Sciences and Exploration Directorate

Shrikanth G Kanekal

(RESEARCH AST, FIELDS AND PARTICLES)

Shrikanth G Kanekal's Contact Card & Information.
Email: shrikanth.g.kanekal@nasa.gov
Phone: 301.286.6396
Org Code: 672
Address:
NASA/GSFC
 Mail Code 672
 Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer:
NASA

Missions & Projects

Brief Bio


 Dr. Kanekal's research interests include energization and loss processes of relativistic electrons in the Earth's magnetosphere, solar energetic particles, Jovian electrons, magnetospheric energetic particle boundary dynamics, space Instrumentation, and space weather. He was involved in several NASA missions including the HERMES/Lunar Gateway, Van Allen Probes as well as two CubeSats, CeREs, and CusP. He is currently building the MERiT (Miniaturized Electron Proton Telescope), for the Lunar Gateway. 

On Van Allen Probes, he has been involved in the design and calibration of the REPT (Relativistic Electron Proton Telescope) instrument and made significant contributions to refining science objectives, instrument requirements, and REPT hardware. He was fully responsible for the GEANT4 simulation of REPT and developed software to simulate the detector geometry with high fidelity. He has also used GEANT4 simulations for optimization of event trigger types, estimation of backgrounds due to inner belt protons, GCRs, ultra-relativistic electrons and impact of magnetometer boom within field of regard. He has directed and participated in the REPT beam test calibration at UC Davis, Indiana cyclotron facility, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories for protons and at the Idaho Electron accelerator facility for electrons.He has done extensive work in cross calibrating REPT with MagEIS (Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer) sensor. 

Dr. Kanekal's involvement in scientific analyses of energetic particle data obtained from SAMPEX since its launch in 1992 has been extensive. He has been fully responsible for writing the browse and level-2 data software and participated in calibrating the PET sensor onboard SAMPEX. He continues to carry on science analyses using SAMPEX data. He has been the PI of a NASA grant to make the SAMPEX data (2004 onwards) available to the public by expanding the SAMPEX data server. On the Polar mission, he has been extensively involved with the CEPPAD suite of instruments. He has used energetic electron and proton data from sensors onboard SAMPEX and Polar to study various physical phenomena in the Earth's radiation belts, such as electron energization and loss, trapping of solar protons, access of low energy cosmic rays and space weather. 

Dr. Kanekal's Ph.D. research involved precision measurements of the hadronic branching fractions tau->K* nu and tau->rho nu, which resulted in the first measurements of a fundamental constant of nature, the Cabbibo angle using τ lepton decays. His research included decay modes of charmed mesons, the ? lepton, the ϒ resonances, as well as detector simulation software. Dr. Kanekal has extensive experience in different types of particle detectors and associated detection techniques. As a postdoctoral fellow, he maintained the detector simulation package of the CUSB detector at CESR, the Cornell electron positron storage ring; at Fermilab, he was a member of the D0 team, where he carried out Geant modeling of D0, 

Education


Ph.D. Physics (High Energy, experimental) University of Kansas 1988 

B.E. Electrical Engineering University of Bangalore 1980 

Publications

Refereed

2013. "Science Goals and Overview of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes(RBSP) Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal Plasma (ECT) Suite on NASA's Van Allen Probes Mission." Space Science Reviews 179 311-336 [10.1007/s11214-013-0007-5] [Journal Article/Letter]

2013. "The Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope (REPT) Instrument on Board the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) Spacecraft: Characterization of Earth's Radiation Belt High-Energy Particle Populations." Space Science Reviews 179 337-381 [10.1007/s11214-012-9950-9] [Journal Article/Letter]

2013. "Science Objectives and Rationale for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission." Space Science Reviews 179 3-27 [10.1007/s11214-012-9908-y] [Journal Article/Letter]

2013. "Rapid local acceleration of relativistic radiation-belt electrons by magnetospheric chorus." Nature 504 411-414 [10.1038/nature12889] [Journal Article/Letter]

2011. "Studying changes of energetic particle properties in the Earth's radiation belts using the SAMPEX, POLAR, and Cluster missions." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A8- [Journal Article/Letter]

2011. "Untangling complex processes within Earth's radiation belts with the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 6- [Journal Article/Letter]

2011. "Relativistic electron losses by microbursts and their relationship to flux decay time scales." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 4- [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Stormtime Energetic Electron Responses for L≤4." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 1909- [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Loss Of Relativistic Electrons In The Inner Magnetosphere Via Wave Particle Interactions." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 2- [Journal Article/Letter]

2010. "Variations of Earth's radiation belt intensities on time scales of days throughout the 11-year solar cycle." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A1791- [Journal Article/Letter]

2009. "Variability of the total radiation belt electron content." Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics) 114 [2203-10.1029/2008JA013432] [Journal Article/Letter]

2009. "A Remarkable Natural Experiment: The Extremely Quiet Sun (2007-2009) and its Effect on Earth's Radiation Belts." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 5- [Journal Article/Letter]

2009. "Systematics of Electron Flux Decay Lifetimes in the Outer Radiation Belts." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A1584- [Journal Article/Letter]

2009. "Evolution and Energization of Energetic Electrons in the Inner Magnetosphere: July 2004 Storms." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A1587- [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Solar cycle changes, geomagnetic variations, and energetic particle properties in the inner magnetosphere." Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 70 195-206 [10.1016/j.jastp.2007.08.031] [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Low-altitude measurements of 2-6 MeV electron trapping lifetimes in the range of L between 1.5 and 2.5." 37th COSPAR Scientific Assembly 37 170- [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "The Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope (REPT)." 37th COSPAR Scientific Assembly 37 168- [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Relating Solar Energetic Proton Populations Observed Within the Terrestrial Magnetosphere to Coronal Mass Ejections, Magnetic Flux Ropes observations at 1 AU." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 1643- [Journal Article/Letter]

2008. "Adverse Space Weather at the Solar Cycle Minimum." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts 5- [Journal Article/Letter]

2007. "The Role of the Plasmasphere in Radiation Belt Particle Energization and Loss." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts A7- [Journal Article/Letter]

2007. "Observational constraints on relativistic electron dynamics: temporal evolution of electron spectra and flux isotropization." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts A3- [Journal Article/Letter]

2007. "Low-altitude measurements of 2-6 MeV electron trapping lifetimes at 1.5 <= L <= 2.5." Geophysical Research Letters 34 [20110-10.1029/2007GL031007] [Journal Article/Letter]

2007. "Low-altitude Measurements of 2-6 MeV Electron Trapping Lifetimes at 1.5 < L < 2.5." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A6- [Journal Article/Letter]

2007. "The seasonal dependence of relativistic electron fluxes in the Earth's outer van Allen Belt." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A318- [Journal Article/Letter]

2007. "Dynamics of the Plasmasphere and the Outer Radiation Belt." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A323- [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Study of Proton cutoffs during geomagnetically disturbed times." 36th COSPAR Scientific Assembly 36 570- [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Observations of magnetospheric particles during large storms and assessing their effects on the Earth's atmosphere." 36th COSPAR Scientific Assembly 36 686- [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Evolution of electron spectra and flux isotropization during electron energization in the inner magnetosphere." 36th COSPAR Scientific Assembly 36 1693- [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Acceleration mechanism responsible for the formation of the new radiation belt during the 2003 Halloween solar storm." Geophysical Research Letters 33 [5104-10.1029/2005GL024256] [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "A review of recent observations of relativistic electron energization in the Earth's outer Van Allen radiation belt." Proceedings of the ILWS Workshop 274- [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "High Latitude Energetic Particle Boundaries: The SAMPEX Database." 2nd UN/NASA Workshop on International Heliophysical Year and Basic Space Science [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Outward radial diffusion driven by losses at magnetopause." Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics) 111 [11214-10.1029/2006JA011657] [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Integrating a Data Center and Resident Archive into the Emerging Virtual Observatiry System: Practical experience and perspectives." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 4- [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "A modular radiation-belt electron flux model." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A7- [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Relationship Between the Plasmapause and the Outer Radiation Belt From DMSP, IMAGE, and SAMPEX Observations." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 1491- [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Energetic electron spectra and flux isotropization during different phases of solar cycle." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 1490- [Journal Article/Letter]

2006. "Variability of the outer radiation belt electron content." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 1499- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Radiation Belt Responses to the Solar Events of October-November 2003." Washington DC American Geophysical Union Geophysical Monograph Series 159 251- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Observations of energy spectra and flux isotropization of relativistic electrons during energization events. to relativistic energies." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts 4- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "The SAMPEX Data Center and User Interface for the SEC Community." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts 1- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Relativistic electron dropout events as observed concurrently by SAMPEX and GOES sensors: Relationships to plasmaspheric and ionospheric conditions." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts 4- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Relationship Between the Plasmasphere and Relativistic Electron Flux Depletions in Earth's Outer Radiation Belt." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts A3- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Observations of energy spectra and flux isotropization of relativistic electrons during energization events. to relativistic energies." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts 4- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Solar cycle changes of energetic particle properties in the Earth's radiation belts." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts 5- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Energization of outer zone electrons:spectral evolution and flux isotropization." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A4- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Relativistic electron events in 2002: Studies of pitch angle isotropization." Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics) 110 [12224-10.1029/2004JA010974] [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Dynamic relationship between the outer radiation belt and the plasmapause during March-May 2001." Geophysical Research Letters 32 [15104-10.1029/2005GL023431] [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Study of Proton cutoffs during geomagnetically disturbed times." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A284- [Journal Article/Letter]

2005. "Studying Radiation Belt Electrons with Linear State-Space Models." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 5- [Journal Article/Letter]

2004. "using multi-scale measurements of pitch angle distribution to test magnetospheric relativistic electron energization models." 35th COSPAR Scientific Assembly 35 1003- [Journal Article/Letter]

2004. "Acceleration and extreme distortion within the Van Allen radiation belts during the 'Halloween' solar storms of 2003." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 5- [Journal Article/Letter]

2004. "Energetic Neutral Atom Response to the Interaction Between the Solar Wind and the Dayside Magnetosphere During the Halloween 2003 Geomagnetic Storm." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts A8- [Journal Article/Letter]

2004. "Probing the solar wind-inner magnetospheric coupling: validation of relativistic electron flux models." Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 66 1399-1409 [10.1016/j.jastp.2004.03.025] [Journal Article/Letter]

2004. "Characterizing Relativistic Electrons Flux Enhancement Events using sensors onboard SAMPEX and POLAR." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A1109- [Journal Article/Letter]

2004. "An extreme distortion of the Van Allen belt arising from the `Hallowe'en' solar storm in 2003." Nature 432 878-881 [10.1038/nature03116] [Journal Article/Letter]

2003. "Structure of Earth's outer radiation belt inferred from long-term electron flux dynamics." Geophysical Research Letters 30 [2015-10.1029/2003GL017328] [Journal Article/Letter]

2003. "Modulation of Jovian electrons at 1 AU during solar cycles 22-23." Geophysical Research Letters 30 [1795-10.1029/2003GL017502] [Journal Article/Letter]

2003. "Modeling relativistic electron fluxes in the inner magnetosphere with spatially distributed models." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 525- [Journal Article/Letter]

2003. "Global flux isotropization and in-situ Pitch angle evolution during relativistic electron energization in the outer zone." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts [Journal Article/Letter]

2003. "Global flux isotropization and in-situ Pitch angle evolution during relativistic electron energization in the outer zone." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Long-term-average, solar cycle, and seasonal response of magnetospheric energetic electrons to the solar wind speed." Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics) 107 [1383-10.1029/2001JA000506] [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Precipitating auroral electrons and lower thermospheric nitric oxide densities: SNOE, POLAR, SAMPEX, and NOAA/POES Comparisons for Geomagnetic Storms in 1998-2001." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts A7- [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Tracing the Sun-Earth Connection: The Solar Particle Chain in April 2002." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 3- [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Observations of Jovian Electrons over the Earth's Polar regions: 1992-2001." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts A11- [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Solar Wind-Driven Radiation Belt Response Functions at Sub-Daily Time Scales Using SAMPEX Orbit-Averaged Electron Fluxes." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts A10- [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Structure of the outer zone of the electron radiation belt." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts A8- [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Are Pressure Variations in the Solar Wind Causally Related to Relativistic Electron Enhancements?." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts A9- [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "The Relative Atmospheric Impacts and Energy Inputs of Precipitating Solar and Magnetospheric Ion and Electron Populations during the 17-24 April 2002 Events." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A7- [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Magnetospheric energetic particle response during the April 2002 event." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 435- [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Dipole Tilt Effects on Radiation Belt Electrons and Dst Index." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 8- [Journal Article/Letter]

2002. "Diffusion and injections in the radiation belts: L shell coupling." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts A504- [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "Multisatellite measurements of relativistic electrons: Global coherence." Journal of Geophysical Research 106 29721-29732 [10.1029/2001JA000070] [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "Relativistic electron response to high speed solar wind streams and coronal mass ejections: A comparison." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts 835- [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "Relationships between precipitating auroral zone electrons and lower thermospheric nitric oxide densities: 1998-2000." Journal of Geophysical Research 106 24465-24480 [10.1029/2001JA000078] [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "The global efficiency of relativistic electron production in the Earth's magnetosphere." Journal of Geophysical Research 106 19169-19178 [10.1029/2000JA003023] [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "Long Term Measurements of MeV Electrons by SAMPEX and Their Variations Associated with Solar Wind and Geomagnetic Storms." AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts 42- [Journal Article/Letter]

2001. "Long term measurements of radiation belts by SAMPEX and their variations." Geophysical Research Letters 28 3827-3830 [10.1029/2001GL013586] [Journal Article/Letter]

2000. "Magnetospheric Relativistic Electron Response to Magnetic Cloud Events of 1997." Advances in Space Research 25 1387-1392 [10.1016/S0273-1177(99)00648-1] [Journal Article/Letter]

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