Astrophysics and Geophysics
Current astrophysical and geophysical methods encompass a variety of disciplines among which Physics, Mathematics and Computers Engineering. We presently meet in our centre the scientific requirements to model mathematically some of the astrophysical and geophysical processes that govern such different physical systems as the Earth, the Minor Bodies of the Solar System (e.g., Near Earth Objects, Kuiper Belt Objets, and associated families like Centaurs, Comets and Irregular Satellites), to Stellar Evolution, Solar Physics, Light Pollution and Dark Sky Preservation.
The origin of the Earths magnetic field is a complex research subject. In our group, we focus on the study of the magnetic field at the Earths surface (or above) and of the study of the related fluid flow models at the top of the core. These kind of plots can work as useful boundary constraints for the numerical simulations of the geodynamo.
It is generally known that there exists strong solar wind-Earths magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. The role of turbulence in the solar wind Earths magnetosphere interaction processes can be reliably interconnected by investigation of the non-Gaussian characteristics of magnetic turbulence in the solar wind and the occurrence of intermittent magnetic turbulence in the Earths plasma sheet.
Coordinator
João Manuel de Morais Barros Fernandes
