Boston University Astronomy Department
Computational Group for Astrophysics and Space Physics		Merav Opher Assistant Professor
Photo by Melody Komyerov/BU Photography Group Webpage Images and Movies about my research News about Opher's research		H 2all Department of Astronomy Boston University                               CAS Bldg, Room 514B      PHONE: (617) 358-6385                 FAX:   (617) 353-5704       mopher@bu.edu   Announcements Graduate positions available Postdoc position available  PAWARDED the 2007 PECASE (Presidential Early Career Award)    Movie as part of the American Museum of Natural History    "Journey to Stars Show" - link here to see a short version    Read  NASA Press Release on Strong Interstellar Magnetic Field    Read  NASA Press Release on Bubbles at the Edge of the Solar System      Read the story featured in Boston Globe   video
		Research: Magnetic Field Processes in Space
Research Fields Shock Physics Magnetized Winds Interaction of Solar System with Interstellar Medium Coronal Mass Ejection Evolutions Solar-Like Stars   Courses Introduction to Astronomy  (AS 102 - BU) Magnetic Field in Astrophysics (ASTR 790) Space Plasma Physics (PHYS/ASTR 760) Electrodynamic (PHYS 305) Curriculum Vitae Download CV Sponsors NSF NASA More Links Publications Students (Group Page) Talks This is how NASA sees me...click here for a fun cartoon in Space Place Live		My research interests are magnetic field processes in space physics and astrophysics, particularly how magnetic field affect the interstellar medium, disks around young stars, solar, stellar winds, jets and the early universe. I am using sophisticated state-of-the-art numerical modeling as experiments in conjunction with new theoretical approaches and observational data.  I am also interested in developing new computational models (such as coupling Kinetic-MHD models; PIC Codes-MHD; new AMR techniques, etc). Voyager 1 and 2, the most distant man-made objects are right now probing the confines of the solar system. It is believed that Voyager 1 in December 15, 2004 has exited the Termination Shock, the first boundary of the solar system, and now is going through the turbulent region the Heliosheath where magnetic effects are crucial. Voyager 2 in the August of 2007 crossed the shock going southward from Voyager 1. Recently we predicted that the heliosphere is asymmetric and were able to match the Voyager 1 and 2 particle observations. By matching the radio data and particle we are able to find the plane of the interstellar magnetic field plane. to learn more.. Bio Merav Opher's interests are in how plasma and magnetic effects reveal themselves in astrophysical and space physics environments. In particular, in how stars interact with the surrounding media, how the solar system interacts with the local interstellar medium, and the interaction of extra-solar planets with their host stars. Her other interests are in how magnetic disturbances are driven and propagate from the Sun to Earth. She uses state-of the art 3D computational models to investigate these phenomena. Dr. Opher was awarded the prestigious NSF CAREER award and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for studies of shocks in interplanetary space. She also received the Mason Emerging Researcher/Scholar/Creator Award. She is actively involved in several leadership roles in the Space Physics and Astronomy community.  She obtained her PhD in University in Sao Paulo in 1998. Dr. Opher had her postdoctoral training at the Plasma Group of the Physics Dept of UCLA from 1999-2001 and was a Caltech Scholar at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and at University of Michigan from 2001-2004. Before coming to Boston University, from 2005-2010 she was an associate professor at George Mason University. See full CV... and download papers Selected Recent Publications M. Opher, J. F. Drake, M. Swisdak, et al. "Is the Magnetic Field in the Heliosheath Laminar or a Turbulent Sea of Bubbles?", ApJ 2011 M. Opher, et al. "A Strong highly-tilted Interstellar Magnetic Field near the Solar System"., Nature in press 2009 J. F. Drake, M. Opher, M. Swisdak and J. N. Chamoun, "A Magnetic Reconnection Mechanism for the Generation of Anomalous Cosmic Rays", ApJ 2010 A. A. Vidotto, M. Opher, V. Jatenco-Pereira and T. I. Gombosi, "Simulations of Winds of Weak-Lined T-Tauri Stars: The Magnetic Field Geometry and The Influence of the Wind on Giant Planet Migration", ApJ 2010 R. M. Evans, M. Opher, V. Jatenco-Pereira and T. I. Gombosi "Surface Alfven Wave Damping in a Three-Dimensional Simulation of the Solar Wind",  ApJ 2009 M. Opher, E. C. Stone, T. I. Gombosi, "Orientation of the Interstellar Magnetic Field", Science May 10, 2007 Y.C. Liu, M. Opher, O. Cohen, P.C.Liewer, T.I. Gombosi, "Simulation of a Coronal Mass ejections Evolution in the Lower Solar Corona", ApJ 680, 757, 2008.           More...
When  I am not working... .

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