Hong Zhao headshot
Hong Zhao
Department of Physics
Assistant Professor

Research Areas: Space Plasma Physics

Office: Leach Science Center 2105

Address: 380 Duncan Drive
Auburn, AL 36849

Phone: (334) 844-4628

Email: zzh0054@auburn.edu


Education
University of Colorado, Boulder; Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering Sciences
2015
Peking University; B.S., Space Physics
2011


Professional Employment
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Auburn University
2021 - Present
Research Scientist, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
2016-2020
Graduate Research Assistant, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
2011-2015


Honors and Awards
Fred L. Scarf Award, American Geophysical Union
2017
Outstanding Student Paper Award, American Geophysical Union
2016
Vela Fellowship, Los Alamos National Laboratory
2014


Research and Teaching Interests

My research mainly focuses on energetic particle dynamics and wave-particle interaction in Earth’s magnetosphere. I have been extensively involved in data analysis and modeling of energetic particles in Earth’s radiation belts and ring current as well as instrumentation development and mission design. My current research projects include: analysis and interpretation of particle and field data from a variety of satellites, e.g., Van Allen Probes, MMS, GOES, THEMIS, LANL-GEO, DEMETER, SAMPEX, and CubeSats; analysis and simulation of energy- and pitch angle-dependent dynamics of radiation belt electrons; analysis of the effects of solar wind/geomagnetic conditions on the radiation belt electron dynamics; and analysis and simulation of deep penetration of energetic electrons and ions into the low L region.


Selected Publications

1. Zhao, H., R. H. W. Friedel, Y. Chen, D. N. Baker, X. Li, D. M. Malaspina, B. A. Larsen, R. M. Skoug, H. O. Funsten, G. D. Reeves, and A. J. Boyd (2020). Equatorial Pitch Angle Distributions of 1–50 keV Electrons in Earth’s Inner Magnetosphere: An Empirical Model Based on the Van Allen Probes Observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JA028322.

2. Zhao, H., Baker, D. N., Li, X., Malaspina, D. M., Jaynes, A. N., and Kanekal, S. G (2019). On the acceleration mechanism of ultrarelativistic electrons in the center of the outer radiation belt: a statistical study. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA027111.

3. Zhao, H., Johnston, W. R., Baker, D. N., Li, X., Ni, B., Jaynes, A. N., et al. (2019). Characterization and evolution of radiation belt electron energy spectra based on the Van Allen Probes measurements. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026697.

4. Zhao, H., Baker, D. N., Li, X., Jaynes, A. N., & Kanekal, S. G. (2019). The effects of geomagnetic storms and solar wind conditions on the ultrarelativistic electron flux enhancements. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA026257.

5. Zhao, H., Ni, B., Li, X., Baker, D. N., Johnston, W. R., Zhang, W., et al. (2019). Plasmaspheric hiss waves generate a reversed energy spectrum of radiation belt electrons. Nature Physics, 15(4), 367–372. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-018-0391-6

6. Zhao, H., Baker, D. N., Li, X., Jaynes, A. N., and Kanekal, S. G. (2018). The acceleration of ultrarelativistic electrons during a small to moderate storm of 21 April 2017. Geophysical Research Letters, 45. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL078582.

7. Zhao, H., Friedel, R. H. W., Chen, Y., Reeves, G. D., Baker, D. N., Li, X., et al. (2018). An empirical model of radiation belt electron pitch angle distributions based on Van Allen Probes measurements. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 123. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025277.

8. Zhao, H., D. N. Baker, S. Califf, X. Li, A. N. Jaynes, T. Leonard, S. G. Kanekal, J. B. Blake, J. F. Fennell, S. G. Claudepierre, D. L. Turner, G. D. Reeves, and H. E. Spence (2017), Van Allen Probes measurements of energetic particle deep penetration into the low L region (L<4) during the storm on 8 April 2016, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 122. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JA024558.

9. Zhao, H., D. N. Baker, A. N. Jaynes, X. Li, S. R. Elkington, S. G. Kanekal, H. E. Spence, A. J. Boyd, C.-L. Huang, and C. Forsyth (2017), On the relation between radiation belt electrons and solar wind parameters/geomagnetic indices: Dependence on the first adiabatic invariant and L*, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 122, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JA023658.

10. Zhao, H., X. Li, D. N. Baker, S. G. Claudepierre, J. F. Fennell, J. B. Blake, B. A. Larsen, R. M. Skoug, H. O. Funsten, R. H. W. Friedel, et al. (2016), Ring current electron dynamics during geomagnetic storms based on the Van Allen Probes measurements, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 121, 3333–3346, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JA022358.






Last updated: 08/24/2021