Bea Gallardo-Lacourt
(Research Associate)
| Email: | bea.gallardolacourt@nasa.gov |
| Org Code: | 675 |
| Address: |
NASA/GSFC Mail Code 675 Greenbelt, MD 20771 |
| Employer: | CATHOLIC UNIV OF AMERICA |
Brief Bio
Bea Gallardo-Lacourt has been working at NASA GSFC since 2019. She first joined NASA as an NPP fellow affiliated with Universities of Space Research Association (USRA), as a member of the Ionospheric-Thermospheric-Mesospheric (ITM) Laboratory (675). The overall theme of Bea’s research is the interaction of the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field that creates a dynamic plasma physics environment around our planet, one consequence of which is the aurora or northern lights. Fifty years ago, scientists used auroral observations to identify an explosive instability in near-Earth space they called substorm. The question of what causes the explosion, or “onset”, has emerged as one of the most intriguing challenges for our field. After five decades, this question remains unanswered. Bea’s research targets important aspects of this paradigm.
Additionally, Bea's research is centered on the Physics of the STEVE phenomenon. STEVE, an acronym for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, presents a captivating optical spectacle occurring in the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere. Recognizable by its distinctive appearance—a narrow white-mauve arc drifting westward and located closer to the equator than the auroral oval—STEVE has intrigued both the general public and the scientific community. Bea's research delves into understanding the formation of this phenomenon from the perspective of the magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere interaction, exploring its impacts within this interconnected system, elucidating its primary characteristics, and examining various related aspects. Bea is author and coauthor of over 30 publications on STEVE.
Education
- Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 2016. "Properties of Mesoscale Flows in the Nightside Auroral and Subauroral Ionosphere"
- M.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles
- B.E. Physics Engineering, University of Santiago, Chile
- B.S. Applied Physics, University of Santiago, Chile
Positions/Employment
Research Associate
Catholic University of America - Washington, DC/ Greenbelt, MD
April 2022 - Present
NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) Fellow
USRA - Greenbelt, Maryland
May 2019 - April 2022
Postdoctoral Scholar
University of Calgary - Calgary, Canada
March 2017 - May 2019
Postdoctoral Scolar
UCLA - Los Angeles
June 2016 - March 2017
Teaching Experience
- Teaching Assistant, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, UCLA. September 2014-March 2014
- Teaching Assistant, Physics laboratories of Mechanics and Thermodynamics, University of Santiago, Chile. 2004-2008
- Teaching Assistant, Physics laboratories of Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Andres Bello University, Chile, 2004-2008
- Teaching Assistant, Classical Mechanics, University of Santiago, Chile. 2006
Awards
2024: NASA Robert H. Goddard Award - Exceptional Achievement for Leadership
2020: NASA Heliophysics Division (670) Peer Award in recognition and appreciation of superior performance of a special act, service, or achievement
2019: NASA Honor Award - Group Achievement Award STEVE science
2019: GSFC Honor Award - Science - STEVE/Aurorasaurus Team
2019: NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowship
2016: UCLA Bosart Award: For Unselfish Service to Fellow Students
2015-2016: UCLA Dissertation Year Fellowship
2015: UCLA Morris Neiburger Award: For Excellence in Graduate Teaching
2015: Editor’s Citation for Excellence in Refereeing for Reviews of Geophysics
2014: Outstanding Student Paper Award, AGU Fall Meeting 2014
2014: First place student Poster Award on Ionosphere-Thermosphere, CEDAR workshop
2010: AGU Fall Meeting Student travel grant (Graduate Student)
2009: AGU Fall Meeting Student travel grant (Undergraduate)
Professional Societies
American Geophysical Union
Chair of the SPA-Early Career Leadership Advisory Committee
2008 - Present
Japan Geoscience Union
2018 - Present
The National Society of Hispanics Physicists
Secretary
2022 - Present
European Geosciences Union
2023 - Present
Latinamerican Association of Space Geophysics (ALAGE)
2024 - Present
Professional Service
- 2024 - Present: Member of the CEDAR Science Steering Committee (CSSC) - CEDAR/GEM Liaison
- 2024 - Present: International Secretary of ALAGE (Lain American Association of Space Physics)
- 2022 - Present: Member of the AGU SPA Early Career Advisory Committee (Chair: January 2023-December 2024)
- 2022 - Present: Geospace Dynamics Constellation (GDC) Ground-based Coordination Lead
- 2022 - Present: Chair of the NSF funded GEM Focus Group: The Nightside Transition Region
- 2022 - Present: Secretary of the National Society of Hispanic Physicists
- 2022 - Present: Member of the AGU Honors Committee
- 2021 - Present: STEVE Workshop organizer
- 2020 - Present. Geospace editor - AGU Books
- 2020 - Present: Associated Investigator of the PUNCH (Polarimeter to UNify the Corona and Heliosphere) NASA Mission
- 2018 - 2021: AGU Global Engagement Committee - North American Representative
Special Experience
Experimental Experience
Magnetometer Installation
Installing two magnetometers of the SAMBA Project (South American Meridional B-field Array) in Antarctica bases Escudero and Bernardo O’Higgins. January 2013
Selected Press Coverage
· “STEVE and another aurora-like flows perplex scientists with their complex physics”—Science News, December 2023
· “How to find STEVE, the purple streak that looks like an aurora but isn’t”—Washington Post, April 2023
· “Scientists Solve The Mystery of STEVE, And Find It’s So Much More Than An Aurora”—Forbes Magazine, 2019
· “Steve the odd ‘aurora’ revealed to be two sky shows in one”—National Geographic, 2019
· “It’s official: The Strange, Aurora-Like STEVE Is a Completely Unique Celestial Phenomenon”—Space, 2019
· “The aurora named STEVE is not an aurora”—Nature, 2018
· “The bright purple ribbon—named STEVE—is an entirely new celestial phenomenon”— Science Magazine, 2018
· “Scientists Are Puzzled By Mysterious Lights In The Sky. They Call Them STEVE”— NPR, 2018
· “STEVE the Aurora Isn’t An Aurora After All”—Discover Magazine, 2018
· “STEVE the Purple Beam of Light Is Not An Aurora After All”—Smithsonian Magazine
· “New Kind of Aurora Is Not An Aurora At All”—AGU Newsroom, 2018
Selected Publications
Refereed
2024. "Association of structured continuum emission with dynamic aurora.", Nature Communications, 15 (1): 10802 [10.1038/s41467-024-55081-5] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "The Gannon Storm: citizen science observations during the geomagnetic superstorm of 10 May 2024.", Geoscience Communication, 7 (4): 297-316 [10.5194/gc-7-297-2024] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "First observations of continuum emission in dayside aurora.", Annales Geophysicae, [10.5194/egusphere-2024-3669] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Auroral and Magnetotail Dynamics During Quiet‐Time STEVE and SAID.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 129 (11): [10.1029/2024ja032941] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Unexpected STEVE Observations at High Latitude During Quiet Geomagnetic Conditions.", Geophysical Research Letters, 51 (19): [10.1029/2024gl110568] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Identifying the Magnetospheric Drivers of Giant Undulations: Global Modeling of the Evolving Inner Magnetosphere and Its Auroral Manifestations.", Geophysical Research Letters, 51 (16): [10.1029/2024gl110772] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Predicting Interplanetary Shock Occurrence for Solar Cycle 25: Opportunities and Challenges in Space Weather Research.", Space Weather, 22 (8): e2024SW003964 [10.1029/2024sw003964] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Solar Wind Drivers of Auroral Omega Bands.", Geophysical Research Letters, 51 (15): [10.1029/2024gl109756] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "The geomagnetic superstorm of 10 May 2024: Citizen science observations.", Geoscience Communication, [10.5194/egusphere-2024-2174] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "Exploring the relationship between STEVE and SAID during three events observed by SuperDARN.", Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 11 [10.3389/fspas.2024.1422164] [Journal Article/Letter]
2024. "STEVE Events With FUV Emissions.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 129 (2): [10.1029/2023ja032017] [Journal Article/Letter]
2023. "Mesoscale phenomena and their contribution to the global response: a focus on the magnetotail transition region and magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.", Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 10 [10.3389/fspas.2023.1151339] [Journal Article/Letter]
2023. "Agile collaboration: Citizen science as a transdisciplinary approach to heliophysics.", Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 10 [10.3389/fspas.2023.1165254] [Journal Article/Letter]
2023. "High‐Latitude Ionospheric Electrodynamics During STEVE and Non‐STEVE Substorm Events.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 128 (4): [10.1029/2022ja030277] [Journal Article/Letter]
2023. "New Insight Into the Transition From a SAR Arc to STEVE.", Geophysical Research Letters, 50 (6): [10.1029/2022gl101205] [Journal Article/Letter]
2022. "AuroraX, PyAuroraX, and aurora-asi-lib: A user-friendly auroral all-sky imager analysis framework.", Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 9 [10.3389/fspas.2022.1009450] [Journal Article/Letter]
2022. "Proton aurora and relativistic electron microbursts scattered by electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves.", Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 9 [10.3389/fspas.2022.975123] [Journal Article/Letter]
2022. "Rainbow of the Night: First Direct Observation of a SAR Arc Evolving Into STEVE.", Geophysical Research Letters, 49 (11): [10.1029/2022gl098511] [Journal Article/Letter]
2022. "Polar Cap Boundary Identification Using Redline Optical Data and DMSP Satellite Particle Data.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 127 (5): [10.1029/2021ja030148] [Journal Article/Letter]
2022. "Statistical Study of Magnetospheric Conditions for SAPS and SAID.", Geophysical Research Letters, 49 (9): [10.1029/2022gl098469] [Journal Article/Letter]
2021. "Proton Aurora and Optical Emissions in the Subauroral Region.", Space Science Reviews, 217 (1): 10 [10.1007/s11214-020-00776-6] [Article in Book]
2020. "Physical Processes of Meso-Scale, Dynamic Auroral Forms.", Space Science Reviews, 216 (4): 46 [10.1007/s11214-020-00665-y] [Article in Book]
2019. "Optical Spectra and Emission Altitudes of Double‐Layer STEVE: A Case Study.", Geophysical Research Letters, 46 (23): 13630-13639 [10.1029/2019gl085639] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "First Observations From the TREx Spectrograph: The Optical Spectrum of STEVE and the Picket Fence Phenomena.", Geophysical Research Letters, 46 (13): 7207-7213 [10.1029/2019gl083272] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "Magnetospheric Signatures of STEVE: Implications for the Magnetospheric Energy Source and Interhemispheric Conjugacy.", Geophysical Research Letters, 46 (11): 5637-5644 [10.1029/2019gl082460] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "Storm Time Mesoscale Plasma Flows in the Nightside High‐Latitude Ionosphere: A Statistical Survey of Characteristics.", Geophysical Research Letters, 46 (8): 4079-4088 [10.1029/2018gl081539] [Journal Article/Letter]
2019. "How Did We Miss This? An Upper Atmospheric Discovery Named STEVE.", Eos, 100 [10.1029/2019eo117351] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "A Statistical Analysis of STEVE.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 123 (11): 9893-9905 [10.1029/2018ja025368] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "Driving of strong nightside reconnection and geomagnetic activity by polar cap flows: Application to CME shocks and possibly other situations.", Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 177 73-83 [10.1016/j.jastp.2017.09.013] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "On the Origin of STEVE: Particle Precipitation or Ionospheric Skyglow?.", Geophysical Research Letters, 45 (16): 7968-7973 [10.1029/2018gl078509] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "Statistical Properties of Mesoscale Plasma Flows in the Nightside High-Latitude Ionosphere.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 123 (8): 6798-6820 [10.1029/2018ja025440] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "Stormtime substorm onsets: occurrence and flow channel triggering.", Earth, Planets and Space, 70 (1): 81 [10.1186/s40623-018-0857-x] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "New science in plain sight: Citizen scientists lead to the discovery of optical structure in the upper atmosphere.", Science Advances, 4 (3): eaaq0030 [10.1126/sciadv.aaq0030] [Journal Article/Letter]
2018. "Flow Shears at the Poleward Boundary of Omega Bands Observed During Conjunctions of Swarm and THEMIS ASI.", Geophysical Research Letters, 45 (3): 1218-1227 [10.1002/2017gl076485] [Journal Article/Letter]
2017. "Influence of Auroral Streamers on Rapid Evolution of Ionospheric SAPS Flows.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 122 (12): 12,406-12,420 [10.1002/2017ja024198] [Journal Article/Letter]
2016. "The 17 March 2013 storm: Synergy of observations related to electric field modes and their ionospheric and magnetospheric Effects.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 121 (11): 10,880-10,897 [10.1002/2016ja023237] [Journal Article/Letter]
2015. "Dynamics Related to Plasmasheet Flow Bursts as Revealed from the Aurora.", Geophysical Monograph Series, 95-113 [10.1002/9781118978719.ch8] [Article in Book]
2015. "Azimuthal flow bursts in the inner plasma sheet and possible connection with SAPS and plasma sheet earthward flow bursts.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 120 (6): 5009-5021 [10.1002/2015ja021023] [Journal Article/Letter]
2014. "Ionospheric flow structures associated with auroral beading at substorm auroral onset.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 119 (11): 9150-9159 [10.1002/2014ja020298] [Journal Article/Letter]
2013. "Coordinated SuperDARN THEMIS ASI observations of mesoscale flow bursts associated with auroral streamers.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 119 (1): 142-150 [10.1002/2013ja019245] [Journal Article/Letter]
2013. "Westward traveling surges: Sliding along boundary arcs and distinction from onset arc brightening.", Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 118 (12): 7643-7653 [10.1002/2013ja019334] [Journal Article/Letter]
2012. "External triggering of substorms identified using modern optical versus geosynchronous particle data.", Annales Geophysicae, 30 (4): 667-673 [10.5194/angeo-30-667-2012] [Journal Article/Letter]
Talks, Presentations and Posters
Invited
December 12, 2024
Unraveling Unexpected Solar Wind-Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling: A Case Study of Extreme Subauroral Ion Drifts When the Solar Wind Disappeared
July 2024
Invited presentation at COSPAR 2024, scientific session D3.2--Cross-scale Coupling and Multi-point Observations in the Solar Wind and Magnetosphere
Exploring the Prospects for a vivid collaborative science between the GDC mission and the ground-based community
October 2023
Prospects for a Vivid Collaborative Science Between the GDC mission and the Ground-based Community
August 2023
STEVE, a mysterious subauroral optical structure
December 2021
Invited presentation at the American Physical Society, Mid-Atlantic Section Meeting
Measuring the Subauroral Region: Links to Stan Sazykyn’s work
June 2021
1. Invited talk at NSF-CEDAR workshop
Seminar at Dartmouth College: The physics behind STEVE, the optical subauroral phenomenon
February 9, 2021
Invited Seminar at Rice University: Tracking auroral optical structures
November 24, 2020
The Mysterious STEVE
April 2019
Invited Lecture, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Calgary, AB, Canada
Other
Selected Public Outreach
Space Day in Peru: “A Chilean in space sciences.”
October 2023 - December Present
Peruvian STEM Immersion Program for Middle and High School Students
Panelist at the GEM Student Career Panel
June 2022 - December Present
NSF GEM Workshop, June 2022
Panelist at an International AGU Perspective
December 2020 - December Present
A Panel Discussion of a Global Issue from a non-US World View
Basic concepts of Space Physics and the Aurora-Primary School Science Fair in Chile
November 2020 - November 2020
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center: Five-minutes thesis webinar on Space Weather
August 2020 - August 2020
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada: The Mysterious STEVE
April 2019 - April 2019