
I graduated from Stanford University with a
PhD on particle acceleration in solar flares advised by Professor
Vahé Petrosian.
Research
[my ADS: Articles,
All (articles + abstracts)]:
My scholastic background encompasses various areas that fall under the heading of solar physics. My observational work covered a broad wavelength range from visible light to hard X-rays, while my numerical and theoretical work involved both fluid and kinetic descriptions of plasma. My master's thesis focused on the eruption mechanisms of solar prominences using MHD simulations. My early doctoral research included analyzing MDI magnetic field data using wavelet techniques and studying CMEs with phenomenological and MHD models. A growing interest in the physics of particle acceleration led to my dissertation work on solar flares, concentrating on analysis and interpretation of hard X-ray data as well as theoretical modeling with the combined Fokker-Planck and hydrodynamic code. My postdoctoral work in the RHESSI group at Goddard improved and extended my graduate study in solar flares. Upon returning to Stanford in early 2009, I was involved in analysis and interpretation of the high-resolution optical and EUV imaging data from the Hinode/SOT and SDO/AIA instruments. Here are some projects I have worked on.
- Coronal waves and wave-like phenomena with SDO/AIA:
(1) "First SDO AIA Observations of a Global Coronal EUV Wave: Multiple Components and Ripples",
2010, ApJ Letters, 723, L53-59.
(ADS)
(2) "Direct Imaging of Quasi-periodic Fast Propagating Waves of ~2000 km/s in the Low Solar Corona by SDO/AIA",
2011/07, ApJ Letters, 736, L13.
(ADS,
Lockheed Martin Press Release
and Visuals,
Media Coverage:
Astronomy Now (UK),
Space Daily,
joint with Leon Ofman:
Fox News,
MSNBC)
(3) "Quasi-periodic Fast-mode Wave Trains within a Global EUV Wave and Sequential Transverse Oscillations Detected by SDO/AIA",
2012/07, ApJ, 753, id. 52.
(ADS)
- Particle accelerations in solar flares -
RHESSI data analysis
and modeling:
(1) A statistical study of hard X-ray imaging spectroscopy of
limb flare loop top and foot point sources, in an effort to put constraints
on our particle acceleratoin models. See my 2003 AAS/SPD Poster (
HTML, PDF).
(2) "RHESSI Observations of a Simple Large X-ray Flare on 11-03-2003",
(2004, ApJ, 611, L53-L56, ADS,
PDF)
(3) Evidence of chromospheric evaporation revealed by RHESSI
(2006, ApJ, 649, 1124, ADS,
PDF)
(4) Double Coronal X-ray Source and Magnetic Reconnection Site
(2008, ApJ, 676, 704-716,
ADS,
PDF).
See a related RHESSI Science Nugget .
(5)
"Conjugate Hard X-ray Footpoints in the 2003 October 29 X10 Flare: Unshearing Motions, Correlations, and Asymmetries",
(2009, ApJ, 693, 847-867, ADS,
PDF ).
(6)
"Plasmoid Ejections and Loop Contractions in an Eruptive Solar Flare: Evidence of Particle Acceleration
and Heating in Magnetic Reconnection Outflows" 2013/04, ApJ, 767, id. 168
(ADS,
PDF).
- Prominence formation by coronal condensation (a runaway radiative cooling instability):
(1) "First SDO/AIA Observation of Solar Prominence Formation Following an Eruption: Magnetic Dips and Sustained Condensation and Drainage",
2012/02, ApJ Letters, 745, L21.
(ADS)
(2) "SDO/AIA Detection of Solar Prominence Formation within a Coronal Cavity",
2012/10, ApJ Letters, 758, L37.
(ADS)
(3) "The Hydromagnetic Interior of a Solar Quiescent Prominence. II. Magnetic Discontinuities and Cross-field Mass Transport",
2012/09, ApJ, 757, id. 21.
(ADS)
- Coronal/chromospheric jets and associated eruptions with Hinode/SOT:
(1) "An Intriguing Chromospheric Jet Observed by Hinode: Fine Structure Kinematics and Evidence of Unwinding Twists", 2009, ApJ Letters, 707, L37-L41 (ADS).
(2) "Chromospheric Jet and Growing "Loop" Observed by Hinode: New Evidence of Fan-Spine Magnetic Topology Resulting From Flux Emergence",
2011/02, ApJ, 728, 103-118.
(ADS)
- Sun-grazing comets and their interaction with the solar corona:
(1) "Destruction of Sun-Grazing Comet C/2011 N3 (SOHO) Within the Low Solar Corona",
2012/01/20, Science, 335, 324-328.
(ADS)
-
Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) modeling:
(1) A numerical MHD study on the relationship between magnetic topologies and two-class CMEs:
(ADS,
astro-ph/0511023)
(2) A cone model for CME velocity determination:
Zhao, Plunkett, & Liu, 2002 (JGR, 107, 1223);
2001 COSPAR poster (PDF)
Contact:
- Work Phone: +1-650-424-3109, Fax: +1-650-354-5848 (at LMSAL)
- Email: weiliu (a) lmsal com, weiliu (a) sun stanford edu
- Homepage: http://sun.stanford.edu/~weiliu
- LMSAL Office (primary, mailing address):
Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory
Building 252
3251 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304
- Stanford Office:
Stanford University
Cypress Hall
466 Via Ortega
Stanford, CA 94305-4085
- Stanford mailing Address:
HEPL Solar Physics
452 Lomita Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-4085
(Last modified: January 20, 2014 )