The Space Particle Group at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is a research and education team led by Professor Veronica Bindi, consisting of postdocs and graduate students. Our group focuses on heliophysics, space radiation, data analysis, modeling, and spacecraft-mounted scientific instruments. We collaborate with local education experts and enthusiastic students from high schools and middle schools across the Hawaiian Islands. We also offer an internship program for undergraduate students from US and international universities to gain experience and develop new skills.
The Space Particle Group is specialized in:
- Space Weather & Neutron Monitors
Space weather encompasses solar phenomena like flares and coronal mass ejections, which can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communication systems. To monitor these effects, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has established neutron monitor stations, such as the Haleakalā Neutron Monitor Station (HLEA) and the Thailand-Hawaiʻi Monitor (THIMON), to detect high-energy solar particles. These efforts aim to enhance space weather forecasting and mitigate its impact on technology and human space exploration.. - Solar Activity on Long and Short Timescales
The Sun experiences an ~ 11 year solar activity cycle (and ~ 22 year magnetic cycle) that alters the magnetic field in our heliosphere. The changing magnetic field causes a suppression of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) during solar maximum. This cyclic modulation of CRs by the Sun must be well-understood in order to accurately model GCR behavior. In addition, the Sun experiences short-timescale solar activity that generates solar energetic particle (SEP) events. AMS-02 provides new information about the highest energy SEPs in an energy range that has not been widely available to the heliophysics community. - Space Radiation
One of the most important goals for the Human Research Program at NASA is to support investigation into understanding and quantifying health impacts of space radiation. Their final goal is to ensure that crew members can live and work in space, including locations beyond Low Earth Orbit, without exceeding acceptable radiation health risks. Galactic cosmic ray (GCR) and SEP exposure is one of the main health risks for long duration exploration. Quantifying the astronaut exposure from GCRs is a critical aspect of risk assessment for both ISS operations and long duration missions beyond the geomagnetic field. - Precision Cosmic Ray Measurements
There are many possible CR accelerators in the Universe, such as supernovae, massive stars with high speed winds, pulsars, blazars, and cannabilistic black holes, to name a few, however the extent of their contributions to the CR population is presently unknown. In addition, as CRs propogate through space, they interact with the galactic interstellar medium (ISM). Precision energy spectra of CR nuclei of all types will lead to an improved understanding of CR sources and propagation throughout the galaxy. - Primordial Antimatter
The Big Bang Theory predicts that equal amounts of matter and antimatter were created in the Big Bang, however matter now appears to dominate our Universe to an extent that is not well explained by theory. It is possible that large amounts of antimatter could exist in separate domains that do not come in contact with matter. The detection of a Z > 1 antimatter particle would provide strong evidence of these domains because the probability of their production via interactions of CR with the ISM is negligible.