Sam Boardman

School of Engineering

Postgraduate Researcher

Address

Engineering Building
University of Birmingham
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

The radiation belts contain high energy charged particles that are constantly lost and accelerated through a multitude of external factors, such as interactions between waves and particles. Most current radiation belt models are based on a quasilinear theory framework. In some cases, this quasilinear simplification cannot account for the dynamics of the belts, and it is helpful to turn to analysing nonlinear effects. Current theories assume wave-particle interaction occur only at perfect resonant frequencies. This does not work when modelling particles moving at an angle at or near to 90 from the magnetic field line. This PhD involves applying ideas of expanding the range of frequencies at which we model waves and particles interacting. This means utilising a concept known as resonance broadening to expand quasilinear theories and running simulations to assist development of radiation belt models and provide a better physical understanding of the dynamics of plasmas.

MSci Physics with Theoretical Astropysics (University of Nottingham)

Growing up near the National Space Centre led to me gaining a deep appreciation for the impressive progress made in space research from a young age. I graduated a Physics with Theoretical Astrophysics MSci degree at the University of Nottingham in 2022. I started my PhD with the SERENE group in September 2023 focussed on making modifications to quasilinear theory that can better model particles with pitch angles near 90.

Expanding quasilinear theory for particles near 90 degrees

Simulating electron trajectories in the outer radiation belt