Short name: LTSP
Parent structure unit:
Phone: +7 495 939 28 10
Laboratory of theoretical space physics
The Laboratory of theoretical space physics (LTSP) was organized in 1971. Professor, DSc. Boris Tverskoy was its Head from the very beginning and to the end of his life - till 1997. Since 1997 till present the Laboratory is headed by Professor, DSc. Elizaveta Antonova.
The Laboratory is specialized in the field of plasma and space physics, including development of analytical and numerical models of spce-physics objects and analysis of the data of space and ground-based observations.
The scientists of the Laboratory conduct the research intended for the basic principles of space-physics objects dynamics. The following problems are currently at the frontier of the research:
- dynamics of solar onvective zone, photosphere and chromosphere;
- formation of pressure and current systems distribution in the Earth's magnetosphere;
- magnetospheric-ionospheric interactions;
- turbulence in the solar wind, magnetosheath and geomagnetic tail;
- aurora origin.
The Laboratory is qguipped with up-to-date computers. The students and post-graduates of the Chair of space physics of the MSU Physics Department are regularly trained in the Laboratory. During the last 5 years 2 scientists of the Laboratory defended their PhD. thesis.
Professor Antonova gives a course of lectures in "Spce plasma physics" for the students of the Chair of space physics. For a number of years DSc. Alexander Getling have given a course of lectures in "Hydrodynamics of the Sun".
Throughout the existence of the Lboratory its scientists have obtained a number of fundamental results, which influenced space physics development significantly, including:
- development of the Earth radiation belts theory by Boris Tverskoy;
- development of magnetospheric-ionospheric interactions theory (discovery N 369 in State registration list);
- development of particles' stochastic acceleration mechanism;
- development non-linear models of thermal convection structures production;
- development of the models of magnetic fields generation by convective cells and their application for description of magnetic activity at the level of solar photosphere;
- development of non-linear numerical models of small-scale structures generation in the chromosphere of the Sun;
- solution of the problem of particles' acceleration in quiet discrete arcs of aurora;
- identification of large-scale longitudinal currents in the Earth magnetosphere;
- development of theory of magnetospheric convection layering and auroral thin discrete arcs production;
- development of a global view of pressure distribution in the Earth magnetosphere according to the satellites observations, etc.
All obtained theoretical results are approved experimentally. In a number of cases theoretical predictions were confirmed. The results of the studies were published in a great number of papers in Russian and foreign journals.
The scientists of the Laboratory actively cooperate with many scientific organizations, including Russian institutes (Immanuil Kant Baltic Federal University, M.V.Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics RAS, IKI RAS) and foreing centers (University Santiago-de-Chile, Scientific center Hinode of Japan National Astronomical Observatory).