Past research

Solar energetic particle (SEP) events are large increases in the population of energetic charged particles that persist for up to a week in the inner heliosphere (and, of particualr interest to us, near-Earth space). SEP events are a feature of extreme space weather events and are the result of processes associated with solar flares and the propagation of fast coronal mass ejections through the solar corona and inner-heliosphere. These particles occupy an energy range which is harmful to human health and satellite infrastructure; consequently SEP events comprise a significant space weather hazard.

Working with my PhD supervisor, Professor Mike Lockwood, we used a collection of in-situ observations of SEPs over the space age to establish a homogenous database of large SEP events, which was then employed to test some assumptions used in statistical models of SEP occurrence and fluence. It was found that some widely used approximations regarding the occurrence frequency of events and the shape of the proton fluence distribution, initially used due to observational and computational limitations, can potentially be improved upon and that there are limitations caused by data gaps in the energetic proton flux observations and calibration drifts. I'm pleased to be able to say this work was cited in the Royal Academy of Engineering's report into the impacts of extreme space weather events on engineered systems and infrastructure.