Current Research

My Ph.D. thesis research is being supervised by Prof. Clarence W. Rowley and Prof. Edgar Y. Choueiri - MAE, Princeton University. In collaboration with the University of Washington Plasma Science Initiative Center, we are investigating the physics of self-field and applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters (MPDTs) to better understand steady-state performance as well as performance-limiting instabilities that occur at higher current levels. Our work is based on the Princeton experimental Lithium-Lorentz Force Accelerator, a promising device for high-efficiency electric propulsion on the 50-100 kW scale. Necessary modifications to the HiFi code for studying such a device include:

 - Multi-level ionization of the lithium propellant

 - Anomalous resistivity in the core plasma

 - Anode sheath physics

Previous Research

• MHD instability induced fast-ion redistribution in a spherical tokamak
  Advisors: Clarence W. Rowley - MAE, Princeton University
  Johnathan E. Menard - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
  Roscoe B. White - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
  
  
• Chaotic dynamics of drift-waves/zonal flows in a toroidal plasma
  Advisors: Clarence W. Rowley - MAE, Princeton University
  Roscoe B. White - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
  
  
• Numerical simulation of propulsive plasmas
  Advisors: Edgar Y. Choueiri - MAE, Princeton University
  Stephen C. Jardin - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
  
  
• MEMS colloidal thruster modeling
  PI: Eric H. Cardiff - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
  
  
• ZaP sheared flow z-pinch experiment
  PI: Uri Shumlak, Co-PI: Brian A. Nelson - University of Washington

Codes / Tutorials

MHD1D - A code for solving the ideal MHD equations in one dimension

MHD2D - A serial / parallel code for solving the ideal MHD equations in two dimensions

Plotting in Matlab - A brief tutorial on advanced plotting techniques for Matlab