Yu Lin, PhD, College of Sciences and Mathematics Faculty and Staff

Professional Experience

Auburn University, Department of Physics, Assistant Professor of Physics, September 1994-1999.

Auburn University, Department of Physics, Associate Professor of Physics, September 1999-2003.

Auburn University, Department of Physics, Professor of Physics, September 2003 - present.

Innovation

Major Research Contributions: (1) Comprehensive theoretical and simulation studies of the nonlinear structure of reconnection layers in the magnetosphere: From MHD Riemann problem to hybrid simulations, with a paper published in Space Science Reviews in 1993 based on Ph.D. thesis work. (2) Generation of pressure pulses and MHD discontinuities by interaction of interplanetary discontinuities (shocks) with the bow shock: Used local and global hybrid simulations to predict and understand the generation of pressure pulses and magnetospheric traveling convection vortices due to variation in the IMF direction. (3) Developed the first 3-D global-scale hybrid simulation models of the magnetosphere, including the Auburn Global Hybrid Cede in 3D (ANGIE3D). (4) Unique large-scale parallel computations of the kinetic physics in magnetospheric plasma processes: Used the 3-D global hybrid simulation to address an array of the dayside and nightside processes in the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, including global ion kinetic physics associated with the magnetic reconnection/FTEs at the magnetopause and the resulting ion cusp precipitation and kinetic Alfven waves (KAWs), nonlinear physics of EMIC waves, fast flow and associated KAWs and particle injections by reconnection in the tail plasma sheet, interaction of interplanetary discontinuities with the bow shock and magnetosphere (including hot flow anomalies), foreshock waves and their self-consistent nonlinear interaction with the magnetopause, mode conversion and wave-particle diffusive transport at the magnetopause, and the coupling between the foreshock Fermi-accelerated diffuse ions and the cusp energetic ions. (5) Theoretical/computational studies of the fundamental plasma physics: First fully-kinetic ion particle simulation of mode conversion associated with the KAWs: The 3-D hybrid simulation shows for the first time the generation of KAWs dominated by perpendicular and azimuthal wave vectors when the amplitude of KAWs generated by linear mode conversion becomes large enough to drive a nonlinear parametric decay process. The results are fundamentally important to the transport processes at plasma boundary in space and laboratory plasmas. Generation of Alfven and KAWs by ion beam plasma interaction. (6) Developed an innovative gyrokinetic electron and fully-kinetic ion (GeFi) particle simulation scheme for investigation of plasma processes when wave modes from Alfven to whistler/low-hybrid frequencies need to be handled on an equal footing: Used the GeFi model to investigate the physics of collisionless magnetic reconnection under a finite guide magnetic field with a realistic ion-to-electron mass ratio. Used the GeFi model to investigate the nonlinear low-hybrid physics in space and fusion laboratory plasmas.