My interests include, but are not limited to: heliophysics, space physics, upper atmosphere and ionosphere, magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, and exoplanets.
Early in my research career, I researched habitability of exoplanets by modeling theoretical abiotic terrestrial atmospheres and analyzing their simulated atmospheric composition for biosignatures. More recently, I have become more enamored with the near-Earth environment. My dissertation thesis is a model-observation comparative study of the ionospheric current systems. Using SuperMAG and AMPERE datasets, I have quantified the relationship between field-aligned currents and the auroral electrojet. Additionally, I have quantified the seasonal asymmetry in these currents for the first time using the SME index. As a natural segue, I have investigated global MHD models’ ability to reproduce the observed interhemispheric asymmetries, magnitudes, and relationship of the electrojets and FACs. I have determined that the Space Weather Modeling Framework does reproduce the current-closure relationship, despite underestimating the currents and its inability to replicate reality. Currently, I am working on expanding my previous research by validating the behavior of the small-scale structure structure of these FACs as well as these currents relationship to particle precipitation. This work will quantify the model's performant using skill scores and contingency tables for dichotomous forecasts. The results will reveal weaknesses and highlight when and where the models perform best. Which is imperative to the advancement of the space weather prediction as these models are at the forefront of space weather modeling forecasts.
A long-term goal of mine is to become a PI on a NASA mission. Ideally this mission would be just as interdisciplinary as my interest.