Weekly Space Hangout: March 18, 2020 – Dr. Meng Jin and Modeling Coronal Mass Ejections

Hosts: Fraser Cain (universetoday.com / @fcain)

Beth Johnson (@planetarypan)

Moiya McTier (https://www.moiyamctier.com/ / @GoAstroMo)

Dr. Brian Koberlein (BrianKoberlein.com / @BrianKoberlein)

This week we are pleased to welcome Dr. Meng Jin, Research Scientist at the SETI Institute, to the Weekly Space Hangout. Meng uses numerical modeling techniques to analyze Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and related events [e.g., CME-Driven Shocks and Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs).]

By comparing these models with in-situ and remote sensing observations, a better understanding of the physical processes during the propagation of CMEs can be developed resulting in more accurate space weather forecasts which will help to better protect Astronauts and space-based equipment such as satellites and the ISS.

Recently, Meng’s data modeling has expanded to include the simulation of stellar winds and CMEs for exo-solar and exo-planetary systems to study their influence on the habiitability of exo-planets.

Meng received his BS in Astronomy and MS in Astrophyiscs from Nanjing University, China. He was awarded his PhD in Space Physics & Scientific Computing from the University of Michigan in 2014 after which did his post-doc at Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab. From 2016-2017 Meng was a Project Scientist at UCAR, and in January 2018 he joined the SETI Institute as a Research Scientist.

You can read Meng’s full bio here https://www.seti.org/our-scientists/meng-jin

To learn more about the SETI Institute, visit https://seti.org/

Announcements:

The Weekly Space Hangout is a production of CosmoQuest.

Want to support CosmoQuest? Here are specific ways you can help:

• Subscribe FREE to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/cosmoquest
• Watch our streams over on Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/cosmoquestx – follow and subscribe!
• Become a Patreon of Astronomy Cast https://www.patreon.com/astronomycast
• Become a Patreon of CosmoQuest https://www.patreon.com/cosmoquestx
• Sponsor 365 Days of Astronomy http://bit.ly/sponsor365DoA

If you would like to join the Weekly Space Hangout Crew, visit their site here and sign up. They’re a great team who can help you join our online discussions!

We record the Weekly Space Hangout every Wednesday at 5:00 pm Pacific / 8:00 pm Eastern. You can watch us live on Universe Today, or the Weekly Space Hangout YouTube page – Please subscribe!