Austin Michael Brenner
(SUPPORT SCIENTIST)
| Email: | austin.m.brenner@nasa.gov |
| Org Code: | 673 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 673 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: | ADNET SYSTEMS INC |
Brief Bio
Austin Brenner received his PhD from the University of Michigan department of Aerospace Engineering in the Fall of 2023. He continued his PhD work as a postdoc with U of M through 2024 and is now a postdoctoral research associate at Goddard Space Flight Center through the Catholic University of America. His work focuses on understanding energy transport in the coupled solar wind -- magnetosphere -- ionosphere system using physics based numerical simulation.
Research Interests
Energy Transport in Earth's Magnetosphere
Heliophysics: Earth's MagnetosphereThe solar wind -- magnetosphere -- ionosphere system is known to be tightly coupled and exhibits strong feedbacks and dynamic reconfigurations which make prediction and forecasting for the near-Earth space environment difficult. One useful lens to view this complex system through is energy transport and conversion. By tracking the flow of energy and the conversion of energy through various physical mechanisms, we can learn how the system evolves and responds under a variety of conditions. This then will help us improve our space weather prediction and forecasting capabilities.
Current Projects
Radiation Belt Modeling
Theory & Modeling
Earth's radiation belts present a hazard to technology and explorers in orbit around the planet and are intimately connected to the solar wind -- magnetosphere -- ionosphere system. This project involves using and furthering the development of the Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere Ionosphere (CIMI) code to improve our understanding of Earth's radiation belt environment.
Education
PhD, Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan. November 2023
MSE, Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan. May 2021
BSE, Mechanical Engineering, University of Iowa. May 2016