Adolfo_Figueroa_Vinas

Dr. Adolfo Figueroa Viñas

NASA/GSFC, Code 673
Building 21 Room 254
Greenbelt, MD 20771

Phone: (301) 286-6221
Fax: (301) 286-1433

Email: Adolfo.Figueroa-Vinas-1@nasa.gov

Adolfo.Vinas@nasa.gov

PRESENT POSITION:

Astrophysicist, Geospace Physics Laboratory (Code 673), Heliophysics Science Division
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

EDUCATION:

Ph.D., Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology-M.I.T., Cambridge, MA, 1980

M.S.,  Physics, University of Puerto Rico-U.P.R./R.U.M., Mayaguez, PR, 1972

B.S.,   Physics, University of Puerto Rico-U.P.R./R.U.M., Mayaguez, PR, 1970

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

Dr. Adolfo F. Viñas' research interests include studying linear and nonlinear plasma kinetic instabilities and the development and evolution of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence using both solar wind observations as well as computer simulations. Other research interests include investigating the stability of large amplitude Alfvén waves, the structure and evolution of magnetohydrodynamic shock waves and studying the plasma mechanisms for the generation of solar wind suprathermal electrons which produce solar radio emissions. He is a member of the American Physical Society (APS), the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the Latin American Association of Space Physics and Geophysics (ALAGE). Dr. Viñas has served as Guest Co-Investigator of the International Sun Earth Explorer (ISEE-1) mission and the Voyagers program. He is currently a Co-Investigator in the WIND/SWE experiment of the International Solar Terrestrial Program (ISTP) and the Space Physics Theory Program grant entitled The Role of Turbulence in Heliospheric Plasmas. Dr. Viñas has participated in the organizing committee of "La Conferencia Espacial de las Américas" held in Costa Rica, Chile and Uruguay. He is the recipient of the NASA Special Service Award and a decent computer "hacker".

PROFESSIONAL NASA MISSIONS EXPERIENCE:

 

Staff Scientist, Geospace Physics Laboratory, Heliophysics Science Division, NASA/GSFC             2000-present

  • In charge of the development, simulation, and testing of moment code analysis for the MMS Fast Plasma Instrument (FPI) for electrons and protons.
  • Developed a spectral spherical harmonic technique for on-board moment analysis of particle detectors (patent pending).
  • Provide science support for the MMS Fast Plasma Instrument experiment.
  • Responsible for the development and reconfiguration of the new operational mode of the Wind/SWE experiment and moment analysis code reconfigured for the Wind/SWE Strahl detector.
  • Provide science support for the Wind/SWE experiment.
  • Carry out and collaborate on research investigations on plasma kinetic and MHD processes on the solar wind and magnetosphere, MHD and kinetic simulation of plasma instabilities and turbulence.
  • Developed a shock analysis tool (SDAT) based on the Viñas-Scudder Method to determine the geometrical properties and velocity propagation of shocks in space from observed measurements.

 

Staff Scientist, Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics, Planetary Science Division, NASA/GSFC                    1980-2000

  • Responsible for the development and testing of the moment analysis code for the Wind/SWE-VEIS electron spectrometer.
  • Provide science support for the Wind/SWE-VEIS experiment.
  • Carry out and collaborate on research investigations on plasma kinetic and MHD physics of the solar wind, shock waves, MHD and kinetic simulation of plasma instabilities and turbulence.
  • In charge of the development of the mode-3 moment analysis code for the ISEE-1/SWE electron spectrometer during its passage through the Earth’s magnetosphere.
  • Provide science support for the ISEE-1 electron experiment.

PREVIOUS POSITIONS:

2000-present:       Astrophysicist (Staff Scientist), Geospace Physics Laboratory (Code 673), Heliophysics Science

                             Division, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

1980-2000:           Astrophysicist (Staff Scientist), Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics (Code 692), Planetary Science

                              Division, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
1975-1980:           Research Assistant, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

1974-1975:           Teaching Assistant, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Exchange Graduate Student,

                              Harvard University (HU)

1972-1974:           Associate Instructor of Physics, University of Puerto Rico (UPR/RUM)

1970-1972:           Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Puerto Rico (UPR/RUM)

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

  1. Viñas, A. F. and C. Gurgiolo, Spherical Harmonic Analysis of Particle Velocity Distribution Function: Comparison of Moments and Anisotropies using Cluster Data, J. Geophys. Res, 114 (A01105), doi:10.1029/2008JA013633, 2009.
  2. Collier, M. R., D. A. Roberts, and A. F. Viñas, Acoustic k-density fluctuation waves in suprathermal k function fluids, Adv. Space Res., 41, 1704–1709, doi:10.1016/j.asr.2007.10.017, 2008.
  3. Nieves-Chinchilla, T. and A. F.- Viñas, Kappa-like distribution functions inside magnetic clouds, Geofisica Internacional, 47, 245-249, 2008.
  4. Araneda, J, E. Marsch, and A. F.-Viñas, Proton Core Heating and Beam Formation via Parametrically Unstable Alfvén-cyclotron waves, Phys. Rev. Lett., 100, 125003, 2008.
  5. Gaelzer, R., L. F. Ziebell, A. F. Viñas, P. H. Yoon and C.-M Ryu, Assymetric Solar Wind Superthermal Distributions, Astrophys. J., 677, 676-682, 2008.
  6. Nieves-Chinchilla, T., and A. F. Viñas, Solar wind electron distribution functions inside magnetic clouds, J. Geophys. Res., 113 (A02105),   doi:10.1029/2007JA012703, 2008.
  7. Araneda, J, E. Marsch, and A. F.-Viñas, Collisionless damping of parametricaly unstable Alfvén waves, J. Geophys. Res., 112 (A04104), doi:10.1029/2006JA011999, 2007.
  8. Burlaga, L. F. and A. F.-Viñas, Tsallis Distribution Functions in the Solar Wind: Magnetic Field and Velocity Observations, in Complexity, Metastability and Nonextensivity, AIP Conference Proceedings, ed by S. Abe, H. Hermann, P. Quarati, A Rapisarda and C. Tsallis, pg-259-266, 2007.
  9. Ofman, L., and A. F.-Viñas, Two-dimensional hybrid model of wave and beam heating of multi-ion solar wind plasma,  J. Geophys. Res., 112 (A06104), doi:10.1029/2006JA012187, 2007.
  10. Burlaga, L. F., A. F.-Viñas, and C. Wang, Tsallis statistics of the magnetic field strength variations in the heliosphere: 5 to 90AU, J. Geophys. Res., 112 (A07206), doi:10.1029/2006JA012213, 2007.
  11. Burlaga, L. F., A. F.-Viñas, N. F. Ness and M. H. Acuña, Tsallis statistics of the magnetic field in the heliosheath, Astrophys. J., 644, L83-L86, 2006.
  12. Viñas A. F.-, R. L. Mace and R. F. Benson, Dispersion characteristics for plasma resonances of Maxwellian and Kappa distribution plasmas and their comparison to the IMAGE/RPI observations, J. Geophys. Res., 110 (A06202), doi:10.1029/2004JA010967, 2005.
  13. Ho, G. C., D. Lario, R. B. Decker, M. J. Desai, Q. Hu, J. Kasper, and A. F. Viñas, Multi-spacecraft observations of interplanetary shock accelerated particle events, in Proc. Solar Wind 11,  SOHO-16 “Connecting Sun and Heliosphere”, Whistler, Canada, ESA SP-592, 2005.
  14. Ofman, L., J. M. Davila, V. M.  Nakariakov, and A. F.-Viñas, High Frequency Alfvén Waves in Multi-ion Coronal Plasma: Observational Implications,  J. Geophys. Res., 110 (A09102), doi:10.1029/2004JAA010969, 2005.
  15. Lario, D., R. B. Decker, G. C. Ho, Q. Hu, C. W. Smith, M. J. Desai, and A. F. Viñas, The energetic storm particle event on 2003 October 24: A test of diffufive shock acceleration theory, in The Physics of Collisionless Shocks, edited by G. Li, G. P. Zank, and C. T. Russell, AIP, pp. 180184, 2005.
  16. Burlaga, L. F.  and A. F.-Viñas, Tsallis distributions of the large-scale magnetic field strength fluctuations in the solar wind from 7 to 87 AU, J. Geophys. Res., 110 (A07110), doi:10.1029/2005JA011132, 2005.
  17. Burlaga_L. F. and A. F.–Viñas, Triangle for the entropic index q of non-extensive statistical mechanics observed by Voyager 1 in the distant heliosphere, Physica A, 356, 375-384, doi:10.1016/j.physa.2005.06.065, 2005.
  18. Burlaga, L, and A. F.-Viñas, Multiscale structure of the magnetic field and speed at 1 AU during the declining phase of solar cycle 23 described by a generalized Tsallis probability distribution function, J. Geophys. Res., 109 (A12107), doi:10.1029/2004JA010763, 2004.
  19. Xie, H., L. Ofman, and A. F.-Viñas, Multiple ions resonant heating and acceleration by Alfven/cyclotron uctuations in the corona and the solar wind, J. Geophys. Res., 109 (A18) (A08103), doi:10.1029/2004JA010501, 2004.
  20. Fitzenreiter, R. J., K. W. Ogilvie, S. D. Baile, and A. F.-Viñas, Modification of the solar wind electron velocity distribution at interplanetary shocks,  J. Geophys. Res., 108 (A12), 1415, 2003.
  21. Araneda, J A., A. F.-Viñas, and H. F. Astudillo, Proton core temperature effects on the relative drift and anisotropy evolution of the ion beam instability in the fast solar wind, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 1453, 2002.
  22. Ofman, L., S. P. Gary, and A. F.-Viñas, Resonant heating and acceleration of ions in coronal holes driven by cyclotron resonant spectra, J. Geophys. Res, 107 (A12), 1461, 2002.
  23. Hidalgo, M. A., C. Cid, A. F. Viñas, and J. Sequeiros, A non-force-free approach to the topology of magnetic clouds in the solar wind, J. Geophys. Res., 106 (A1), 10.1029/2001JA900100, 2002.
  24. Ofman, L., A. F.-Viñas, and S. P. Gary, Constraints on the O+5 anisotropy in the solar corona, Astrophys. J., 547, L175, 2001.
  25. Hidalgo, M. A., C. Cid, J. Medina and A. F. Viñas, A new model for the topology of magnetic clouds in the solar wind, Solar Phys., 194, 165, 2000.
  26. Viñas, A. F., H. K. Wong and A. J. Klimas, Generation of electron suprathermal tails in the upper solar atmosphere: Implications for coronal heating, Astrophys. J., 528, 509-523, 2000.
  27. Osherovich, V. A., J. Fainberg, R. G. Stone, R. Fitzenreiter and A. F. Viñas, Measurements of polytropic index in the January 10-11 1997 magnetic cloud observed by WIND, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 3003, 1998.
  28. Viñas, A. F., H. K. Wong and A. J. Klimas, Generation of electron suprathermal tails in the upper solar atmosphere, Proceedings of the 16th European Cosmic Ray Symposium, ed. J. Medina, Madrid, Spain, 113-128, 1998.
  29. Viñas, A. F., H. K. Wong and A. J. Klimas, Generation of electron plasma and ion acoustic waves by long wavelength, field aligned electric field fluctuations, in Physics of Space Plasmas: Multiscale Phenomena, ed. T. Chang and J. R. Jasperse, MIT Center for Theoretical Geo/Cosmo Plasma Physics, Vol. 15, 325, 1998.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last modified: 13 Oct 2006