Faculty Profiles

Gamayunov, Konstantin

Research Associate Professor, Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences

Research Overview 

Have extensive experience in theoretical and computational space plasma physics, in particular in: 

• kinetic and magnetohydrodynamic modeling of the Earth's magnetospheric plasma

• nonlinear wave-particle and wave-wave interactions in the Earth's magnetospheric ring current and radiation belts

• large scale kinetic modeling of the Earth's magnetospheric ring current, plasmasphere, ionosphere, and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves

• interaction between ultra low frequency wave activity in the Pc 4-5 frequency range (2-22 mHz) and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves (0.1-5 Hz) in Earth's magnetosphere

• self-consistent kinetic modeling of the interstellar pickup ions, Alfvenic turbulence, and the core solar wind in the outer heliosphere

• energetic particle propagation, acceleration, and interaction with neutral atoms in the heliosphere and interstellar medium

• particle interactions with an external and self-generated turbulence

• data analysis and interpretation

Developed 

• global, based on first principles, self-consistent computational model of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves and ring current ions in a coupled system of the Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere, and plasmasphere - the best currently available global model of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves in Earth's magnetosphere

• self-consistent kinetic model of the interstellar pickup ions, Alfvenic turbulence, and the core solar wind heating in the outer heliosphere

Delivered Lectures on

• Introduction to Space Plasma Physics - undergraduate, Florida Institute of Technology, USA, 2014

• Physics of Turbulent Plasma - graduate, Altai State University, Russia, 1994-1998

• Mechanics - undergraduate, Altai State University, Russia, 1994-1998

• Nuclear Physics - undergraduate, Altai State University, Russia, 1994-1998

• Calculus of Variations - undergraduate, Altai State University, Russia, 1994-1998

• Integral Equations - undergraduate, Altai State University, Russia, 1994-1998

• Equations of Mathematical Physics - undergraduate, Altai State University, Russia, 1994-1998 

Educational Background  

• Ph.D., Physics and Mathematics, Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere, and Radio Wave Propagation (IZMIRAN), Moscow, Russia, 1994 (Thesis title: Wave phenomena in the Earth's magnetospheric ring current)
  

• M.S., Physics, Department of Theoretical Physics, Altai State University, Barnaul, Russia, 1986 (Thesis title: Multiple production process in hadron-hadron collisions)
  

Recognition & Awards  

• NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowship Award, USA, Period: 2006 - 2008

• National Research Council Research Associateship Award, USA, 2005

• Award to Outstanding Young Scientist from Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia, Period: 1994-1997

Participation In Peer-Review  

Reviewed research articles submitted for publication in

• Journal of Geophysical Research-Space Physics (JGR)

• Geophysical Research Letters (GRL)

• Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (JASTP)

• Astrophysical Journal (ApJ)

• Earth, Planets and Space (EPS)

• Proceedings of International Solar Wind Conference

• Proceedings of Annual International Astrophysics Conference

Reviewed research proposals submitted to 

• NSF's Geospace Environment Modeling (GEM) program

• NSF's Solar, Heliosphere, and Interplanetary Environment (SHINE) program

• NSF's Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (AGS-PRF) program

• NASA's Heliophysics Supporting Research (H-SR) program

• NASA's Heliophysics Guest Investigators (H-GI) program

• NASA's Heliophysics Grand Challenges Research (H-GCR) program

• NASA's Solar Terrestrial Probes program

Synergetic Activities

Regularly participate in the NASA's review panels

Administrative Experience 

Serve as the PI of projects involving collaborations of multiple institutions

Professional Experience  

• Research Associate Professor, Florida Institute of Technology, Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences, Melbourne, FL, USA, 2012- present

• Research Scientist, Florida Institute of Technology, Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Melbourne, FL, USA, 2009-2012

• Visiting Professional, Universities Space Research Association, National Space Science and Technology Center, Huntsville, AL, USA, 2008-2009

• NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, National Space Science and Technology Center, Huntsville, AL, USA, 2006-2008

• National Research Council Research Associate, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, National Space Science and Technology Center, Huntsville, AL, USA, 2005

• Visiting Professional in Theoretical Physics, Universities Space Research Association, National Space Science and Technology Center, Huntsville, AL, USA, 2004-2005

• Senior Research Scientist, Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere, and Radio Wave Propagation, Moscow, Russia, 2002-2004

• Senior Research Scientist, Altai State University, Department of Medical Physics, Barnaul, Russia, 2001-2002

• Post Doctoral Fellow, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA, 1999-2000

• Visiting Research Scholar, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA, 1998-1999

• Senior Research Scientist, Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere, and Radio Wave Propagation, Moscow, Russia, 1995-1998

• Assistant Professor, Altai State University, Department of Theoretical Physics, Barnaul, Russia, 1994-1998

• Senior Research Scientist, Altai State University, Department of Theoretical Physics, Barnaul, Russia, 1992-1997

• Ph.D. Student, Altai State University, Department of Theoretical Physics, Barnaul, Russia, 1989-1992

• Assistant Research Scientist, Altai State University, Department of Theoretical Physics, Barnaul, Russia, 1987-1989

• Engineer, Altai State University, Department of Theoretical Physics, Barnaul, Russia, 1986-1987

Recent Publications*  

• Gamayunov, K. V., J. Heerikhuisen, and H. Rassoul (2019), Effect of the Interstellar Magnetic Field Draping Around the Heliopause on the IBEX Ribbon, ApJL, 876:L21 (6pp), https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ab1b4f

• Gamayunov, K. V., K. Min, A. A. Saikin, and H. Rassoul (2018), Generation of EMIC waves observed by Van Allen Probes at low L shells. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 123, 8533 – 8556, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JA025629

• Gamayunov, K. V., J. Heerikhuisen, and H. Rassoul (2017), A test of the Interstellar Boundary Explorer ribbon formation in the outer heliosheath, ApJ, 845:63 (10pp), https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa7f70

• Heerikhuisen, J., K. V. Gamayunov, E. J. Zirnstein, and N. V. Pogorelov (2016), Neutral Atom Properties in the Direction of the IBEX Ribbon, ApJ, 831:137 (11pp), http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/831/2/137

• Gamayunov, K. V., M. J. Engebretson, M. Zhang, and H. K. Rassoul (2015), Source of seed fluctuations for electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves in Earth's magnetosphere, Adv. Space Res., 55, 2573-2583, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2015.02.024

• Gamayunov, K. V., M. J. Engebretson, M. Zhang, and H. K. Rassoul (2014), Model of Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves in the Inner Magnetosphere, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 119, 7541-7565,   https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JA020032

• Gamayunov, K. V., M. Zhang, N. V. Pogorelov, J. Heerikhuisen, and H. K. Rassoul (2012), Self-consistent model of the interstellar pickup protons, Alfvenic turbulence, and core solar wind in the outer heliosphere, ApJ, 757,74 (15pp), https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x/757/1/74

*full publication list