Dr. Erwin Verwichte Associate Professor Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves and instabilities in magnetically dominated plasmas applied to Solar Physics and Magnetically Confined Fusion

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Research Summary: My research focuses on theory and observation of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves and instabilities in magnetically dominated plasmas. I apply my expertise to two important areas of research: magnetically confined fusion (tokamaks) and solar coronal physics. I have expertise in the theoretical modelling of MHD waves in structured plasmas. Especially, I am focused on modelling Compressional Alfven Eigenmodes in tokamak plasmas and Alfvenic kink waves in coronal loops. Furthermore, I am active in the analysis and interpretation of wave phenomena in data from solar missions such as the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), STEREO, Hinode (SoHO, TRACE in the past). This includes the development and application of sophisticated image-analysis techniques such as wavelets, anisotropic difussion, clustering techniques,...

Teaching: I currently teach the 1st year undergraduate module PX120 Electricity and Magnetism. Also, I teach the MPAGS postgraduate course PL1 Waves in Laboratory and Astrophysical Plasmas. I supervise final year projects and on occasion I have supervised undergraduate summer projects.

Background: Erwin Verwichte joined CFSA in January 2004 as a PPARC postdoctoral fellow, working on MHD waves in the solar corona as part of the group's Rolling Grant. In 2006, he has been appointed as a permanent academic member of staff, triggered by the EPSRC Science and Innovation Award dedicated to fusion plasma physics. Prior to his appointments at Warwick, he has been a postdoctoral research fellow at the Royal Observatory of Belgium (1999-2004). He has gained a PhD in applied mathematics from the Open University (2000) whilst based in the Solar Theory Group of the University of St Andrews. His first degree was in Physics (Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, 1995).

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