The Astrophysical Plasmas Group carries out research into the naturally occurring plasmas which pervade the solar system. We use state of the art numerical simulation and analysis of data from scientific spacecraft. The group has a broad range of interests, including the solar wind, collisionless shocks, plasma waves and instabilities, reconnection and the geomagnetic tail. We have involvement in several spacecraft missions.

A list of possible PhD projects in Space Plasmas is available.

Further information can be found on the Space Plasma Group pages.

Highlights

Major contributions were made to the data system for ESA’s Cluster mission for which Burgess is instrument co-I. The UK Cluster Science Centre was based at QMUL, where Burgess led the design of the QMUL Science Analysis System which is used world-wide. He also contributed the data file design used in ESA's Cluster Science Data System. Highlights include the first multi-spacecraft observations of surface ripples at the Earth's bow shock. Research focus recently shifted from Cluster data to large-scale plasma simulation. Studies of fundamental plasma processes in astrophysics have been pursued, including electron acceleration, structure and non-stationarity of collisionless shocks and their effects on thermalization and acceleration. Current work also includes kinetic plasma simulations of turbulence.