Soumyaranjan Dash
Brinson Postdoctoral Fellow
Curriculum Vitae
Verified Document Index • Primary Edition
Professional Experience
Brinson Postdoctoral Research Associate
Analyzing high-resolution spectropolarimetric datasets from the Cryogenic Near-Infrared Spectropolarimeter (CryoNIRSP) instrument aboard the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) under the mentorship of Dr. Tom Schad. Developing data pipelines to map magnetic topologies within the dynamic solar corona.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Investigated the generation, structure, and topological evolution of active region solar magnetic fields under the mentorship of Prof. Xudong Sun. Employed complex numerical modeling frameworks and data-driven surface flux transport simulations.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Dissertation completed at the Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India (CESSI) under the guidance of Prof. Dibyendu Nandy. Advanced novel, predictive data-driven approaches to surface flux dynamics and heliospheric field configurations.
M.Sc. in Theoretical Physics
Thesis completed under the supervision of Dr. Ayan Chatterjee, with core specializations in Fluid Dynamics, Computational Plasma Physics, and High-Energy Mathematical Formulations.
Research Interests
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Coronal magnetism through polarimetry
Inferring polarized emissions from the solar corona using DKIST/CryoNIRSP data.
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Magnetohydrodynamic evolution of the solar corona
Understanding coronal magnetic field configuration and dynamics through MHD simulations (modules in PLUTO and SWMF/BATS-R-US), including a global coronal simulation module developed in the PLUTO framework.
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Predicting the solar coronal field during eclipses
Combining Surface Flux Transport (SFT) simulations with Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) extrapolation to predict large-scale coronal structure for total solar eclipses, validated against observations.
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Long-term evolution of the solar corona
Studying model-reconstructed (solar dynamo + coronal extrapolation) proxies to understand the geo-effectiveness of solar energetic output during grand minimum episodes.
Publications & Research Presentations
8 peer-reviewed journal articles and 17 conference proceedings, 157 citations as of 2026-09-22. Generated from my ADS bibliography, so these figures track the publication list rather than being retyped here.
View Full Publications ListRecent Conference Presentations
- Diagnosing Coronal Magnetic Field Structure and Thermodynamics with DKIST/Cryo-NIRSP and Forward Modeling
- An Analysis of the Dependence on Inputs on Solar Polar Field Evolution Using Surface-Flux Transport Modeling
- Using Surface-Flux Transport Modeling to Characterize the Combined Effects of Diffusion Coefficients and Meridional Flow Profiles on the Buildup of the Polar Fields
- The Sun's Corona has a Memory which allows for Predictions of Heliospheric Activity
- Solar coronal magnetic fields and Alfvenic waves as measured by DKIST/CryoNIRSP
- Utilization of Ensemble Kalman Filter Data Assimilation Technique to Infer the Surface Flows with Surface Flux Transport model
Observing Proposals
Understanding Physical Mechanisms that Drive Solar Wind with DKIST Coronal Magnetometry
Proposes targeted Cryo-NIRSP/DKIST observations to investigate solar wind formation mechanisms — turbulent Alfvén-wave-driven in-situ heating versus interchange reconnection — by inferring magnetic topology and mapping the spatial distribution of temperature, electron density, and Doppler shifts across open/closed field boundaries.
Outreach Projects
Space Weather Assessment & Predictions
Contributed to CESSI's space environment monitoring and forecasting tools, combining computational modeling, big-data analytics, and machine learning applied to satellite and ground-based observations — covering solar surface imaging, surface/coronal magnetic field modeling, and active-region flare potential. Dashboard: cessi.in/spaceweather.
Modelling the Progression of COVID-19 in India
Developed an epidemiological model to study COVID-19 progression in the Indian context, with parameter-space studies and data analysis used to constrain the model. Results: cessi.in/coronavirus.
Achievements & Scholarships
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Doctoral Fellowship, DST INSPIRE Program
Awarded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, under the INSPIRE Fellowship program.
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All India Rank 98, Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) 2016
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Geospace SHINE Panel Reviewer (2024)
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Peer Reviewer
Referee for The Astrophysical Journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Open Research Europe, and other journals.
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Newspaper & Media Mentions
Coverage of eclipse-prediction research, including CESSI's coronal-shape forecast issued 43 days ahead of the 2017 total solar eclipse.